November 6, 2009
Lucretian Joy
I use the phrase all the time and assumed it was in popular culture, but googling seems to imply otherwise. It comes from Lucretius’ De rerum natura, a worthy read for those into deterministic, Roman nihilism. The scene, as I remember it, is set on top of a cliff overlooking a bloody sea battle. Lucretius argued that a person takes pleasure in not being on the ship massacred, this is Lucretian Joy. This is subtly different from schadenfreude which, in the case of this story, would be delight in the death of those on the war ship.
Has anybody else encountered this, or is it a Simone-ism? And, if you have, is my memory correct about the story?
Update: It’s in the beginning of book II (thanks, Dale)
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those men are nihilists, Donnie. cowards.
exactly.
I wouldn’t describe Epicureanism as Nihilism.
I unintentionally betrayed my own perspective there, actually. To my mind, materialism necessitates a sort of nihilism since I am inclined to think natural law has no legs to stand on. That’s just me though.
More specifically, I was thinking Existential Nihilism, not the Wikipedia is an authority on this subject
I would agree that Epicureanism was a building block for Nietzscheism but I wouldn’t agree that it is Nihilism. Nihilism explores the significance of existence without knowable truth while Epicureans believe in seeking modest pleasures, to attain tranquility and freedom from fear via knowledge and friendship. We may just have to agree to disagree, this discussion is already a good 9/10 on the pretentious radar… anymore and I’ll probably have to grow a beard and go back to school.
Cheers!