The Gay Science - Friedrich Nietzsche (with commentary by Walter Kaufmann)

Reasoning

Having been referenced a lot in the previous book I read, it made sense to read The Gay Science while the references were still fresh in my mind.

What I Gained

The main things I took from this book were:

1. An understanding of the will-to-powers relationship with religion.
2. Nietzsche makes clear that our current morality was created and affirmed by people because of their needs, and isn't an instinctual thing.
3. The Christianity makes people think of the consequences of their lives in the form of an overworld, which makes it more difficult for their followers to endure the eternal recurrence as they don't live by their own values.
4. In order to become the overman, one must accept and embrace the eternal recurrence.

Potentially useful quotes:

Next Steps

Given how useful I found it to read a secondary text after Thus Spoke Zarathustra, I intend to read another one now, in the hope that it will further increase my understanding.