This Process We Call Life

The will to power (German: der Wille zur Macht) is a prominent concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. The will to power describes what Nietzsche may have believed to be the main driving force in humans: achievement, ambition, the striving to reach the highest possible position in life; these are all manifestations of the will to power.

Stefan Zweig was a leading talisman of a united Europe of unfettered movement, of pro-active cultural exchange, humane decency and tolerance, all polar opposites of the Nationalist regimes he loathed, and which came to power in the 1930s. In these poignant essays and addresses, forged in the last years or even months of his life, he shows his profound concern for and dedication to the survival of Europe's spiritual integrity. These essays form the natural accompaniment to Zweig's renowned memoir The World of Yesterday, registering the same themes and evoking the same nostalgia for a world brutally consigned to history. They can be seen as a vital addendum to that major work or as a prefiguration. But perhaps even more so than the prose of the memoir, these essays, few in number but rich in content, reveal the essence of Zweig's thought.

It’s undeniable – our world is transforming at breakneck speed, propelled by the digital revolution into uncharted territory. The relentless influx of stimuli and information we now face daily is unprecedented and overwhelming. But do we fully grasp the impacts? Human brains evolved for a very different world, wired to prize stability and conserve resources. Yet today, we confront a constant assault of inputs and disruptions that our neurology struggles to process. People compulsively check devices everywhere – the gym, work, meals, bedtime – bombarding already taxed neuronal capacity with TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram and more. “What I see in practice, as a brain specialist is fatigue, muscle pain sensations in neck-shoulders resulting in headache, memory and concentration weakness, fears, anxiousness and sadness, and the complete inability to relax. We are always switched ‘on’.” - Erik Matser But there is hope. Buried beneath the strain lies a simple truth – you don’t have to be perfect to have an amazing brain. The real superpower now is calmness and control over your personal pace. What others do pales next to what you choose for healthy function.