About Cockroaches
Cockroaches are considered one of the most ancient species of insects which survived on the planet earth. They have ideal body size to survive catastrophes the animal kingdom has to face. Not only they survived in the great extinction in Cretaceous period, but they will also definitely hold their poise against the next generation of man-made updates to the Earth 1.2. If you watched the WALLE (the movie) the tiny cockroach is the only one who lived on the earth with WALLE(a robot) when we inhabit the Space while the earth is given time to recover. Even the trees would not survive.
About Nietzsche and Ethics.
"If you kill a cockroach, you are a hero, if you kill a butterfly, you are evil. Morals have aesthetic criteria."
These words thrown at us by Nietzsche, clearly laugh of our moral standards, plenty of sarcasm for our generations. Yet it is important when someone points out true facts which will change us for the better. Like my friend says, "there is more space for anyone to be more kind."
Russel's Viper and Dictators
When I was a kid, I had encounters with snakes. One such occasion, in an evening I was going to the living room from the kitchen. I heard a hiss. A clear hiss which gave me goosebumps. I shouted and jumped on to a chair. My father was nearby and came running with a Neighbour. The hiss continued sounded like a man dying with a labored breathing. Most scary thing I have heard. It was a Russel's Viper. A full grown one under the staircase. Luckily, I did not step on the snake in the first place and if I did, I wouldn't have survived. But obviously that was the end of the snake. I don't want to describe the sad story of killing the snake. After half an hour struggle the snake was dead, as it had a remarkable ability to withstand attacks by two strong men.
There is a saying "You are a fool if you let a venomous snake live".
If we apply Nietzsche's ethics to above scenario, even without his famous quote, everyone will agree we should have let the snake go away. Nowadays there are plenty of people who catch snakes. There was no such help available those days. Yet, it is unethical to kill an animal. Even when it is venomous, even when it is small, even when it is scary like a cockroach. Most of us will agree with me.
Now, let's look at dictators in history. Imagine a dictator is like a Russel viper. (I know it is an incomplete comparison, as dictators are far beyond evil than a viper) It has the potential to destroy your life. If you let, he will too. You wouldn't kill him if he was a non-venomous snake. But you will kill him and will be not punished, will be considered as a hero. We know such heroes from our past. Any solider comes home victorious is such a hero. But where is the line which can rationalize any killing is ethical? How can you weight a life of a butterfly from a cockroach? A viper's bite and a dictatorship? That is how Nietzsche knew there is something beyond good and evil.
Thank you for reading: Cockroach Ethics and Dictators - Friedrich Nietzsche
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