On the Vision and the Riddle and The Black Nazarene

(Note: Saw this while organizing files in the computer. This brings back memories. Thank you, Fr. David!)

In the aphorism On the Vision and the Riddle of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche introduces one of his most famous ideas, the eternal recurrence. By using a riddle which features a conversation between Zarathustra and a dwarf, the German philosopher implies that time is not necessarily a one-dimensional linear path. Rather, its circular and infinite nature allows one, more specifically the Ubermensch, to appreciate the present moment and to love life itself, not something disattached to it. In the same way, one can only truly appreciate the religious exercise that is the Black Nazarene if he or she veers away from dealing too much with the past or being apprehensive of what the future holds. Truly, this idea implies that the reason behind one’s will determines how one goes about in pursuing that same will.

Nietzsche

Understanding the aphorism

In the aphorism, Nietzsche writes that Zarathustra, still feeling despair because of the realization that his love for humanity is holding him back from being the superman, finds himself aboard a ship heading to the mountains. Here, he is joined by sailors and adventurers who “take long journeys and do not want to live without danger,” making it easier for Zarathustra to befriend them, consequently breaking the “ice of his heart,” which has kept him silent for two days (176). Speaking up, he tells a riddle involving himself and a dwarf on his shoulder. The latter mocks the former by claiming that even with Zarathustra’s ascension, there will be a point in time when, similar to the way the laws of physics act on a stone, he would fall. Zarathustra, in the riddle, confronts the dwarf using the courage he describes as a pride of humanity and even a slayer of death. In fact, Zarathustra proudly claims, “Was that life? Well then! Once more!” They then move into a gateway called “Moment.” Branching out from this point are two opposite paths; one infinitely stretching to the past while the other towards the future. However, Zarathustra argues that if these paths extend infinitely, then it would be logical to assume that the events of the present have already occurred, albeit in different forms, and will continue to recur in the future. Basically, Zarathustra points out that the two paths may possibly not be eternally antithetical after all. The aphorism ends quite oddly, with a shepherd biting off the head of a snake which was choking him.

Now, it seems necessary to look into what this aphorism offers in terms of the feast of the Black Nazarene. Yes, Nietzsche comes up with this brilliant way of thinking about the relationship of time and being, but what does it all mean? More importantly, how can one apply such philosophy in trying to achieve the state of the overman?

Of course, it has been proven scientifically that the concept of the eternal return cannot physically take place. Case in point, the whole idea of the eternal recurrence is founded on the assumption that time is infinite, which, based on the laws of physics, is mathematically unsound. Time is actually finite in a sense that it should have a beginning, for if time extended back in an infinite amount of time, then the time it would take to reach the present would also be infinite. Hence, time must have a beginning for the present to even exist. The end of time, of course, is another issue still open for debate within the scientific community. Also, the doctrine falls into another scientific pit, for it is also proven by the likes of Georg Simmel (who used three wheels in an axis to prove that given an infinite amount of time, the lining up of the wheels could never take place again), that no similar thing can recur. So as not to dwell too much in this scientific analysis, one must also question the intent of Nietzsche in proposing such idea. Should this idea be even examined only on its scientific validity and bearing? Or is it more plausible to look at the doctrine in an existential perspective?

Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for None and All

If the answer to the last question is in the affirmative, then it becomes necessary to look at the other dimension involved in the aphorism--one that does not focus on the theory of the eternal return alone, but also takes into account the context in which the idea operates. Thus, one must look at how Nietzsche approaches the themes, characters, and dynamics of the riddle while at the same time incorporating the whole eternal return concept. 

Of course, the half-dwarf, half-mole creature is key to the development of the eternal recurrence. Initially, the impression of the dwarf is a negative one since it proclaims that Zarathustra would ultimately “fall down” in his quest for being the overman. In fact, Zarathustra claims that such creature is his “devil and archenemy.” In essence, the dwarf represents a Spirit of Gravity, asserting that what goes up must come down. Yet, taking into account that the dwarf is an essential factor in the influx of courage in Zarathustra, one must rethink the negativity encapsulated in the character of the dwarf. Assuredly, no one doubts that it is indeed an image of gravitation. However, this attribute itself may not necessarily be as dreadful as it may seem. Even if the dwarf oppresses Zarathustra, it also allows him to reexamine his situation: “I climbed, I climbed, I dreamed, I thought...wearied by his sore torment and reawakened from sleep by a worse dream” (177). Simply put, the dwarf, as a Spirit of Gravity, awakens one to realize that although he ascends, he must be true to himself and be courageous enough to face the facts which include falling at some point in time. Thus, even being labeled as a devil, or more precisely his (Zarathustra’s) devil, the dwarf may not be something to be treated abominably or be afraid of after all.  

In relation to the dwarf’s image, one can then surmise the value of the eternal return not as a scientifically rigid idea, but rather as a doctrine of those who dare be courageous enough to be true to the earth. Even with the knowledge that a similar suffering would eventually recur, those who take up readily the task brought about by the eternal return of the same would still truly love life. In the last part of the aphorism, Nietzsche writes about a shepherd whose neck was being choked by a snake. Realizing this and after failing to pull the serpent out of the shepherd’s neck, Zarathustra cries that the man should bite the adder’s head off. In relation to the courage necessary for facing life’s roadblocks while simultaneously loving life itself, one must be brave enough to “bite the head off” of the things which “choke” him. Although Nietzsche perhaps uses such as a symbol for Christianity, it is safe to assume that such allegory refers to the general condition of nihilistic institutions which stunt the growth of an individual. Such growth, at least according to Nietzsche, is possible if there is a full appreciation of the idea of the eternal recurrence. The idea basically proceeds from the prior Nietzschean claim of the “death of God” and pays great attention to how a person should live his life given the aforementioned circumstance of the end of an all-powerful Creator. Hence, the eternal return is, to reiterate, essentially a state where no origin and no end exists, only the recurrence of all things (since they are finite). The challenge then, for individuals, is how they would face such endlessness. One way is to view such condition as something dreadful and let it crush the self; the other is to embrace such realization and face life events the hard way, even without a teleological command. Life then becomes living to the fullest, experiencing all it has to offer; whether one gets to live it over again eternally is another concern--the point is to live it now.

On the Black Nazarene

Of course, one cannot ignore the fact that the feast of the Black Nazarene is an annual event, indicating that, although not eternally, it is recurring. It may be too negligent to state that such occurrence is a clear indication of the idea of eternal return. However, loosening the term may be acceptable given that, as already mentioned, the notion of eternal recurrence is not purely scientific.

Black Nazarene Procession, 2013

With this in mind, it is interesting to regard the event as a phenomenon which “has eternally recurred” since the 17th century. It is of great significance to note that since such event qualifies within eternal recurrence, there needs to be a focus on the actors involved, for time here is not a continuous stretch. Instead, it is a composition of units stretched and determined by human will. From the time the Recollect friars brought the image to the country, up to the present celebration of thousands of barefoot devotees, it goes to show that the choices people make matter. The Black Nazarene did not come out of thin air. By the same token, it continues to retain the spirit of the people who scream, “Viva Señor!” The feast is not only a commemoration of the past, it is also an exercise of experiencing the present.

Over 1,000 devotees swarm on Jones Bridge

With courage, participants withstand the heat, the sweat, the fatigue, and everything in between to witness the procession of the Poon. This expression of faith and courage, should not be misinterpreted as idolatry or fanaticism, for its basis remains on the concrete. In the same way the dwarf awakened Zarathustra from his misery, Filipinos must understand that the icons symbolize the Divine and are not divine themselves. The Black Nazarene epitomizes the plight of the millions of unfortunate Filipinos experiencing a wide array of socio-economic problems. Be it the pahalik or the pabihis, the gestures performed by the devotees are and should be expressions towards the concrete, not towards a blissful abyss.

In essence, the idea of the eternal return is something more than just a notion of the everlasting repetitiveness of time. It is how individuals respond to the notion that things have already happened in the past and will continue to happen in an innumerable amount of time. For individuals, it is having the option of either being fearful of such endlessness and subsequently falling into meaninglessness, or mustering enough courage to embrace life, including its hardships.