: While Nietzsche famously pivoted away from pessimism, he studied Mainländer’s work and considered him a significant, albeit "unhealthy," thinker.
In this framework, the universe is not a playground for the soul or a testing ground for morality; it is the rotting corpse of God. The multitude of distinct entities (atoms, stars, plants, humans) are merely the fragmented debris of a deity seeking its own dissolution. We are the shrapnel of a divine explosion, drifting further apart, slowly cooling, all moving toward the ultimate destination: the absolute nothingness that God craved. philip mainlander
“Maps are terrifying,” Wren said dryly. “Ever shown a tourist a subway map? Bloodbath. Now go on. The night shift is dead—no pun intended—except for that guy in the booth.” : While Nietzsche famously pivoted away from pessimism,