Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the most influential philosophers, suggests a thought experiment to help us understand what it means to feel truly alive. He calls this idea “eternal recurrence.” I think it’s a fun way to help ourselves in life.
Imagine, for a moment, that every decision you make today will be repeated over and over again for eternity. You know, like the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray!?
If you had to relive this day forever, would you be content with your choices? This is the essence of Nietzsche’s eternal recurrence. It’s about living each moment as if it were to recur infinitely, urging us to make decisions that truly reflect our values and desires.
I am not suggesting that we take this idea as a literal truth, but rather as a way to inspire us to live more intentionally.
Phil, played by Bill Murray, is forced to relive the same day repeatedly. Initially, Phil responds with frustration and recklessness. This is hilarious. But as he grapples with the reality of eternal recurrence, he begins to make more meaningful choices, improving himself and helping others, ultimately finding a deeper sense of purpose and joy.
A simple example in our lives is scrolling through social media. Picture yourself spending hours mindlessly flicking through posts, only to feel empty and unfulfilled afterward. Now, apply Nietzsche’s thought experiment: if you knew you would have to relive those hours endlessly, would you still choose to spend your time that way?
Nietzsche’s idea of eternal recurrence can serve as a wake-up call. It encourages us to live deliberately, making choices that bring us genuine fulfillment and joy. If every moment counts forever, we might find ourselves more present and engaged in our daily lives, leading to a deeper appreciation of the present and a more profound sense of aliveness.
Nietzsche is on to something here, but not fully on point. I don’t think we can live without regrets. It’s daunting to live if every decision we make will have eternal consequences. Life is certainly not perfect, and every day is not the same, and we need to be able to make missteps in life. But…
Nietzsche doesn’t expect perfection. Instead, he invites us to embrace life’s challenges and uncertainties, seeing them as essential parts of our journey. It’s about living with intention and courage. I think that’s lovely.
Living with intention means being mindful of our choices and their impact, striving to align our actions with our core values. So mindless social media scrolling is out of the question…
After all, I think we need to be reminded that in order to grow as individuals and live fully, we need to be intentional with what we do in life.
Actions matter and have consequences for ourselves.
I found this statement in a seriously interesting book about Zen Buddhism: “I feel most alive when…”
By merging this statement with the idea of eternal recurrence, we can identify what we truly want to do, and live intentionally, moment to moment, day by day.
