Rambling on Nietzsche, Boethiah, and a Dash of Vivec

The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche bears striking similarities to Dunmer/Padomaic philosophy; in this post, I'm going to look at a few of those similarities. I've tried to structure this somewhat; I may or may not have succeeded. This area isn't my forte, so if I get something wrong don't hesitate to correct me. Also, this is mostly just highlighting a few areas of similarity, so above all I hope this stimulates deeper discussion.

Boethiah is the Prince of Revolution unlawful overthrow of authority, Deceit, Conspiracy, Murder, on and on, and strongly values self-reliance in her followers. As we see in both passages below, Boethiah and Nietzsche have some similar ideas regarding.

> Of all evil I deem you capable: therefore I want the good from you. Verily, I have often laughed at the weaklings who thought themselves good because they had no claws... Watch them clamber, these swift monkeys! They clamber over one another and thus drag one another into the mud and the depth. They all want to get to the throne: that is their madness — as if happiness sat on the throne. Often, mud sits on the throne — and often the throne also on mud. Mad they all appear to me, clambering monkeys and overardent. Foul smells their idol, the cold monster: foul, they smell to me altogether, these idolators.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra

> "Of all my believers, but two remain. Tell me, second-to-last, with what shall you prove your existence?"

> Without hesitation I drew forth my blade and buried it in the chest of the other who stood beside me, and without fear replied:

> "Ask him whose blood now sprouts from my blade if I exist."

> She smiled. And the gates of Oblivion opened between her teeth. Then she said:

> "Tell me, now-last of my followers, wherefore do you remain where the others do not?"

> I retrieved my blade, and offered it up saying:

> "I am alive because that one is dead. I exist because I have the will to do so. And I shall remain as long as there are signs of my handwork, such as the blood dripping from this blade."

> Accepting my gift, she nodded and said:

> "Indeed."

Boethiah's Proving

These two passages illustrate well a few areas of overlap between the two:

The first two sentences from Zarathustra illustrate a concept Nietzsche called the Will to Power, an idea that what drives men is achievement, conquest, all around acquisition of power, and furthermore, this pursuit was good - or in a sense, outside of morality but acceptable; the third to last line in Boethiah's tale illustrates a similar idea, one also related to the Psijic Endeavor, that one must assert one's own existence in the face of great odds, both in the physical sense (others driven by the Will to Power) and in the context of CHIM. However, for Nietzsche, the Will to Power was an end in itself, and in the Padomaic sense, it is a means of sharpening oneself in order to look at the wheel and see I and continue to exist. The second sentence of Zarathustra is particularly relevant - a man who will kill anyone who challenges him without hesitation is best suited to love himself and the entire universe, so sure is he of his existence, and he is strong enough too.

Boethiah and Nietzsche also are similar in their views of government and authorities; Boethiah, obviously being the Prince of the overthrow of authority, is not fond of authority, and Nietzsche was also opposed to most government. The "cold monster" Zarathustra speaks of is government, as evinced by the throne, and in the realm of politics, Nietzsche was opposed to the Will to Power. He thought it a corruptor, and as such was opposed to all its forms:

> The state lieth in all languages of good and evil; and whatever it saith it lieth; and whatever it hath it hath stolen.

Boethiah would be proud. And the sphere of overthrow has deeper implications, as it is not only about the overthrow of governments, but about the rejection of all authorities but oneself. Again, CHIM related, but this also connects with an idea of Nietzsche:

> "And what doeth the saint in the forest?" asked Zarathustra. The saint answered: "I make hymns and sing them; and in making hymns I laugh and weep and mumble: thus do I praise God. With singing, weeping, laughing, and mumbling do I praise the God who is my God."

> When Zarathustra was alone, however, he said to his heart: "Could it be possible! This old saint in the forest hath not yet heard of it, that God is dead!"

> ... Who is the great dragon whom the spirit will no longer call lord and god? "Thou shalt" is the name of the great dragon. But the spirit of the lion says, "I will." "Thou shalt" lies in his way, sparkling like gold, an animal covered with scales; and on every scale shines a golden "thou shalt."

Thus Spoke Zarathustra

> She looked down upon her followers, gathered to bear witness. Frowning she asked the first:

> "Tell me, you who profess to know me, how shall I know you?"

> Afeared he exclaimed:

> "Each night I pray to thee, each night I call out thy wondrous names. Surely thou must recognize the sound of my voice? Thy most devoted of believers?"

> She frowned and let out a long sigh, and then of a sudden he was gone, the air from her lungs dispersing him.

> Turning to the second she asked:

> "And you? How shall I measure the worth of your existence?"

> Stunned by the power of her voice, he bowed before her darkening visage.

> She clapped her hands, and he too was gone.

Boethiah's Proving

So Nietzsche says God is dead, and Padomaic philosophy says to become your own God - in fact, become your own dream. Both are about individuality, as evinced by the Boethian assertion of existence and the golden dragon of "thou shalt". But the individuality required for CHIM takes knowledge:

> Brave, unconcerned, mocking, violent–thus wisdom wants us: she is a woman, and loves only a warrior.

Or, perhaps, a warrior-poet? One who speaks of reaching Heaven by Violence? One whose teachings on CHIM are reminiscent of Nietzsche's idea of the Übermensch, or Superman/Overman?

> I teach you the superman. Man is something to be surpassed. What have ye done to surpass man?

> What is the greatest thing you can experience? It is the hour of your greatest contempt. The hour in which even your happiness becomes loathsome to you, and so also your reason and virtue. The hour when you say: 'What good is my happiness? It is poverty and filth and miserable self-complacency. But my happiness should justify existence itself!' The hour when you say: 'What good is my reason? Does it long for knowledge as the lion for his prey? It is poverty and filth and miserable self-complacency!' The hour when you say: 'What good is my virtue? It has not yet driven me mad! How weary I am of my good and my evil! It is all poverty and filth and miserable self-complacency!' The hour when you say: 'What good is my justice? I do not see that I am filled with fire and burning coals. But the just are filled with fire and burning coals!' The hour when you say: 'What good is my pity? Is not pity the cross on which he is nailed who loves man? But my pity is no crucifixion!"

The first two sentences of the second quote bear further similarity to Vivec's happy fun time with Molag Bal, and overall to the Padomaic preference of fire to pure light - fire which forges character and burns away chaff. This also relates to the fact that reaching Heaven by Violence is not always all fun and games.

> "And you, tell me, how shall I know you apart from such as were they, of whom there is no trace?"

> Shaken and speechless from the nullifications of his brethren, he whispered:

> "Have mercy upon us!"

> She blinked twice. Once, he was in agony. Twice, he was destroyed.

> She cast a withering glance across those remaining and said:

> "I do not grant mercy."

Reaching Heaven by Violence isn't very easy at all - hell, you may never actually even achieve divinity and you'll still need some serious grit. This isn't all about metaphysics, that's really not my specialty, but plenty of these comparisons can apply simply to the Arena itself. Boethiah is all about being strong and proud, master of your own destiny; giving way to pity or mercy is to make someone else's pain or ineptitude a weapon against oneself. To quote /u/RideTheLine's Seventeen Demands of the Sixteen Daedra:

> Boethiah says: Respect none but yourself. Your fabricated leaders are weak in the presence of he who covets these lessons. Lead your own way, and be not a follower.

That's about all I have to ramble on. If you have knowledge of Nietzsche or TES to add, again, please do so.