CORRECTIONS: 1)Walter Kaufmann's edition of The Will to Power came out in 1968 (in the U.S.). 2) I am against NOT knowing your limits. I misspoke. 3)Every person should aspire to be the TYPE of person Zaratustra was-NOT ZARATUSTRA HIMSELF.
@baku4726 it's because Zarathustra says at the end of Thus Spoke Zarathustra that his followers should make up their own minds how about who to be and what to become, so he's specifically saying don't become like Zarathustra-become yourself, but I still think Zarathustra represents a specific disposition towards life and morality, which is what I mean by "type".
@@ACrownofFlowers certainly made a difference for me, immediately wanted to watch the rest of the video ;) Very erudite remarks honestly. I especially liked the bit about paying attention to what Nietzsche you're reading in regards to the translation. His sister was a little imp who tried to ruin his lasting legacy, but luckily she didn't succeed in that. Cheers man! Have a good day
Im autistic and really needed to hear that I hate comparing myself to my neurotypical siblings because I’m the oldest but feel 6 years behind because of my lack of a drivers license
I have a drawing someone made of a giant hand about to grab a woman in a wheelchair from behind, titled "Ableism." Pretty much sums it up. Then there's always, "I don't understand why you can't just walk for exercise. My legs are working fine."
@@eudidjen3083 no it's when you read something without putting it into context and interpreting it via limited knowledge of somebody's overall beliefs
Easily one of the most thoughtful, well-considered, and nuanced takes on Nietzsche I've seen. This video was a gift to stumble upon. Keep up the good work, man!
My brother suffers from brain paralysis, however, still managed to take a masters in sociology. I am currently studying philosophy and sometimes me and my brother exchange thoughts. Your video was very interesting, and I hope my brother can enjoy it as well. Thank you!
So cool to hear a disabled person's perspective on his philosophy. I haven't gotten to reading Will to Power, but I've read 3 of his books (including Zarathustra), and I've always gotten the same sense in regard to his belief that not only do the things that inhibit oneself not have any bearing on their potential for greatness and success, but that reaching acceptance with one's respective adversities is an inherent part of the kind of personal evolution he promotes. I can't remember exactly which passage it's from, but something that stuck with me from his writings on suffering from Zarathustra was how he tells one to merely consider their particular misfortunes and hardships as their "due portion" of suffering. Despite the fact that Nietzsche is somewhat known for his discrimination (of women), I really agree that a lot of his philosophy was ahead of its time in terms of inclusivity. It's impossible to miss, especially in Zarathustra, how strongly he wanted ANYONE willing to read his work to see in themselves the magnificent, divine potential he recognized in man. Really awesome video :)
Great vid man-Nietzsche himself had at times debilitating health issues. The overman isn’t a bodybuilder or male model. He is a man of perfect self-containment-springboard for pure will.
I know, I avoided mentioning that because I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate since being disabled is a relatively new concept-at least in the contemporary sense, but you're so right.
This video made me tear up at the end. "Don't let yourself be defined by able-bodied values and standards." Such a powerful message. Thank you for your valuable insight.
You're one of the few people I've corresponded with in email (or otherwise communicated with) who actually has some intelligence, and I think it's a combination of head and heart intelligence or lateral thinking. "Lateral thinking is a creative problem-solving technique that involves looking at a situation from different perspectives and coming up with unconventional solutions. It's also known as 'thinking outside the box'."
Thank you. I really attribute that to my unorthodox liberal arts/classical education. Most recently all of my classes were based on singular portions of texts or one single work which we work through together as a class with the professors through Socratic dialogue. It helped me realize that, it's okay not to have a definite answer to things, or to leave things open-ended. I was also humbled many times, both by my professors, and people much smarter than me, which changed my perspective on a lot of things. I ultimately feel like I came out as a better person because of it, not just "smarter".
This was one of my favorite quotes from TSZ that felt particularly resonant with the prevailing attitude toward disabled people. “Pity is the most agreeable feeling among those who have little pride and no prospects of great conquests.”, which clearly doesn’t tell us to be pitiless in that we should strive to be brutal rather that we shouldn’t allow pity to place limits on ourselves or presuppose that others need our pity. Anyways great talk this made me consider Nietzsche from a perspective that I hadn’t considered all that much. Thank you!
This is a powerful video. You are incredibly inspiring, and I do not say that lightly. I am in my mid-twenties and have suffered from moderate to severe chronic pain every single day in many parts of my body for a decade. My disability is completely invisible; I look extremely healthy, but my entire life has been derailed by it. My issues likely stem from genetics. I’ve had to summon up tremendous strength and dedication just to battle with my body daily, just so that I am functional enough to do tasks that are trivially easy for able -bodied people. No one else in my life really understands the gravity associated with living a life that is regularly misery. And perhaps they cannot. But I feel Nietzsche did understand what I’m going through. I have felt the Greatest Weight. He is the most honest and edifying author I’ve ever read. While our disabilities are very different in some respects, I related to much of what you said. You will always have at least one advantage over most others: you are an earnest seeker of beauty and joy. We must remind ourselves not to fall into ressentiment.
Lovely perspective my guy. I think that his main critique of social Darwinism was that organisms adapt to their environment, rather than shaping their environment to their favor. Darwin’s theory suggests that organisms have no autonomy in how they mould their surroundings, but just that we merely have to change ourselves to fit into the existing natural order. This is true for a lot of people, but for exceptions, they challenge the order and propose new survival strategies and ways forward. His perspective on sickness and disability was a profound acknowledgement of how limitations can actually be the breeding ground of innovation, strength and true transformation. Good work my brother
I believe that Stanford University Press are currently working on the final volumes of a complete translation of the Kritische Studienausgabe, which will be in the English language for the first time. Volumes 14-18 will definitely be worth exploring if you're looking for the most comprehensive version of The Will to Power in English. In case you haven't already encountered his work, I highly recommend Peter Sloterdijk's "You Must Change Your Life", especially chapter 3, "Only Cripples Will Survive" for a contemporary Nietzschean take on the place of disability within self-improving "anthropotechnical" societies. In my opinion, it's one of the essential reads for anyone interested in Nietzsche's ascetology. Keep up the good work!
I always felt like most people would misunderstand nietzsche but I didn’t really know how to describe it. You did a really good job explaining how i was feeling but couldn’t describe, also you made some good points why people might misunderstand
Hi, I’m a philosophy major and I have my existentialism final tomorrow… Thus Spoke Zarathurstra is one of the books we read and that we’ll be tested on. Specifically, we’ll be tested on “Of Redemption,” which touches on disability. I stumbled upon your video and although you didn’t cover the part I was hoping you would, I feel so happy I found this. This whole term I haven’t liked Nietzche at all… But your video definitely changed my feelings, and I’ve gained an appreciation for Nietzche that my professor couldn’t inspire. Thank you for the thoughtful video!
I'm glad, and I wish you luck in your major and on your test. I think one of the other commenters here mentioned the parable you're talking about and we discussed it a little bit. It might be worth looking for if you're looking for more insight into that parable. Thank you for your support!
Great point you made about questioning the whole idea of social utility, and let's not forget that the man himself faced substantial physical and mental pain throughout his life, some of that inherited from his father who died young. And as he says, those hardships influenced his very original and useful (for us) thoughts over a century later
You have such insight, thank you for sharing this with us. You put a part of Nieztsche to the fore that I find many discussions and breakdowns almost completely ignore. Your video brought to mind a quote from one of Nitezsche's letters to Peter Gast in 1888, in which he is talking about his current mental and physical condition: " As for myself, I have got into a state of chronic vulnerability, against which, when my condition is slightly improved, I take a sort of revenge which is not of the nicest description that is to say, I adopt an attitude of excessive hardness." The man had firsthand understanding of the feeling of powerlessness and vulnerability, and he refused to be defined by it.
So true. I hesitated mentioning his repeated convalescence(s) because I didn't want people to think that he considered himself "disabled" in the modern sense, but that's so important. Thank you for your kind words and comments!
Your interpretations are spot on. Especially oh Nietzsche being somewhat inconsistent, these are mostly journals as you said. My father has MS and has been spastic for as long as I can remember. I left him for several years for the military and came back and his mind was… damaged. During that time after the military I had been homeless and discovered philosophy and Nietzsche, a UA-cam version of it, and felt inspired and angry and a need to lash out against the weakness and poor values of this unfair world. But always in the back of my mind was my father, whom I had to nearly carry out of his room, for who I opened water bottles and placed them in such a particular way as to make them accessible, and what then his purpose was. And what mine was in relation to him and people like him. At that time I didn’t realize I was still but a lion. The lesson of Zarathustra bearing the tightrope walker is lost on so many. The fact that Nietzsche himself was no Schwarzenegger is lost. People don’t understand that these ideas were bread in isolated, rejected, pain. And that is something that I’m sure you’re very familiar with. That pain causes growth. It is the true movement beyond good and evil, into understanding that growth requires pain and hardship. All the good wishes I can muster in your direction friend. The Übermensch is not a dictator of law but an example of strength, keep inspiring
Thank you man! I'm sorry you had to go through that. If it makes you feel any better my initial interpretations of nature were motivated and influenced by the same things. It wasn't until I got over that and also obtained my Master's degree that my views started to change.
Situating Nietchzes will to power aphorisms within the context of 19th century social darwinsim is fuckin fascinating, and something ironically I had failed to consider. I mean his work is so popular and pervasive now, it’s easy to forget his position was in some cases radically at odds with the materialist ideologies and proto-supremacists of his time. Still, his misogyny, in spite of all the above, is one of those things that reminds you that we can all fall short of being consistent and thorough in how we interrogate the negative social values that we’ve internalised. And I wonder how much this applies to how able bodied people think of disabled people. Sick video man
Yeah, that's exactly it. Really the main crux of it is that he didn't see misfortunes like disability as solely a disadvantage or cause for pity for the most part. And I do think that able-bodied people fail to really treat us as full humans, for better and for worse. Thank you!
Hey bro, fire. Glad I got randomly recommended this. Would love to see you discuss Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, or Schelling’s philosophy of mythology. Godspeed 🙏
Pretty cool take on a philosopher with hot HOT takes 😅 The power game is never a pretty one. Thank you for the information on the editing!! I'll have to pick up a copy from the editor you mentioned. And No-No Germans is like my favorite addition to my vocab in a long while 😂 very grateful
Hahaha. I agree and hope you enjoy the book! And I have to be honest that the term "No-no German" something I picked up from the UA-camr Drew Durnil when I used to watch him he would say that quite a bit lol.
Awesome take dawg, I never considered his work in this light but your perspective is insightful. I agree wholeheartedly with your point on the whole self-affirming motivational/inspirational thing, I see it as broadly counter-productive to people’s wellbeing and flourishing. Every human being is both limited and excellent in all sorts of nuanced and unique ways, we’re all the same in this. If we accept this reality, we can move forward as individuals and flourish in our own personal ways. That’s the freedom of radical acceptance, the principle of amor fati. Some things are beyond our power to control, but knowing this, we can still live fully when we live our own way, not by anyone else’s authority. Our flourishing is the flourishing of all and when one man lives fully, without restraint nor prejudice, everyone he meets is rewarded for it. What’s better than canned optimism is the truth. When one person lives fully, speaks sincerely, truly honours and reveres life, it is to the benefit of all, encouraging and enlivening, inspiring by degrees shallow cliches and affirmations cannot touch. Among many, Nietzsche himself is a testament to that.
Totally agree man. I think that's why he's so important for disabled people, because like we so often spend so much of our time seeking validation from the able-bodied that we lose ourselves. I feel like we're still too defined by them as a community. Thank you for your comment!
So happy I have found your video. Made me laugh and see Nietzsche from another pov. Keep it up! (For as long as you want to ofc) Would love to hear your takes on other philosophers.
Great video, you gave me a new way to think about Nietzsche. He struck me as a little bit elitist when he wrote about, for example, the aristocracy, or as he says in BGE, that a whole society exists for the perfection of a few individuals. But if these "exceptions", as you say, can be understood as exceptions of soul or mind, in that what defines their exceptionalism is their ability to explore a new aspect of the human condition, then this gives a little more nuance to things like the "master morality" - a way of being which follows from that deeper existential insight, and not limited to the dominance of material conditions. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
Yes, no doubt he was definitely an elitist. And you're very welcome. I also want to say that I think that with disabled people specifically their families do a lot for them to succeed if they're good families. For example, I would not have been able to attain to the limited social status that I have had it not been for their sacrifices for me. It's because of them that I know all this stuff and was able to get a master's degree, etc. Of course I'm not an übermensch or anything, but I think if you can look past his bombast, it does happen on a smaller scale all the time.
Great video! only just found your channel, I am just getting into Nietzsche with Ecce Homo. Thank you for the insights. "The collar" really got me haha
Hello Gabe. I just found your channel through this video. I have read Nietzsche and myself am disabled (chronic pain with unidentified cause and a lot of injuries, schizoaffective bipolar, other neurological stuff) but I have never wanted to stop learning. I'm gonna watch more of your videos, I'd be curious about learning more about your perspective of countering "inspiration for disabled people", I myself have a lot of mixed feelings regarding that concept and would be interesting hearing more about what you have to say on that. I'll be checking out more stuff on your channel and might leave comments with my thoughts if I feel like I have anything to say. Thanks for making this!
@@ACrownofFlowers I comment on a lot of stuff so it's totally possible you recognize my username, although I think I changed it relatively recently! I'm curious to ask if you have any specific recommendations of your videos for videos relating to the concept of pride or inspiration in disability and your views on it? One of my personal views is that whether someone "should" or more accurately "would" feel pride or inspiration depends very majorly regarding what someone is experiencing and how it affects their internal experience and what they are "still able to do" or more specifically how they view themselves and want to express their experience regardless of what they are able to do, nobody should be obligated to display a bunch of platitudes to create disability porn for non-disabled people to feel "motivated". I don't think anyone should feel obligated to feel a certain way about their disability because it's very personal. I choose to feel proud of my mind as someone who experiences madness but I don't feel personally that that feeling translates to my chronic pain and physical limitations, but I don't want other people who experience serious pain like me or worse to feel bad about themselves day to day. I feel lots of compassion for everyone else in a position of disability even when it looks very different to mine, but I don't feel pity because I don't want people to pity me, it feels like a disingenuous emotion and has never helped me. I won't tell my whole story here in a comment section, but you seem like a really cool guy and it would be great to communicate more in whatever way you're comfortable with. You voiced a lot of thoughts I've had myself in this video, in addition to introducing thoughts I haven't had before because our experience of disability is different even if the stigma created towards it is in many ways the same. Watching this video was very empowering for me, and I thank you for that. Take care Gabe, keep saying the things you do, because it is very powerful and I have felt empowered watching this video after a long period of stagnation in my life that I've been slowly waking up from. I take 6 psychiatric medications and am recovering from polydrug addiction, things that help me to feel my emotions are few and far between these days. Just one of your videos has provided me with insight and acceptance that has taken many years for me to learn and process, and I am grateful for it. I will pay attention to what you say. Many thanks, The Apothecary/Jeremy Maez. Looking forward to hearing more of what you have to say. I am currently reading "A Philosophy of Madness" by "Wouter Kusters". I find it to be a good insight into madness as someone who has experienced it.
Your voice and perspective on these matters is highly important, relevant and fascinating. Thanks. Respect Gabe, nice to meet you and see how you interpret the Will to Power. Have you read Kropotkin's Mutual Aid yet? Would be interested in hearing your opinion on him. Especially regarding Social Darwinism of which it is a proper critique from around the same time. Peace!
Thanks so much! No, I haven't. I really need to work on reading anarchisy.literature. another one that I've heard very good things about is "The Right to be Lazy" by Paul Lafargue.
I didn't know Kaufmann himself had an edition of the will to power. Just wanted to say as someone quite critical of Nietzsche as a philosopher and his role in philosophical history this gave me a lot of food for thought. Making my way through Kaufmann's basic writings of Nietzsche for uni work and really found it quite hard to understand how Kaufmann's Nietzsche matched up to the textual Nietzsche lmao, and I think one of my fundamental concerns was a seemingly eugenicist streak in Nietzsche. Seeing you here talk about how Nietzsche can be seen as a really radically anti-ableist or even a kind of anti body-normativist is something I wasn't expecting to understand, much less believe (although to be completely honest Gabe I'm not sure if I'm entirely convinced I certainly believe the truth of you and Kaufmann's conviction). I've been for a long time very sympathetic towards this (and I hope I am right in characterising you as being predominantly in Kaufmann's camp of Nietzsche scholarship) Nietzsche, and really he's the only Nietzsche scholar through which I've really been able to quite enjoy Nietzsche through. Yea not sure if these ramblings will really mean much but I figured I should probably pass on my gratitude as this was a totally random algorithim pull.
Yeah, I can totally understand that. He definitely didn't believe in equality, but this is one of the issues where he was far ahead of his time. Thank you for your support.
I highly recommend reading the Superhumanities (2024) to further add to the development of your thought on Nietzsche and even reaching out to author and the scholar Dr. Jeffrey Kripal
Read the title and was instantly reminded of “On redemption” from Zarathustra where he talks to a “hunchback” about how people tend to only recognize disability when someone lacks something (sight, motor function, speech, etc.) But they pay no attention to people who do not “lack” anything but have TOO MUCH of one thing which in many cases can be disabling. He also seems remarkably considerate to disabled people too despite the social Darwinist tendency him and his future adherents had. Zarathustra answered: “What is surprising in that? With hunchbacks one may well speak in a hunchbacked way”
Agree, that even happens within the disabled community when your disability isn't necessarily all that visible. When you get similar treatment where people say: "oh, you're not actually x, y and z." Yeah, and like I said in this video the aphorisms speaking out against Social Darwinist thinking far outnumber the ones in tacit or direct support of it.
I think you should read Spinoza next. I think the elements you found most nourishing in Nietzsche's philosophy are the particularly spinozist aspects. Those aspects are real and Nietzsche himself admits so.
Nietzsche was involved in a love triangle situation with Lou Andreas-Salome and Paul Ree. When Salome decided against him and for a romantic relationship with Ree he asked the two to have a picture taken that Nietzsche staged. It shows him and Ree pulling a wooden cart in which Salome sits with a whip in her hand. I think "if you go to women, do not forget to bring the whip" can be interpreted against the backdrop of this event. Calling him misogynist, social darwinist etc. are just boring takes by people who parrot something they've heard someone say somewhere but never read anything. Thanks for your video!
Hahaha. I know, I've seen that picture. I think he was still kind of a misogynist, but yeah, a lot of those other things that people accuse him of are kind of just baseless. I'm glad you enjoyed and thank you for your support!
I recommend the nietzsche reader. It takes sections from his books and puts them in a really nice, digestible structure. Sort of conveys his main ideas and gets you used to his writing style. After reading it i found his books much more comprehensible.
Really nice video! I didn’t know that there is Will to Power with edit other than Nietzsche’s sister. Because of that editing fact i was always suspicious toward this book. Do you find other aspects of Nietzsche’s philosophy connected to disability studies? I am very interested in your reading. Greetings!
Yeah man, his sister was not a good person and really misrepresented his philosophy. He has some things both in The Will to Power and Beyond Good and Evil that suggests that submission to authority when there is no other choice can in some way be a part of moral rebellion.
Your new sub mate (first video of your I watched was about greek culture .and how in modern day .people try to link tough guy act with it.the sigma male etc shit)
I never even considered this whole line of thought. This is the Grade A philosophical critique and application. It’s wonderful. And I can absolutely say that if I were fuhrer of the world… I would without doubt place you as Head of the Social Darwinian Ministry of Propaganda.
i also think we live in a disgustingly guilty society. its natural to feel guilty but i feel like we as a society feel guilty about letting our light shine
I’m like someone Zarathustra would aspire to be like… develop your thoughts to such extent of beauty and godliness that it gives other people reasons not to dispose of you. Try. Good luck. Live to the fullest extent and impact wheel print.
eat all the medicinal plants in big quantities do breating exercizes dont eat mea and eggs se if you recover... love and talk to animals dont ea them ..
I like an idea of Nietzsche you know the Will to power ,eternal struggel death march imagination so ill listen and read certain passages of his work. Never wanted to see what he actually offered. On the topic i cant imagine he would have a hard line blanket stance on disabled people at least nothing crazy like those nihlistic germans would
I actually read thus spoke Zarathustra it was utterly demented nonsense i cant even remember i threw it out they say its best probably written by nihilist German they literally make no sense
So true! I hesitated mentioning it because I feel like the modern term" disabled" is so loaded that I'm not sure that it would have been appropriate. And I agree, most übermenschen that I know of have been disabled women lol.
CORRECTIONS: 1)Walter Kaufmann's edition of The Will to Power came out in 1968 (in the U.S.).
2) I am against NOT knowing your limits. I misspoke.
3)Every person should aspire to be the TYPE of person Zaratustra was-NOT ZARATUSTRA HIMSELF.
I don't understand 3) can you explain please?
@baku4726 it's because Zarathustra says at the end of Thus Spoke Zarathustra that his followers should make up their own minds how about who to be and what to become, so he's specifically saying don't become like Zarathustra-become yourself, but I still think Zarathustra represents a specific disposition towards life and morality, which is what I mean by "type".
@@ACrownofFlowers Thank you for the explanation
@@baku4726 of course.
"what's up it's your favourite last man"
LMAO this made me chuckle
Hahaha. I'm glad!
@@ACrownofFlowers certainly made a difference for me, immediately wanted to watch the rest of the video ;)
Very erudite remarks honestly. I especially liked the bit about paying attention to what Nietzsche you're reading in regards to the translation. His sister was a little imp who tried to ruin his lasting legacy, but luckily she didn't succeed in that.
Cheers man! Have a good day
@@jodawgsup hahaha. I agree about his sister! Thank you and have a nice day.
Thank you for showing me that having a disability doesn't have to stop me from being intelligent and interesting.
Of course dude! Go out there and try to do what you want. You may not always get it, but at least you tried.
You’re a gangsta. Respect the mentality homie
@@TheMiist thanks!
Perhaps not, but it's almost impossible to have a conversation with the average person who has the intelligence of an inanimate object.
do you know stephen hawking?
Striving to avoid defining yourself by "able-bodied values" is such an inspirational and nietzschean concept. Excellent video and perspective.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.
Im autistic and really needed to hear that I hate comparing myself to my neurotypical siblings because I’m the oldest but feel 6 years behind because of my lack of a drivers license
@Johnmrobinson-vb5vd it's a part of disability pride that isn't really taught, but should be.
@@ACrownofFlowers yeah
I have a drawing someone made of a giant hand about to grab a woman in a wheelchair from behind, titled "Ableism." Pretty much sums it up.
Then there's always, "I don't understand why you can't just walk for exercise. My legs are working fine."
So happy to see someone aware of nietzsche’s mischaracterisation. Loved your video
I'm happy you're happy. Thank you so much for your kind words and support!
“Mischaracterisation” is when you read someone’s words and don’t just assume they’re being ironic/lying, apparently.
@@eudidjen3083 Yeah, that's one of the downsides of his aphoristic and poetic style.
@@eudidjen3083 no it's when you read something without putting it into context and interpreting it via limited knowledge of somebody's overall beliefs
Now this is the type of content I want to see youtube suggesting to me
I'm glad it did!
Lmao that collar joke was wild
Hahaha.
Easily one of the most thoughtful, well-considered, and nuanced takes on Nietzsche I've seen. This video was a gift to stumble upon. Keep up the good work, man!
Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it!
My brother suffers from brain paralysis, however, still managed to take a masters in sociology. I am currently studying philosophy and sometimes me and my brother exchange thoughts. Your video was very interesting, and I hope my brother can enjoy it as well. Thank you!
Thanks man. Good luck to you and that's terrific to hear about your brother. I have a master's degree in the liberal arts!
@@ACrownofFlowers Thank you very much! Your masters' is certainly something to be proud of!
@just_ghost6141 appreciate it!
put this on while rolling up and i do NOT regret it
Hahaha. I'm flattered.
So cool to hear a disabled person's perspective on his philosophy. I haven't gotten to reading Will to Power, but I've read 3 of his books (including Zarathustra), and I've always gotten the same sense in regard to his belief that not only do the things that inhibit oneself not have any bearing on their potential for greatness and success, but that reaching acceptance with one's respective adversities is an inherent part of the kind of personal evolution he promotes. I can't remember exactly which passage it's from, but something that stuck with me from his writings on suffering from Zarathustra was how he tells one to merely consider their particular misfortunes and hardships as their "due portion" of suffering. Despite the fact that Nietzsche is somewhat known for his discrimination (of women), I really agree that a lot of his philosophy was ahead of its time in terms of inclusivity. It's impossible to miss, especially in Zarathustra, how strongly he wanted ANYONE willing to read his work to see in themselves the magnificent, divine potential he recognized in man. Really awesome video :)
That's super interesting. I had forgotten all about that. Thank you for your comment!
Great vid man-Nietzsche himself had at times debilitating health issues. The overman isn’t a bodybuilder or male model. He is a man of perfect self-containment-springboard for pure will.
I know, I avoided mentioning that because I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate since being disabled is a relatively new concept-at least in the contemporary sense, but you're so right.
This video made me tear up at the end. "Don't let yourself be defined by able-bodied values and standards." Such a powerful message. Thank you for your valuable insight.
Thank you so much, BRUH!
You're one of the few people I've corresponded with in email (or otherwise communicated with) who actually has some intelligence, and I think it's a combination of head and heart intelligence or lateral thinking.
"Lateral thinking is a creative problem-solving technique that involves looking at a situation from different perspectives and coming up with unconventional solutions. It's also known as 'thinking outside the box'."
Thank you. I really attribute that to my unorthodox liberal arts/classical education. Most recently all of my classes were based on singular portions of texts or one single work which we work through together as a class with the professors through Socratic dialogue.
It helped me realize that, it's okay not to have a definite answer to things, or to leave things open-ended. I was also humbled many times, both by my professors, and people much smarter than me, which changed my perspective on a lot of things. I ultimately feel like I came out as a better person because of it, not just "smarter".
Your outro was so incredibly vulnerable yet so powerful. Thank you for posting this
You're welcome.
This was one of my favorite quotes from TSZ that felt particularly resonant with the prevailing attitude toward disabled people. “Pity is the most agreeable feeling among those who have little pride and no prospects of great conquests.”, which clearly doesn’t tell us to be pitiless in that we should strive to be brutal rather that we shouldn’t allow pity to place limits on ourselves or presuppose that others need our pity. Anyways great talk this made me consider Nietzsche from a perspective that I hadn’t considered all that much. Thank you!
Very true. And you're welcome!
This is a powerful video. You are incredibly inspiring, and I do not say that lightly. I am in my mid-twenties and have suffered from moderate to severe chronic pain every single day in many parts of my body for a decade. My disability is completely invisible; I look extremely healthy, but my entire life has been derailed by it. My issues likely stem from genetics. I’ve had to summon up tremendous strength and dedication just to battle with my body daily, just so that I am functional enough to do tasks that are trivially easy for able
-bodied people. No one else in my life really understands the gravity associated with living a life that is regularly misery. And perhaps they cannot. But I feel Nietzsche did understand what I’m going through. I have felt the Greatest Weight. He is the most honest and edifying author I’ve ever read. While our disabilities are very different in some respects, I related to much of what you said. You will always have at least one advantage over most others: you are an earnest seeker of beauty and joy. We must remind ourselves not to fall into ressentiment.
Thank you man, that was very beautiful! I'm sending you all the strength I can and I agree with your thoughts about N. Stay strong!
Lovely perspective my guy. I think that his main critique of social Darwinism was that organisms adapt to their environment, rather than shaping their environment to their favor. Darwin’s theory suggests that organisms have no autonomy in how they mould their surroundings, but just that we merely have to change ourselves to fit into the existing natural order. This is true for a lot of people, but for exceptions, they challenge the order and propose new survival strategies and ways forward. His perspective on sickness and disability was a profound acknowledgement of how limitations can actually be the breeding ground of innovation, strength and true transformation.
Good work my brother
I really couldn't have said any better than you just did. Thank you so much for your support!
You have renewed my strength with your words, thank you. Your perspective was very interesting and I like your energy. Keep up the good work
Thank you and I'm glad I could help!
I believe that Stanford University Press are currently working on the final volumes of a complete translation of the Kritische Studienausgabe, which will be in the English language for the first time. Volumes 14-18 will definitely be worth exploring if you're looking for the most comprehensive version of The Will to Power in English.
In case you haven't already encountered his work, I highly recommend Peter Sloterdijk's "You Must Change Your Life", especially chapter 3, "Only Cripples Will Survive" for a contemporary Nietzschean take on the place of disability within self-improving "anthropotechnical" societies. In my opinion, it's one of the essential reads for anyone interested in Nietzsche's ascetology. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much for this info!
Instant subscribe man. You articulated your thoughts so well and helped me see Nietzsche from a different perspective:)
Hahaha. Thanks!
I always felt like most people would misunderstand nietzsche but I didn’t really know how to describe it. You did a really good job explaining how i was feeling but couldn’t describe, also you made some good points why people might misunderstand
Glad to help, and have you come to a better understanding.
Hi, I’m a philosophy major and I have my existentialism final tomorrow… Thus Spoke Zarathurstra is one of the books we read and that we’ll be tested on. Specifically, we’ll be tested on “Of Redemption,” which touches on disability. I stumbled upon your video and although you didn’t cover the part I was hoping you would, I feel so happy I found this. This whole term I haven’t liked Nietzche at all… But your video definitely changed my feelings, and I’ve gained an appreciation for Nietzche that my professor couldn’t inspire. Thank you for the thoughtful video!
I'm glad, and I wish you luck in your major and on your test. I think one of the other commenters here mentioned the parable you're talking about and we discussed it a little bit. It might be worth looking for if you're looking for more insight into that parable. Thank you for your support!
You’re really down to earth, thoughtful and chill… I would be your friend in real life. You are intriguing.
I appreciate that!
Great point you made about questioning the whole idea of social utility, and let's not forget that the man himself faced substantial physical and mental pain throughout his life, some of that inherited from his father who died young. And as he says, those hardships influenced his very original and useful (for us) thoughts over a century later
Good point! And I wholeheartedly agree.
"No-no German" hahahahahahahaha
🤣
7:52 i never thought of it from that perspective, you’re so right
Yeah, the central thing that really made him different was that he was not given so easily to pity.
@@ACrownofFlowers i really loved this essay! looking forward for more videos 🥳
@@mooapologist thank you for support!
You have such insight, thank you for sharing this with us. You put a part of Nieztsche to the fore that I find many discussions and breakdowns almost completely ignore. Your video brought to mind a quote from one of Nitezsche's letters to Peter Gast in 1888, in which he is talking about his current mental and physical condition:
" As for myself, I have got into a state of chronic vulnerability, against which, when my condition is slightly improved, I take a sort of revenge which is not of the nicest description that is to say, I adopt an attitude of excessive hardness."
The man had firsthand understanding of the feeling of powerlessness and vulnerability, and he refused to be defined by it.
So true. I hesitated mentioning his repeated convalescence(s) because I didn't want people to think that he considered himself "disabled" in the modern sense, but that's so important. Thank you for your kind words and comments!
Your interpretations are spot on. Especially oh Nietzsche being somewhat inconsistent, these are mostly journals as you said.
My father has MS and has been spastic for as long as I can remember. I left him for several years for the military and came back and his mind was… damaged. During that time after the military I had been homeless and discovered philosophy and Nietzsche, a UA-cam version of it, and felt inspired and angry and a need to lash out against the weakness and poor values of this unfair world. But always in the back of my mind was my father, whom I had to nearly carry out of his room, for who I opened water bottles and placed them in such a particular way as to make them accessible, and what then his purpose was. And what mine was in relation to him and people like him. At that time I didn’t realize I was still but a lion.
The lesson of Zarathustra bearing the tightrope walker is lost on so many. The fact that Nietzsche himself was no Schwarzenegger is lost. People don’t understand that these ideas were bread in isolated, rejected, pain. And that is something that I’m sure you’re very familiar with. That pain causes growth. It is the true movement beyond good and evil, into understanding that growth requires pain and hardship.
All the good wishes I can muster in your direction friend. The Übermensch is not a dictator of law but an example of strength, keep inspiring
Thank you man! I'm sorry you had to go through that. If it makes you feel any better my initial interpretations of nature were motivated and influenced by the same things. It wasn't until I got over that and also obtained my Master's degree that my views started to change.
I love the way you phrase things haha
Hahaha. Thanks!
delighted to discover you and your channel 💜
Thank you!
Wow glad i clicked,,, ur thoughts absolutely refreshing to hear and humor on top, just delish
I really appreciate that!
Hi, I’m new here. Very interesting insights. I haven’t read any Nietzsche yet, but you’ve made me want to prioritize him now. Great video.
Glad to hear it. Thank you!
Situating Nietchzes will to power aphorisms within the context of 19th century social darwinsim is fuckin fascinating, and something ironically I had failed to consider. I mean his work is so popular and pervasive now, it’s easy to forget his position was in some cases radically at odds with the materialist ideologies and proto-supremacists of his time.
Still, his misogyny, in spite of all the above, is one of those things that reminds you that we can all fall short of being consistent and thorough in how we interrogate the negative social values that we’ve internalised. And I wonder how much this applies to how able bodied people think of disabled people.
Sick video man
Yeah, that's exactly it. Really the main crux of it is that he didn't see misfortunes like disability as solely a disadvantage or cause for pity for the most part. And I do think that able-bodied people fail to really treat us as full humans, for better and for worse. Thank you!
really inspiring video. i was really curious about this kind of takes on Nietzsche work, truly good video
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey bro, fire. Glad I got randomly recommended this. Would love to see you discuss Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, or Schelling’s philosophy of mythology. Godspeed 🙏
It's been a long time since I've read Hegel, and I've never read Schelling, but that's definitely on the docket now! Thanks.
You are BRILLIANT. wow. I kept watching the full video.
PLEASE become a professor ❤
Thank you! Maybe some day!
Pretty cool take on a philosopher with hot HOT takes 😅 The power game is never a pretty one.
Thank you for the information on the editing!! I'll have to pick up a copy from the editor you mentioned. And No-No Germans is like my favorite addition to my vocab in a long while 😂 very grateful
Hahaha. I agree and hope you enjoy the book! And I have to be honest that the term "No-no German" something I picked up from the UA-camr Drew Durnil when I used to watch him he would say that quite a bit lol.
bless you friend. you have brought me joy today.
Thank you. And I'm glad to hear that.
i just found your chanel, i love it men, a big hug from Spain
Thank you!
Fantastic video.
Thank you very much!
I loved this break down keep up the work my friend
Thank you!
Last man checking in ✅
Hahaha. Good to see you.
Awesome take dawg, I never considered his work in this light but your perspective is insightful. I agree wholeheartedly with your point on the whole self-affirming motivational/inspirational thing, I see it as broadly counter-productive to people’s wellbeing and flourishing. Every human being is both limited and excellent in all sorts of nuanced and unique ways, we’re all the same in this. If we accept this reality, we can move forward as individuals and flourish in our own personal ways. That’s the freedom of radical acceptance, the principle of amor fati. Some things are beyond our power to control, but knowing this, we can still live fully when we live our own way, not by anyone else’s authority. Our flourishing is the flourishing of all and when one man lives fully, without restraint nor prejudice, everyone he meets is rewarded for it. What’s better than canned optimism is the truth. When one person lives fully, speaks sincerely, truly honours and reveres life, it is to the benefit of all, encouraging and enlivening, inspiring by degrees shallow cliches and affirmations cannot touch.
Among many, Nietzsche himself is a testament to that.
Totally agree man. I think that's why he's so important for disabled people, because like we so often spend so much of our time seeking validation from the able-bodied that we lose ourselves. I feel like we're still too defined by them as a community. Thank you for your comment!
@@ACrownofFlowers appreciate ya brother, keep doing your thing!
@@BSqwerty I sure will!
Awesome lecture & video, commenting so more people get recommended by yt :)
Thank you for your support!
I loved this video and hearing your perspective. Subscribed.
and lol at your comment "his views on women... *chuckles*" 😂😂😂
Hahaha. Thanks so much!
Love it! Thanks for this, bro!
No problem!
I really enjoyed this discussion! Thanks !
No problem!
So happy I have found your video. Made me laugh and see Nietzsche from another pov. Keep it up! (For as long as you want to ofc) Would love to hear your takes on other philosophers.
Thank you. And there are many more philosophy videos on my channel to enjoy! 😁
Great video, you gave me a new way to think about Nietzsche. He struck me as a little bit elitist when he wrote about, for example, the aristocracy, or as he says in BGE, that a whole society exists for the perfection of a few individuals. But if these "exceptions", as you say, can be understood as exceptions of soul or mind, in that what defines their exceptionalism is their ability to explore a new aspect of the human condition, then this gives a little more nuance to things like the "master morality" - a way of being which follows from that deeper existential insight, and not limited to the dominance of material conditions. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
Yes, no doubt he was definitely an elitist. And you're very welcome. I also want to say that I think that with disabled people specifically their families do a lot for them to succeed if they're good families. For example, I would not have been able to attain to the limited social status that I have had it not been for their sacrifices for me. It's because of them that I know all this stuff and was able to get a master's degree, etc. Of course I'm not an übermensch or anything, but I think if you can look past his bombast, it does happen on a smaller scale all the time.
Great video! only just found your channel, I am just getting into Nietzsche with Ecce Homo. Thank you for the insights. "The collar" really got me haha
Hahaha. I've heard Ecce Homo is hilarious. I haven't read it yet though. Good luck!
Subbed.
Stumbled on this video and I’m so glad I did.
Love your vibe and I really appreciate the thoughtful way you approach the topic.
Thank you !
Thank you for your support.
Hello Gabe. I just found your channel through this video. I have read Nietzsche and myself am disabled (chronic pain with unidentified cause and a lot of injuries, schizoaffective bipolar, other neurological stuff) but I have never wanted to stop learning. I'm gonna watch more of your videos, I'd be curious about learning more about your perspective of countering "inspiration for disabled people", I myself have a lot of mixed feelings regarding that concept and would be interesting hearing more about what you have to say on that. I'll be checking out more stuff on your channel and might leave comments with my thoughts if I feel like I have anything to say. Thanks for making this!
Thank you so much man. I hope you enjoy! I've definitely seen your username around before.
@@ACrownofFlowers I comment on a lot of stuff so it's totally possible you recognize my username, although I think I changed it relatively recently! I'm curious to ask if you have any specific recommendations of your videos for videos relating to the concept of pride or inspiration in disability and your views on it? One of my personal views is that whether someone "should" or more accurately "would" feel pride or inspiration depends very majorly regarding what someone is experiencing and how it affects their internal experience and what they are "still able to do" or more specifically how they view themselves and want to express their experience regardless of what they are able to do, nobody should be obligated to display a bunch of platitudes to create disability porn for non-disabled people to feel "motivated". I don't think anyone should feel obligated to feel a certain way about their disability because it's very personal. I choose to feel proud of my mind as someone who experiences madness but I don't feel personally that that feeling translates to my chronic pain and physical limitations, but I don't want other people who experience serious pain like me or worse to feel bad about themselves day to day. I feel lots of compassion for everyone else in a position of disability even when it looks very different to mine, but I don't feel pity because I don't want people to pity me, it feels like a disingenuous emotion and has never helped me. I won't tell my whole story here in a comment section, but you seem like a really cool guy and it would be great to communicate more in whatever way you're comfortable with. You voiced a lot of thoughts I've had myself in this video, in addition to introducing thoughts I haven't had before because our experience of disability is different even if the stigma created towards it is in many ways the same. Watching this video was very empowering for me, and I thank you for that. Take care Gabe, keep saying the things you do, because it is very powerful and I have felt empowered watching this video after a long period of stagnation in my life that I've been slowly waking up from. I take 6 psychiatric medications and am recovering from polydrug addiction, things that help me to feel my emotions are few and far between these days. Just one of your videos has provided me with insight and acceptance that has taken many years for me to learn and process, and I am grateful for it. I will pay attention to what you say.
Many thanks, The Apothecary/Jeremy Maez. Looking forward to hearing more of what you have to say. I am currently reading "A Philosophy of Madness" by "Wouter Kusters". I find it to be a good insight into madness as someone who has experienced it.
@@theapothecary777 brother you can email me ar askgabequestions@gmail.com
3:15 lmao good one
Hahaha. Thanks!
Your voice and perspective on these matters is highly important, relevant and fascinating.
Thanks. Respect Gabe, nice to meet you and see how you interpret the Will to Power.
Have you read Kropotkin's Mutual Aid yet? Would be interested in hearing your opinion on him.
Especially regarding Social Darwinism of which it is a proper critique from around the same time.
Peace!
Thanks so much! No, I haven't. I really need to work on reading anarchisy.literature. another one that I've heard very good things about is "The Right to be Lazy" by Paul Lafargue.
Good video. Thanks
No problem.
Great video
Thanks!
You have the wit of a man 50 years your senior keep it up
Thank you so much!
I didn't know Kaufmann himself had an edition of the will to power.
Just wanted to say as someone quite critical of Nietzsche as a philosopher and his role in philosophical history this gave me a lot of food for thought. Making my way through Kaufmann's basic writings of Nietzsche for uni work and really found it quite hard to understand how Kaufmann's Nietzsche matched up to the textual Nietzsche lmao, and I think one of my fundamental concerns was a seemingly eugenicist streak in Nietzsche. Seeing you here talk about how Nietzsche can be seen as a really radically anti-ableist or even a kind of anti body-normativist is something I wasn't expecting to understand, much less believe (although to be completely honest Gabe I'm not sure if I'm entirely convinced I certainly believe the truth of you and Kaufmann's conviction). I've been for a long time very sympathetic towards this (and I hope I am right in characterising you as being predominantly in Kaufmann's camp of Nietzsche scholarship) Nietzsche, and really he's the only Nietzsche scholar through which I've really been able to quite enjoy Nietzsche through.
Yea not sure if these ramblings will really mean much but I figured I should probably pass on my gratitude as this was a totally random algorithim pull.
Yeah, I can totally understand that. He definitely didn't believe in equality, but this is one of the issues where he was far ahead of his time. Thank you for your support.
I highly recommend reading the Superhumanities (2024) to further add to the development of your thought on Nietzsche and even reaching out to author and the scholar Dr. Jeffrey Kripal
Thank you for that recommendation. I also find it funny that his last name is Kripal. 🤣
Read the title and was instantly reminded of “On redemption” from Zarathustra where he talks to a “hunchback” about how people tend to only recognize disability when someone lacks something (sight, motor function, speech, etc.) But they pay no attention to people who do not “lack” anything but have TOO MUCH of one thing which in many cases can be disabling. He also seems remarkably considerate to disabled people too despite the social Darwinist tendency him and his future adherents had.
Zarathustra answered: “What is surprising in that? With hunchbacks one may well speak in a hunchbacked way”
Agree, that even happens within the disabled community when your disability isn't necessarily all that visible. When you get similar treatment where people say: "oh, you're not actually x, y and z." Yeah, and like I said in this video the aphorisms speaking out against Social Darwinist thinking far outnumber the ones in tacit or direct support of it.
🍩 ive been thinkin about fundamental philosophers in western thought a lot lately
this vid is great food for encouraging periodic discernment, tyvm
I'm glad to help. Thank you!
this guys got style
Thank you!
Beautiful video. Love Nietzsche
Thanks so much!
I think you should read Spinoza next. I think the elements you found most nourishing in Nietzsche's philosophy are the particularly spinozist aspects. Those aspects are real and Nietzsche himself admits so.
Yeah, I really should. I do remember him saying in one of his books that Spinoza was one of his forerunners.
Nietzsche was involved in a love triangle situation with Lou Andreas-Salome and Paul Ree. When Salome decided against him and for a romantic relationship with Ree he asked the two to have a picture taken that Nietzsche staged. It shows him and Ree pulling a wooden cart in which Salome sits with a whip in her hand.
I think "if you go to women, do not forget to bring the whip" can be interpreted against the backdrop of this event.
Calling him misogynist, social darwinist etc. are just boring takes by people who parrot something they've heard someone say somewhere but never read anything.
Thanks for your video!
Hahaha. I know, I've seen that picture. I think he was still kind of a misogynist, but yeah, a lot of those other things that people accuse him of are kind of just baseless. I'm glad you enjoyed and thank you for your support!
Nietzsche didn’t speak highly of women, but he definitely made clear greater contempt for men.
Hard agree. As I said elsewhere in the comments, he even said that the highest type of woman rises higher than the highest type of man.
notifs on sir
I'm flattered.
Thank you for the video!!
Thank you!
Dude you’re awesome ❤️
Thank you!
'don't forget to bring the collar' LMFAO im dead and subbed
Thank youuuu.
I highly recommend a book, the Affirmation of Blindness: a Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability, by Berkemeier.
Thank you so much for the recommendation!
W algo for giving me this gift
Hahaha. I'm glad you consider it a gift!
I've never been able to read Nietzche; I thought his writing was difficult to understand. But maybe I should give it another try.
I would give it a shot!
I recommend the nietzsche reader. It takes sections from his books and puts them in a really nice, digestible structure. Sort of conveys his main ideas and gets you used to his writing style. After reading it i found his books much more comprehensible.
Have you ever read any Stirner? Props to you for the video my man
No, but I have to because you're like the 5th or 6th person that has mentioned him. Thank you!
I'd like to recommend Max Stirner and Renzo Novatore
Thanks! Will definitely check them out!
the mustache man 😭😭😭😭
Can't say his name or UA-cam would get mad.
Really nice video! I didn’t know that there is Will to Power with edit other than Nietzsche’s sister. Because of that editing fact i was always suspicious toward this book. Do you find other aspects of Nietzsche’s philosophy connected to disability studies? I am very interested in your reading. Greetings!
Yeah man, his sister was not a good person and really misrepresented his philosophy. He has some things both in The Will to Power and Beyond Good and Evil that suggests that submission to authority when there is no other choice can in some way be a part of moral rebellion.
Funny that we don't call disabled those who misunderstood Nietzsche. Cheers.
Cheers!
lmfaoooo don't forget to bring the collar
Hahaha.
Your new sub mate (first video of your I watched was about greek culture .and how in modern day .people try to link tough guy act with it.the sigma male etc shit)
Welcome, and thank you for your support!
my bf said the most beautiful thing the other night. : suffering is the most beautiful part of life
It really is most of the time.
Winter philosophy arc
Hahaha. Maybe.
have you ever read stirner? i think there are some striking similarities specifically on this topic
No, but a ton of my friends have, and I should probably. What's a good book of his to start with?
Pretty sure Nietzsche went clinically disabled later in life. At least mentally.
He did.
"no no German"
Dude im fuckin dead.
Hahaha.
Preach king!!!!❤
Hahaha. Thanks! I'll try to keep going.
@@ACrownofFlowers pls do! Just subbed hope to hear more of your thoughts. 😲
@@aychinhlathao7767 thank you, I have a lot of stuff planned!
I never even considered this whole line of thought.
This is the Grade A philosophical critique and application.
It’s wonderful.
And I can absolutely say that if I were fuhrer of the world… I would without doubt place you as Head of the Social
Darwinian Ministry of Propaganda.
Hahaha. Thank you! We're gonna make the strongest cripples.
@ Brother… your reply to my comment alone has inspired me to give up my seat as world-Fuhrer to you.
All hail!
@@BearsArms45 hahaha. 🫡
12:44 is the exact energy the world needs right now sorry for the spam
Thank you. And it's okay!
i also think we live in a disgustingly guilty society. its natural to feel guilty but i feel like we as a society feel guilty about letting our light shine
Yeah, but I also think that guilt can be good sometimes because it forces us to self-reflect.
Don’t forget to bring the collar LMAO
Hahaha!
I’m like someone Zarathustra would aspire to be like… develop your thoughts to such extent of beauty and godliness that it gives other people reasons not to dispose of you. Try. Good luck. Live to the fullest extent and impact wheel print.
Thanks! I'm certainly going to try.
eat all the medicinal plants in big quantities do breating exercizes dont eat mea and eggs se if you recover... love and talk to animals dont ea them ..
Thanks brother.
i belive cristals can help you too :)
@gabrieltopan9315 👍🏻
Great power!
The will to power!
I like an idea of Nietzsche you know the Will to power ,eternal struggel death march imagination so ill listen and read certain passages of his work. Never wanted to see what he actually offered. On the topic i cant imagine he would have a hard line blanket stance on disabled people at least nothing crazy like those nihlistic germans would
Same man. That being said, I do think you should totally look into the rest of his work.
I actually read thus spoke Zarathustra it was utterly demented nonsense i cant even remember i threw it out they say its best probably written by nihilist German they literally make no sense
favorite karl marx quote?
"Philosophers up to now have only interpreted the world, the point is to change it."
Nietzsche himself was highly disabled, I dont think it has any impact on becoming an Ubermensch (although Nietzsche didnt consider himself one)
So true! I hesitated mentioning it because I feel like the modern term" disabled" is so loaded that I'm not sure that it would have been appropriate. And I agree, most übermenschen that I know of have been disabled women lol.
Ayyye, bro got them jokes
Hahaha. Thanks!
I need to read some Nietzsche lol
You should!
i stole my copy of the will to power from my high school library 😎i'm not against inspiration either but i def like when people are empowered more
Yeah, same. And that's pretty based that you did that. My brother and I did that a lot with text books.