For Whom the Bell Tolls

Salvere iubeo spectatores optumos?and?start here. This poem is one of my favorites and the inspiration for our seventh edition.?

We've got a wonderfully expansive philosophical treatment on a late-breaking news item. Oh, the expanding is off-page stuff, your stuff; I did my best to make what's here bite-sized and full-flavor.?

Where's the flavoring from? I read "Beyond Good & Evil" six years ago, and it was (is) a slog. It was my full-form foray into critically reading Friedrich Nietzsche. Everyone needs to start somewhere, I suppose. Don't start where I did with this book-- mistake.?

If you're going to read BG&E (a text rightly considered to be?still?ahead of its time in moral-cum-socio-political dimensions (published nearly 140 years ago)), have yourself a starter baking session. Make some muffins before you get out the standing mixer for that French opera cake. Test the oven. I should have done it that way.?

I recommend starting with "Twilight of the Idols," Nietzsche's summary essay critiquing traditional values and advocating radical reevaluation of morals and beliefs.

And if you're not going to read Nietzsche's because, well, you have absolutely?anything?better to do with your time (lucky you), at least you've got this newsletter.

This edition calls upon Nietzsche, one of the most enigmatic, misunderstood, and genius minds of all time, to comment on a helicopter crash in the mountains near the Azerbaijan border.?

In our second frame, how do you tell your new manager that your old boss was horrid without sounding conniving and bitter? What would Confucius advise you to say or not say?

Oh. And?the bag is chock full of the latest and greatest in?readings, the arts, and media, occupying my time.

Enjoy.

Prima Parte: Philosophy on News?

Each man's death diminishes me

The News

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner and potential successor to Supreme Leader?Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border.

The wreckage, found early the following morning after an overnight search in blizzard conditions, confirmed that Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and six others suffered violent, charred deaths.?

The Philosopher

You might be tempted by tribalism, oh, the most human of human backslides. It's familiar. It's our deep, innate, forever inherited worldview (only challenged and (somewhat) changed in the post-Enlightenment over the last 400 years or so by an ethos of individuality-super-tribalism (beautifully rendered in John?Donne's?"No Man is an Island,"?which set this newsletter on its course)).?

Maybe you're thinking, "Raisi wasn't like me. He was different from me. He was a nasty dude and did terrible things. He hurt people. His death must be a good thing. Yes, it's good when bad people die, especially those who aren't like me. Doesn't the Bible even say that somewhere? It doesn't matter anyway. I know the God I know (who is just like me, by the way) would want this type of justice."

I'm not here to criticize that viewpoint.?

Most of the time, I'm?not beyond?this construct of who and what is good/evil and how a just world should work.

Reconsidering Good & Evil

"He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."?

("Beyond Good and Evil," Aphorism 146.)

Friedrich Nietzsche, unfathomably far-reaching in his understanding of moral philosophy and its unfurling future in humankind's progress, calls us to transcend this one-dimensional morality in "Beyond Good & Evil."

The Philosopher would approach the news of Raisi's death with a nuanced perspective that goes beyond a binary moral judgment of good vs. evil.?

He believes this sort of traditional morality suppresses the full potential of human life and creativity. Furthermore, he urges us to question the very labels "good"?and "bad"?as they apply to individuals. Instead of seeing the death of a "bad" person as an unequivocal good, he would ask us to consider who is defining these terms and for what purpose.

The Will To Power

Nietzsche's concept of the "will to power"?is central to his philosophy. It suggests that life is fundamentally about the expansion of power and influence. From this perspective, the death of a "bad" person might be seen as a power shift rather than a moral victory.

This helicopter crash could precipitate a change in Iran's power dynamic. Note how Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with a final say on foreign policy and Iran's nuclear program, immediately and?clearly?came to the microphone via IRNA reportage with a succession plan for the dead President—everything not to upset the apple cart.?

"Life itself is?will?to power."

("Beyond Good and Evil,"?Aphorism 259.)

Nietzsche would view Raisi's death not in moral terms but as an expression of power dynamics. For the Philosopher, celebrating such a demise indicates a lack of understanding of these dynamics and a failure to transcend conventional morality.

Beyond Resentment

Nietzsche warns against "ressentiment," which is deep-seated resentment, frustration, and hostility, particularly among the powerless. He suggests that celebrating the death of a "bad" person could be an expression of "ressentiment," which he views as a weakness. Nietzsche would not suffer for any moralizing in the vein of "God's justice has been served."?

"The 'selfless,'?the 'self-denying'?ones, the 'self-sacrificing'?ones—they?are always the very ones who have the most virulent, secret, and dangerous kind of self-love."

("Beyond Good and Evil,"?Aphorism 33.)

Conclusion

Nietzsche's philosophy, particularly as articulated in "Beyond Good and Evil,"?leads us to reconsider an impulsive value judgment of the Iranian President's untimely death. He challenges us to move beyond conventional moral judgments and understand such events in the broader context of power dynamics and human potential.?Nietzsche would likely discourage any positive feelings on this news, urging instead a focus on self-overcoming and creating new values of human excellence.

Because we're reading about Nietzschian moral philosophy on the mantle of post-Enlightenment thinking, going beyond the tribalism of good and evil, in a commentary on Middle Eastern power dynamism in the news (whew)?...?I should reference the Quran, if only to circle the square. Right? Right.?

And the hour (of your own death) will most surely come. So forgive with gracious forgiveness.

(Surah Al-Hijr 85)

How different is this quote from?what's attributed?to Jesus' teachings in the New Testament? Not different at all—Neitzsche would have hated both moral views just the same!

Seconda Parte: Your Philosophy is Your Business

For I am involved in?mankind.

You're an experienced account executive at a fast-growing start-up SaaS company. You weren't responsible for hiring your new sales manager, but, being seen as the de facto team leader, you had some involvement in the interview process. Now that your new boss has started, she's looking to you to help her understand the team, their past, and how to improve things. How do you talk about "the good, the bad, and the ugly" without isolating yourself from your team (i.e., betraying current teammates' confidence and even your relationship with your prior manager, who is still quite popular with your coworkers)? Does talking frankly with her make you a turncoat? How do you call it like it is for your new boss without "taking a hit" with your team as "the messenger?"

Confucius, an ancient Chinese philosopher and sage, above everything, emphasizes the importance of respect, harmony, and proper conduct in relationships, as reflected in "The Analects."

Respecting and heeding a hierarchy is often thought of as fundamental to Confucianism. This thinking is warranted-- working within a respected hierarchy is core to our Teacher's philosophy. But there's a more profound truth:

"The superior man is modest in his?speech,?but exceeds?in?his actions."

(The Analects, 14)

Confucius would advise against speaking ill of your former boss and current employees. Instead, he councils our account executive to focus on how he intends to continue to contribute positively, demonstrating respect and harmony.

So, when it comes to taking the role of the messenger in this situation, don't take it. Speak only for yourself. Let your actions in your work, and their differences from those less-than-effective colleagues, speak for you. Your new boss will come to a?truer, if not quicker, understanding of past circumstances and what's ahead of her.

Parte Terza:?Notables

Therefore, send not to know

Here's a list of any new, notable reading, art, and media on my desk with a short commentary:

Reading:

• "Alexandria, The City that Changed the World" by Islam Issa:?I've wanted to visit Egypt, specifically the?Bride of the Mediterranean,?for a long time. With all that's going on in the region, that'll be tough to do for now. This book is a beautiful, expansive narrative history of this fascinating city.?
• "Suicide of the West" by Jonah Goldberg: A thoughtful unpacking of where we are today in the West. Authoritarianism, tribalism, identity politics, nationalism, and cults of personality are rotting our liberties from within, and what, if anything, can be done to deter a decline backward into our murky past?
• "Close to Death" by Anthony Horowitz. I love this author—his latest and best in the Hawthorne Series. If you haven't read Horowitz's whodunits and are?a fan of the genre, stop reading this?and start reading his first, "The Word is Murder." Wonderfully clever, funny, and comfortable.?Do it!??
• "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg. A landmark Beat Generation poem critiquing 1950s American society. Addressing madness, drug use, and anti-establishment sentiments, Ginsberg begins the poem with "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness." Its obscenity trial expanded literary free expression. Important and riveting.?
• "Travel Has Become?Really, Really, Really Easy" by Brent Hartinger. A fun and thoughtful essay that argues that while travel has become easier and more accessible due to technology, it has lost its mystery and challenge, making the experience less enriching and unique.

Art:

My God in heaven, what is going on here? A big miss is what's probably going on here. But I'm mesmerized. I think I even like this, maybe a lot? Wow. Just when I thought the Royals couldn't get any weirder:

Media:

• Wondrium: The Guide to Essential Italy. I'll be spending July in Italy this year. I'm a Wondrium enthusiast (check it out?here,?if you're unfamiliar). This class is sweeping and well-presented, with actionable suggestions for appreciating the most of Italian art, culture, and history while on tour.?
• Latin Mass Music: I found this?gorgeous playlist?on Spotify.?I think the Catholic Church lost much beauty, history, and specialness?with the doing?away?of?the Latin Rite.?Several?tracks, especially Agnus Dei (track 2).
• The French Connection: If you've not seen it, or it's been a while, look back on when NYC was all grit, drugs, and cops. Otherwise, you may end up "picking your feet in Poughkeepsie." I LOVE the way the film ends, too.?
• One Night of Queen:?Last week, I?went to?a night at the Mahaffey Theatre to see one of rock's greatest bands revived by the world-class and world-touring Gary Mullen & The Works. They were great, but no live rock set will ever top?Queen at Live Aid 1985 Wembley Stadium.?Here's a video talking about what made this Queen performance so spectacular.

Sport:

• Knicks! What a season, what a playoff run! Sad to see them fall to the Pacers (once again) in a Game 7. I can't believe that's almost thirty years ago. History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes, as they say. I did enjoy a 1990s revival of playoff basketball fever in NYC. I'll take that as my win. Go NY Go NY Go NY Go. New York City basketball is back...
• And the playoff hype is not done yet. Rangers! Once again, at least on ice, the Garden will play host to the Eastern Conference Finals. Is there a 30th-year Stanley Cup anniversary hoisting in the offing?
• I'm sure there'll be more to come from me on what the Bronx Bombers are up to this season. They're good enough for me to be watching baseball games in May. I'm also watching "Bronx Zoo '90 Crime Chaos and Baseball." So far, so wild. I remember this team but was too young to appreciate the crazy factor. It's also super interesting to consider the parallel between George Steinbrenner and the political figure who Donald Trump, a young, wealthy admirer of The Boss, would become.

Parte Quatra: My Back Pages

For whom the bell tolls,

• Check out my?YouTube channel?for ongoing videos in my series on "Catholicism: A Complete Introduction." Four lectures have been posted, with a fifth soon to come! We're in the thick of unpacking?"Catholicism—The Basics."
• The second Your Philosophy Your Business content series on Don Miguel Ruiz's "The Four Agreements"?continues! My LinkedIn page will host?written posts?and short videos (YouTube for unedited, longer takes).
• Did you miss the first YPYB content series? It was a treatment of my Nine Principles of Stoicism, and you can find it by tracking back on my LinkedIn page or more easily here on?Substack.?
• You can subscribe to my?Substack?for extra written content on "Your Philosophy Your Business."

Parte Quinta: Under Glass

It tolls for thee.

I love the hinting smile on this masterpiece of Ptolemy I. Macedonian-born, best friend of the world’s greatest dead and defied conqueror, the builder of Alexandria (if not its?namesake), he had much to grin about. I’m glad to see it. And, as far as we know, a singular smiling countenance in bronze busts of this importance in the Classical Period.

Riferimenti

Confucius. The Analects of Confucius. Translated by Arthur Waley, Vintage Books, 1989.

Donne, John. "No Man Is an Island." Devotions upon Emergent Occasions. 1624. Reprinted in The Works of John Donne, edited by Henry Alford, vol. 3, John W. Parker, 1839, pp. 574-575.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future. Translated by Walter Kaufmann, Vintage Books, 1966.

The Quran. Translated by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, Oxford University Press, 2005.