Kanye West and Nietzsche

I notice that Kanye West’s hit song Stronger contains the following lines: “Th-th-that that don't kill me\ Can only make me stronger\ I need you to hurry up now\ Cause I can't wait much longer”. This is taken from the philosopher Nietzsche’s aphorism: That which does not kill me makes me stronger.

Apparently rapper Kanye West has recently shown signs of megalomania. He has said: “I was forced to change my name to Martin Louis the King Jr. Address me as such”. This is to honour Martin Luther King and Louis Vuitton in one go.

Nietzsche also showed signs of megalomania. His book Ecco Homo has chapters with titles such as “Why I write such excellent books”, “Why I am so Wise” and “Why I am a destiny”. In the book Nietzsche says: “I know my fate. One day my name will be associated with the memory of something tremendous — a crisis without equal on earth. I am no man, I am dynamite”. Nietzsche only sold a couple of hundred books in his life-time. But he predicted that one day he would be a famous writer. He was correct. Today he is possibly the world’s most read and studied philosopher. Nietzsche was known for his striking aphorisms. Here are a few more that Kanye West might like to try and incorporate into his lyrics:

• All actions done from love are done beyond good and evil.

• Perhaps I know best why it is man alone who laughs; he alone suffers so deeply that he had to invent laughter.

• No victor believes in chance.

• In heaven, all the interesting people are missing.

• Fear is the mother of morality.

• It is always consoling to think of suicide: in that way one gets through many a bad night.

• Become who you are.

• Without music, life would be a mistake.

• One must have chaos within oneself, to give birth to a dancing star.

• Regarding life, the wisest men of all ages have judged alike: it is worthless.

• The demand to be loved is the greatest of all arrogant presumptions.

• Everyone wants the same, everyone is the same: whoever feels different goes willingly into the madhouse.

• Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings — always darker, emptier, simpler.

• Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves?