There’s nothing like a three-game losing streak at the end of the season with the playoffs on the line to make one start questioning everything and turn oneself into a philosopher. If you were to tag my personal philosophy, Existentialism would be as good of a label as any. Wikipedia describes Existentialism thusly:
Existentialism is a family of views and forms of philosophical inquiry that explore the meaning, purpose, and value of the existence of the human individual.[1][2] Common concepts in existentialist thought include existential crises, dread, and anxiety in the face of an absurd world; living with authenticity and courage; and understanding one’s own freedom and responsibility.
Dread and anxiety – yeah, that kind of fits here. Hopefully, authenticity and courage have a place, too. Friedrich Nietzsche is typically included among the Existentialists. My first introduction to Nietzsche was the following quote: “I cannot believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time.” You can decide if that’s anxiety or authenticity.
Regardless, here are 10 Nietzsche quotes that feel relevant to me here in the final days of the regular season for the 2024 Mets.
Call me whatever you like; I am who I must be.
Me? I’m just a guy who spends too much of his time thinking about his sports teams.
When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.
This article idea started with this quote. It feels to me like we’re staring into the abyss here now as Mets fans and it seems unlikely that any of us particularly like what we see. So, perhaps we should quit looking into an abyss? When has that done any of us any good? Stop it, Mets fans, stop it!
Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.
Maybe the truth is that 2024 is a year or two too soon for our Mets to be serious contenders, despite the team’s overall record since early June.
There will always be rocks in the road ahead of us. They will be stumbling blocks or stepping stones; it all depends on how you use them.
It sure feels like stumbling blocks right about now. Hopefully David Stearns in the long run and Carlos Mendoza right now can use them as stepping stones.
All things that are truly great are at first thought impossible.
It does feel like winning any games here in the final three is just about impossible…
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.
This one may not have any direct ties to what the Mets and their fans are experiencing right now. It’s just something for us to always keep in the front of our minds.
Everything matters. Nothing’s important.
Man, this seems to sum up what it’s like to invest so much into a sports team. It may not be important for the Mets to win a game or two more here in 2024. But it sure does matter.
Enjoy life. This is not a dress rehearsal.
At this exact moment in time, there’s not a lot of joy for Mets fans. But any of us who zoom out from the immediate and look at the whole of the 2024 season – there was a lot of joy. And not just joy but unexpected joy. Whatever happens today and tomorrow, we should cherish that unexpected joy.
To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.
Of course, suffer is a big word to describe what we go thru as sports fans. Yet, being a Mets fan is certainly not taking the path of least resistance. When our team comes out on top at the end, like most of us believe will happen sometime again before we die, the “suffering” will have been worth it. But what’s the meaning? Maybe it’s that nothing worth having or experiencing should come easily.
No journey is too great, when one finds what one seeks.
I hope that you find what you are looking for and that you may stay forever young. What better way to wrap things up than with words from the Kinks and Bob Dylan?
Just win,baby!
Really enjoyed this one.
Thanks!
The challenge is to write about different things than what everyone else is writing. But with everyone focusing on the exact same things, you have to write about them differently.
Deep deep. Thought provoking beyond baseball. Gracias.
At this stage I can’t quiet tell how I feel about this week and the 2024 season. The weather provided some rocks in the road for the Mets…but nothing compared to the suffering it has imposed on way too many in the Southeast. The Mets have not yet risen to the challenge…maybe they will, maybe they won’t. 2024 has been a ride and mostly entertaining, but I won’t see it as rewarding based on landing a wild cars spot. The Mets are not a top team, regardless. Aside from Vientos, prospect development has not had a good season. Yes, any playoff team has a puncher’s chance, and getting in is better than missing, but looking ahead, things are still very iffy for this franchise. I’m not sure their performance today and tomorrow will change that outlook.
Thanks T.J.!
Coming into the year, I thought this was an 80-82 team. My hope was that we’d see a leap in performance for some rookies/young guys. Yeah, it sucks that both Jett and Gilbert got hurt and Mauricio missed the year.
But Vientos establishing himself in the majors, along with the steps forward for Sproat, Tong and Clifford can’t be denied.
And I feel a whole lot better about David Peterson moving forward. Some might put Megill in that camp, too, even if I wouldn’t.
It’s never easy to look at the big picture when things are crumbling at your feet. It’s entirely possible that they’re pissing away a playoff spot in the final week of the season. But despite that, it feels to me like the team is in better position now than they were at the end of March.
Great season! Surpassed my expectations. Loved the meaningful games in September. A playoff spot will be the cherry. On top.!