The Benefits of Solitude and Finding Companions in Life

It all started when a 30-year-old man walked down a mountain into a town marketplace. While in the marketplace he wanted to tell the people in the town that God was dead and how humanity can advance. Though he spent 10 years figuring out humanity and how the world worked, the people in the town wanted to hear none of it. He only received scorn, ridicule, and contempt from the townspeople.

The 30-year-old man’s name was Zarathustra. Soon after Zarathustra was rejected by the townspeople, a tightrope walker put on a show and walked across a tall tightrope in the marketplace. While walking across the tightrope he fell off and plummeted several stories to his death. Zarathustra carried the deceased body into the woods to bury it and came to a realization. Zarathustra said to himself:

“I am not to be a herdsman; I am not to be a grave-digger. Not any more will I discourse unto the people; for the last time have I spoken unto the dead”. - Zarathustra’s Prologue part 9

In other words, Zarathustra came to the conclusion that trying to share his wisdom and values with average people (similar to a herd) was pointless. His life was so empty that his only companion in life was a dead man that he had just buried. He then set out on a journey to find companions in life who shared the same values as him. Therefore, he didn’t need to spend a life chock-full of loneliness.

Two of the central themes in Friedrich Nietzsche’s masterpiece philosophy book “Thus Spake Zarathustra” are loneliness and finding companions in life.

LONELINESS

Zarathustra’s character spent from the ages of 20 to 30 years old alone in the mountains in order to get away from everyone and enjoy his spirit and solitude. In the proceeding chapters in the book, Nietzsche talks about the benefits of leaving the “marketplace,” where the average person is toxic, petty and dysfunctional. Instead, Nietzsche recommends going out into solitude, such as in nature, and being who you are and what you value. This is a way of remaining sane in what sometimes seems to be an insane world that we live in.

This could also be applied to the modern Digital Age that we live in. By simply turning off our smartphones and “unplugging” from the internet we can live a less toxic and happier life. For example, turning off our phones for the weekend and going for a hike or camping can do wonders for a person’s mental health.

FINDING COMAPNIONS

In the story, Zarathustra realized that he didn’t need to only live a life of loneliness. He actually needed to find other people who shared similar values to him or who would at least hear him out. Simply being around the average person wouldn’t cut it. Zarathustra realized that he needed to find like-minded people to be around. He described these people as companions. I view companionship as being a deeper relationship than just friends. They would be people who you could develop a very close relationship with and go about life together, almost like an adventure.

The main way to find companions in life is by finding people who you share a similar belief system or values with. For example, you could find someone who shares the same political beliefs as you. This would help you to connect with them at a much deeper level than just a superficial friendship.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It has been quite challenging finding companions in my life. I have found one stalwart companion in life who shares similar values to me. He also has a great affinity towards philosophy. My wife is also my companion, because we share a lot of values and beliefs. Finding companions can fill an entire lifetime. The internet may make this easier or harder depending on how you use it.

References:

Nietzsche, Friedrich (1885). Thus Spake Zaratustra: A Book for All and None. Wordsworth Editions Limited.