Eternal Recurrence: "The Heaviest Weight"

Eternal Recurrence

By: Erin Liddle - Section 13

Eternal Recurrence, or Eternal Return, is the idea or belief that time is a circle and life infinitely repeats itself; that when we die, we come back to this same world to live again. Some believe that we come back in our current forms, while others believe we come back in different forms or social classes. Of course, the details vary between the different cultures and religions that speak on this theory. 

Although mostly linked with Nietzsche’s The Gay Science (1882) and Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883), Eternal Recurrence can actually trace its origins to ancient times. Long before the Western philosophers ever wrote of it, Eternal Return was and still is, a central pillar of various faiths and cultures. This includes the ancient Egyptians, Greek stoics, Hindus, and even some Buddhists.

A common theme that links many of these religions, is the belief that lessons (or consequences) are to be learned in each recurrence, and passed on to the next recurrence to achieve some form of happiness, be accepted into an afterlife, or even attain enlightenment. Buddhists even believe that negative consequences, like suffering, can be the result of actions in a previous recurrence. Nietzsche’s take on eternal recurrence focused more on being fated to repeat our current lives in your current form, and instead of passing on knowledge to a future self, you were taking action in the here and now to make your life more satisfying and fulfilling. 

Pop Culture

We have seen this idea displayed in pop culture most prominently in the movies Groundhog Day (1993) with Bill Murray, and Edge of Tomorrow (2014) with Tom Cruise.  Edge of Tomorrow's tag line even echoed the philosophy perfectly: "Live. Die. Repeat." 

Whether by coincidence or design, both characters display traits that mirrored Nietzsche’s description of the ideal human in his "Will to Power" philosophy, also known as the “ubermensch." They are both very successful in life, think very highly of themselves, and are unapologetic about it. Simply put, they are selfish, arrogant jerks. However, repeating the day is not a pleasant experience for either character, despite their success. Doomed to repeat the same day over again, they must change to escape the loop. Bill Murray's character Phil must learn to be kind, selfless, and loving. For Tom Cruise's character Cage, the fate of the world rests on his shoulders, in true Tom Cruise fashion. To save humanity from annihilation, he must learn teamwork and to value everyone’s strengths, or watch the destruction of those around him, over and over again for eternity. By the end of the movie, both characters have changed from their "ubermensch" traits to embody more heroic and idealized traits, such as compassion, trust, and teamwork.

Practical Application

It’s not confirmed that Nietzsche believed in eternal recurrence in the literal sense, as much of his work was edited or destroyed posthumously by his sister. In its practical application, eternal recurrence was proposed as more of a thought experiment or a hypothetical question to analyze one’s own life and current trajectory; what we believe was Nietzsche's actual intent. 

Think about it for a moment: If you were told you were going to die and repeat your exact life again, would you feel blessed, or would you feel cursed? Delighted or depressed? Nietzsche referred to this question, and related actions, as "the heaviest weight." The question puts us in a unique, somewhat uncomfortable position, where giving up is not an option-- you'll just repeat the same life again anyways! On the other hand, there is also no rewarding afterlife waiting for you; just this life you live now. It requires you to take a deep assessment of your life and your actions, keeping in mind that you will repeat all the good and all the bad that comes along with it. 

This leaves us with a choice: maintain the status quo and just carry on or take action to change the things you are able so you actually enjoy your life. Nietzsche implores you to do the latter. He wants you to take action and not become complacent in your own life. To "consummate" your life by living it as opposed to being lived by it.

This concept is discussed in the film When Nietzsche Wept (2007)

Amor Fati

Some things in our lives are harder to change or embrace than others. This is where Nietzsche’s philosophy of “Amor Fati” or love of one’s fate, comes into play. There is no such thing as perfect: everyone has struggles and encounters obstacles. However, if there are things in your life that make you dread repeating it, ask yourself if those are things you can change or distance yourself from. If so, Nietzche urges you to take action and change your life's trajectory into something you'd be ecstatic to repeat. If it's something you can’t change, like being born into poverty, then you have no choice but to accept that part of your life, but you do not have to let it steal your potential to live a life you'd love. Embrace it! You can't change that part of your life, but you can accept it, learn from it, appreciate the good in it, and focus on changing what you can actually control.  You're going to repeat this life anyway, might as well make it an enjoyable and fulfilling experience.

Personal Refection

I think this is a great exercise that everyone should at least try, if not do routinely. Are there things you can change that you just aren't? Are you taking steps to overcome obstacles? Personally, there was a time when I would have thought repeating life would be a curse. After a lot of work and difficult choices, I am at a point where I would consider it a gift. I would go through the bad and tough spots if it meant that I get to climb mountains with my husband again. Amor Fati.

Quiz: 

1.  Name one of the books in which Nietzsche discussed Eternal Recurrence?
2.  Did Nietzsche believe Eternal Recurrence was real?
3. What philosophy is Nietzsche's answer for life?

Discussions:

1.    Do you think Eternal Recurrence is a valuable tool to evaluate your life? Why or why not?

2. Evaluating if you would view your life as a curse or a gift. Is the description of "the heaviest weight" accurate? Explain your answer.      

3. What would a life worth repeating look like to you?

4.    Would it be difficult for you to live by the principles of Amor Fati (accepting one's fate)? Why or why not?

Souces:
https://philosophynow.org/issues/29/Nietzsche_and_the_Eternal_Recurrence

https://www.thoughtco.com/nietzsches-idea-of-the-eternal-recurrence-2670659

Eternal recurrence in True Detective:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPzg-r-SN54&feature=youtu.be&start=131&end=197

https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/eternal-return



Commented on two other blogs here:
https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-afterlife-final-report-section-13.html?showComment=1575392279640#c9075075666933920500

https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-philosophers-of-marvel-ii-first.html?showComment=1575393063391#c6934543881185915144