And Those Who Were Seen Dancing …

By | October 17, 2024

[October 17, 2024]  In past articles, I’ve included many great quotes that instantly say something to the reader. My favorites quotes are those that make me sit up and take notice, often clarifying some nebulous idea.

Years ago, I started reading Friederich Nietzsche to learn more about the human condition , rather than as a hobby. I found his words highly informative about the human mind and his ability to tell a story with interesting metaphors.

“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”  The quote has been attributed to Friederich Nietzsche, the famous 18th century German philosopher

Taken literally, the quote is a bit bizarre, because it implies that the casual observer is innocently missing out on something because of their limited perception. In this case, the observer does not hear the music, or has to judge without the very thing they need for an informed decision.

I think this quote says much about the psychology of humans, mostly that we can make judgments on others based on little information – perhaps useful and sometimes to our detriment – and apply that judgment to our daily lives.

Nietzsche says that some people might not be able to comprehend the profound beauty and authenticity of those who live life passionately and authentically.

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Author: Douglas R. Satterfield

Hello. I provide one article every day. My writings are influenced by great thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Jung, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Jean Piaget, Erich Neumann, and Jordan Peterson, whose insight and brilliance have gotten millions worldwide to think about improving ourselves. Thank you for reading my blog.

11 thoughts on “And Those Who Were Seen Dancing …

  1. Mrs. Isabella

    Gen. Satterfield, off topic here, but I do have to ask, how are you doing? After knee surgery, not a gentle operation, it is often difficult and not just because walking is hard or painful. Please keep us informed. Let us know if you need any feedback specifically on anything or ideas or help to sort thru ideas. We are here as your humble fans, cheering from the sidelines and hoping to get into the game. Call us, and we’re there for you. On another note, I’m looking forward to reading your upcoming “letters to my granddaughter “ letter as, sadly, the series comes to an end. This series was the best you’ve had by far.

    Reply
  2. Nick Lighthouse

    “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” The quote has been attributed to Friederich Nietzsche, the famous 18th century German philosopher
    —————
    One of four of Nietzsche’s best quotes and most well known.

    Reply
    1. Martin Shiell

      Friederich Nietzsche Is not one of those old German philosophers that ordinary men – or Gen. Satterfield- bring up just Willy-Nilly because it is a way to peer into the abyss of the human soul. Also, this comes to us as Gen. S. is laid up from knee surgery and has, I assume, more time on his hands. Okay. Okay. Okay. I too had hoped this would give me a simpler explanation of what Friederich Nietzsche meant in this quote, but hey, I gotta have my wishes out there.

      Reply
  3. Lady Hawk

    I’ll note that you are going pretty deep philosophically I’d your reading Friederich Nietzsche. Thank you for today’s lesson.

    Reply

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