Raffaele Malanga wrote: > At some point in the book we're told about the "Good religion" of > Zarathustra: "we have to be vigilant against the things which conspire > against the life force - anger, brutality and dishonesty." > > These words immediately made me think of "The three great stimulants" > lyrics. I'm sure there's something here: Joni's frequent allusions to > Biblical stories, her admiration for Nietzsche (reference to his Zarathustra > book), the three things which conspire against life force...
What a great quote, and what synchronically! This song has been much on my mind lately, especially after a recent listening to the version of the TGS from the Rock Master Class recording (thanks as always, to Mr. Muller). Seems likely enough that this is an idea she may have adapted from Nietzsche, but its been rolling around in my brain that Joni may have pinched "artifice, brutality and innocence" from Carl Jung. Or at least "brutality and innocence"--artifice may be JM's addition. (Or maybe it all sprang from her head independently . . .) In any case, I have this vague notion from reading some Jung long ago that he made a point similar to that in the TGS--that "the exhausted " or unhealthy ones tend to retreat into a faux innocence or become brutal in their dealings with other humans. Of course there is Jung's familiar quote that "sentimentality is a superstructure erected upon brutality" but I think he was much more explicit about the connection between brutality and innocence. I've been meaning to research this a bit-- I've put "re-read Jung" on my to-do list, but somehow haven't quite gotten to that yet. Perhaps there is a Jungian jmdler who can illuminate this more. Anyway--thanks for sharing that quote--wonder if this is a point of commonality between Nietzsche and Jung? I'll add my request for a learned volunteer to step forward. Regards, Catherine T. NP: Rebecca Campbell, "Brand New Day"
