Essay 4: Binary Oppositions, Or, Opposing Nietzsche
Nietzsche argued that in order for humanity to spiritually survive, we must embrace
seemingly contradictory aspects. While we need Apollonianism (responsibility, illumination,
clarity, individual understanding, etc.), we also need to embrace our Dionysianism aspects as
well (chaos, mob-mentality, intoxication, revelry, etc.). In fact, Nietzsche goes so far as to
argue that Apollo would not exist without Dionysus, and vice-versa: these two embodiments
of human traits are defined off of and through one another (order/chaos, day/night,
individual/crowd). This use of binary opposition—pairing two opposite things, or aspects
of things in order to gain a fuller understanding, is a common way to understand our world.
Option 1:
Think about any 2 things and compare, contrast, and deconstruct how they
work. Define what they are, and then analyze how they work together, analyze how they are
opposites, and then illustrate why they may not be as opposite as they first seem. This is the
act of deconstructing—really examining two opposites in order to realize how they might
depend on each other for their very definitions. You are free to choose any 2 things at all,
from the most trivial and silly thing you can think of, to the most cosmically important thing
you can think of.
Option 2:
Make sure you understand and can define the concept of the “veil of Maya”
from Nietzsche’s essay. Then offer your own example/argument of how the veil of Maya
operates today, in our moment and in our country. What do you think is occurring right
now that we, as a society, seem to be ‘blind’ about?
Big Important Wacky Things to Remember:
Choose one of the options to write about. Although this essay will be shorter than your
pervious essays, it is going to be more critical and more tightly argued. We are aiming for a
succinct argument based on critical analysis. This essay stresses critical engagement—take
your ideas and stretch them as far as they can go: experiment with thinking in new ways,
asking different questions, and pushing your own conceptual limits. This essay does,
however, need to fit certain requirements:
1.) It must have a clear thesis statement in the first paragraph. A thesis is the main
idea that guides the essay. It narrows the topic to a single, central idea that you
want your readers to gain from your essay. All of the paragraphs in the essay will
develop and support your thesis. The thesis asserts something specific and
significant about the topic, thus conveying your opinion.
2.) You must have a “so, what?”—put your observations in a larger context.
3.) Your essay must be 2 pages, typed, and stapled. You must have a title, your name
and the date on it, and it needs to be in 12 pt. And double-spaced.
4.) Remember…. I don’t accept late work.
Overview:
10/18: Free-Write, Brain-storm
10/20: Thesis/Critical Inquiry
10/22: Draft Workshop
10/25: Peer Response
10/27: Essay 4 Due!!