Nietzsche Meets the Bacon

Our scene opens on the Sunshine Platter Buffet, a common place for scholars to commune over mediocre breakfast buffet foods and argue over the age-old controversies in humanities. The sun is just coming up over the rooftops of the places of business on beautiful Atlanta Highway, and a crisp chill still bites the air. It is April, but somehow still very cold. Inside the Sunrise Platter, it is warm and dry and a very special booth is awaiting our four main characters and their philosophical debate for the day.

Enter Bradbury 

HOST: Good morning, sir, welcome to Sunshine Platter! Will it be just you dining, today?

BRADBURY: [Removing his hat and scarf] No, sir, there will actually be four of us...if Nietzsche still shows up, that is [Lets a good-hearted chuckle escape] A booth would be preferable if you don't mind.

HOST: Certainly. Right this way. [Leads Bradbury to a large booth in the corner that has a window view].

BRADBURY: [Takes a seat] Thank you, kindly.

Exit Host

[Bradbury continues to quietly look over the menu on the table. Several moments pass before the door opens again, letting another gust of cold air in.]

[Enter O’Connor]

O’CONNOR: Good morning, Bradbury. You are looking well. I have been ever so eager about our talk today.

BRADBURY: [Stands in O’Connor’s presence like a proper gent should] Flannery, you are looking marvelous. Please, sit down. I assume Nietzsche and Sartre are still on their way, but after that explosive brouhaha over our group chat last night, I don't truly know.

O’CONNOR: [Taking a seat across from Bradbury] I left the chat after things started to get...shall we say heated? What in the world could they have been arguing about?

BRADBURY: [Sits, a smile creeps onto his face] Sartre wanted to eat here but Nietzsche was adamant that we eat at The Biscuit Palace. He said they have better bacon. [Rolls eyes] Everything he said after that was just “Injustice this” or “Injustice that”...you didn’t miss much.

O’CONNOR: [Hides a grin behind her menu] Those two will be the death of me. [Slides menu away] I did not come for food today. In fact, I don't think I will get anything at all. I came for the discussion.

Enter Sartre [slowly]

SARTRE: Is he here?

BRADBURY: Who?

SARTRE: [Takes a seat next to O’Connor] Nietzsche.

BRADBURY: No. Not yet. Will you two stop acting like foolish children and just make amends? You act as though you two are enemies when you know you’ve been friends for years.

SARTRE: Friends don’t call you a buffoon for wanting to eat at a decent breakfast buffet. And he said The Biscuit Palace had better bacon! Why, I'd stake my reputation for Sunshine Platter’s bacon! It doesn’t nearly choke you to death with all the grizzle.

Enter Nietzsche 

SARTRE: Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

NIETZSCHE: [Approaches booth skeptically, glaring at Sartre] I thought you were staying home.

SARTRE: I thought YOU were staying home. 

NIETZSCHE: [Rolls eyes and huffs] No. As much as I detest a compromise, and moreso, detest Sunshine Platter, I have spent the last three weeks working on my defense for our discussion today. I woke up this morning and asked myself: ‘Nietzsche, my good man, what is the greater loss here? Not getting my favored bacon, or missing out on a discussion that I am obviously an expert in?’ I decided the latter would be more harmful to me, so I am here. But please know that although I have come and will even enjoy a meal with you peasants, I will weep over Biscuit Palace’s bacon for which there is nothing to compare.

BRADBURY: Okay, you know what, why don't we just fix our plates and start the discussion?

SARTRE: Fine by me.

[Sartre rises and begins to walk towards the buffet line. Nietzsche steps in front of Sartre, causing him to stumble backwards.]

SARTRE: Do you mind?

NIETZSCHE: No, I don’t mind.

[Nietsche, Sartre, and Bradbury all go to the buffet. O’Connor stays behind and quietly looks out the window. Slowly, the men begin to return to their seats after fixing their plates. Nietzsche lags behind.]

O’CONNOR: Where is Nietzsche?

[From backstage, a loud cry of a woman is heard. Momentarily, Nietchze enters with a plate full of bacon]

BRADBURY: Nietzsche, what did you do?

NIETZSCHE: Some woman was about to eat ALL the bacon so I pushed her out of the way to get to the platter so I could get some, do you mind?

[O’Connor gasps]

SARTRE: So are we animals now, Nietzsche?

NIETZSCHE: There’s nothing shameful about it! ‘What is good?—All that heightens the feeling of power, the will to power, power itself in man. What is bad?—All that proceeds from weakness. What is happiness?—The feeling that power increases—that a resistance is overcome’ (Nietzsche 127). You see, she was about to take what I desperately wanted and seeing that I could overpower her to get it, I kindly moved her to the side. I kept my power and gained a plate full of bacon. Again, there is nothing shameful about it. Is this not how nature works?

BRADBURY: Nature, yes. Civilization, no. We do not treat our neighbors like they are animals! Come now, let’s begin our discussion or we’ll be here until supper time. Interestingly enough, if you all received my updated Google Doc, today’s discussion is about our relationship with other people. How do we view others and how do we treat them? How do we commune with our fellow man while still remaining true to our individuality?

NIETZSCHE: Mr. Bradbury, I think I have a simple solution to your question. [Pauses to take a bite of bacon] This bacon is disgusting. ‘Formerly, man was presented with ‘free will’ as a dowry from a higher order, today we have taken even will away from him...the old word ‘will’ only serves to designate a resultant’ (Nietzsche 136). So you see, my theory, much like my old buddy David Hume’s, is that what we cannot see does not truly exist or does not exist to the full. You may tell me there is an endless supply of bacon in the back of the kitchen, but until I see it, I won't believe it. In this fashion, we deal with humanity and morality. We cannot see morality, therefore it does not exist and therefore, what does it matter how I treat my neighbor? Man is nothing more than a “cunning animal”, so we should treat him as such (Nietzsche 136).

BRADBURY: So your argument is that if we strip away morality, there is no need for treating our neighbors with respect?

NIETZSCHE: I believe I put it more eloquently but yes. 

BRADBURY: Very well. O’Connor, Sartre? What might you add to this? 

SARTRE: I will not say that I agree with Nietzsche; I would rather die an early death. However, I favor his viewpoint. I do not necessarily think we are all merely animals, but I do believe that interacting with other humans on a deeper than surface-level relationship is the key to exposing too much information about oneself. I believe we cause our fellow man more strife when we are forced to be in each other’s presence…[glares at Nietzsche] present company CERTAINLY included. I tend to think we know ourselves best when we are alone. In my opinion, Hell is other people (Sartre 45)! We become the weakest version of ourselves when around others because we are forced to expose ourselves. I think I could stay ten thousand years with only my thoughts for company (Sartre 17). 

NIETZSCHE: [Stares up at Sartre] Hallelujah, amen! I am so glad you think that, dear friend! Why don’t you just leave the table right now?! [Pounds table with fist]

SARTRE: You know what, Nietzche?!

Enter Voltaire with a wide, theatrical grin and open arms

VOLTAIRE: Bonjour, Sunrise Platter! Oh, bonjour, my beautiful friends! Look, Bradbury! O’Connor! Sartre! Oh, Nietzsche, you are looking well!

NIETZSCHE: [Boiling over with anger] VOLTAIRE! Leave our presence at once! You know that this discussion is for GB IV scholars only and you are GB III! Get away from us, you peasant!

[A bewildered look sketches onto Voltaire’s face as he was only trying to lighten the room with his zany sense of humor]

VOLTAIRE: Oh...oh, ok. Oui, oui, Nietzsche. I am so sorry my existence bothers you.

NIETZSCHE: Everyone’s existence bothers me to some extent.

Exit a very sad Voltaire.

BRADBURY: Ahem. Now, where were we? Ahh, yes. Our relationship with humanity. What I gather from Nietzsche and Sartre is that perhaps individuality does not seem to matter because one, we are either nothing but mere intelligent animals with no lasting soul, or two, we are humans whose earthly Hell is to have to expose ourselves to other humans on a deep level. I tend to think differently. If we are all nothing but animals and individuality does not matter at all, your opinion, dear Nietzsche, does not matter. Your ideals on humanity and superiority of bacon are nothing because why reason within ourselves if we have no soul and no future? Why understand a world that will be entirely meaningless when we are dead? There is no need for personal growth or exploration of knowledge. We can be spoon-fed the answers in our schools, we can engage in imaginary socialization, because there is no tomorrow and no soul to guard (Bradbury 27). Nietzsche, you mention asserting your dominance over the lady with the bacon, saying that getting the bacon first gives you a sense of power and in turn, happiness. What does happiness and power mean when you have nothing to look towards? People say “Happiness is important. Fun is everything” (Bradbury 62),  And yet you, Nietzsche, have your bacon and your power and you are miserable. You, Sartre, avoid people as much as you can and you are an old grouch. Do you see the delima? 

[A silence sweeps over the table]

BRADBURY: Flannery. You have been quiet this whole time. Surely you have a preference.

[O’Connor looks out the window silently. The four scholars realize that it has begun to snow outside.]

SARTRE: Snow in April? How absurd.

BRADBURY: Flannery?

O’CONNOR: The truth can hurt sometimes. Sometimes, it can be every bit as surprising and uncomfortable as snow in April. I see where each of you are coming from. I believe, like Bradbury, that when we look towards earthly fulfillment, we will be disappointed, even if it is something we can see and touch and experience (O’Connor 514). Sometimes, it is that which we cannot physically experience that brings us the most joy. Humanity is a beautiful thing, but all too often, we turn it into something it is not. We turn joy into ugliness, we search for happiness in all the wrong places (O’Connor 275). Sometimes, it is the simple joys of life that bring us the most happiness. A kind word. Freedom of knowing the truth. Ugliness often disguises itself as beauty and takes advantage of us. As far as power goes, it seems wonderful in the moment because it feels right, but all too often, power will let us down.

BRADBURY: Very well put, Flannery. Sartre, Nietzsche? What say you?

NIETZSCHE: I don’t know what to say. I think...maybe for once...I could be at a loss for words. 

SARTRE: Admitting that you’re wrong?

NIETZSCHE: No. Never. But perhaps this is something to think on. Perhaps we can meet again to discuss this over another plate of bacon.

SARTRE: Yes...perhaps next time we could, I don’t know, meet at The Biscuit Palace.

[Nietzche raises an eyebrow]

BRADBURY: Does this conclude our meeting for the day, then?

SARTRE: I believe so.

NIETZSCHE: Let’s pay and get out of here.

O’CONNOR: Don’t worry about paying, gentlemen. I’ll take the bill.

[Bradbury, Sartre, and even Nietzsche look astonished]

BRADBURY: Flannery, don’t be ridiculous. Pay for our meals? When you didn’t even eat yourself? 

SARTRE: Certainly not!

O’CONNOR: [with a small grin] Please let me. Don’t consider it anything but an...and ordinary grace. Just think of it as getting to enjoy the meal and the discussion and the freedom of thought with no cost.

[ O’Connor leaves money on the table and the foursome head to the door. Once outside, they realize the snow has ceased and temperatures have begun to rise.] 

SARTRE: What do you know? No more snow! As if spring is beginning. 

BRADBURY: No longer is April the coldest month! Spring has begun. New life has started. And the four of us have a plethora of new ideas to consider. 

NIETZSCHE: I’ll admit, even I myself will mull over this conversation. The only opinion I will not change is about the bacon. The Biscuit Palace will always have the best bacon. There is no mistake in that.