DDR-ARCV / 001Doordoorium

An idea · Nineteenth Century · first attested 1882

Eternal Recurrence

Live so that you could will to live this same life over, infinitely.

Nietzsche's thought experiment. Suppose every moment of your life — including its suffering, boredom, and shame — were to recur exactly, eternally. Would you welcome it, or would you be crushed? The thought is meant as a test for the affirming life. The truly free are those who can say yes to recurrence.