But I am the first man who is saying that he was not mad. It seems that this whole world is so cunning, so politically minded, that people say only things that bring reputation to them, which bring applause from the crowd. Even your great thinkers are not very great.

The book that he wrote in the madhouse is his greatest work, and is an absolute proof because a mad man could not write it. His last book is The Will To Power. He did not see it printed, because who is going to print a madman’s book? He knocked on many publishers’ doors, but was refused – and now everybody agrees that that is his greatest work. After his death, his sister sold the house and other things to publish the book, because that was his last desire, but he did not see it in print.

Was he mad? or are we living in a mad world? If a madman can write a book like, The Will To Power, then it is better to be mad than to be sane like Ronald Reagan, who is piling up nuclear weapons – there are thousands of people employed in creating nuclear weapons twenty-four hours a day. You call this man sane, and you call Friedrich Nietzsche mad?

An old Indian was sitting in a bar, when a long-haired, bearded, dirty hippie stormed into the bar and ordered a drink. The hippie’s raunchy insults drove everyone else out of the bar, but the old Indian sat calmly watching. Finally the old hippie turned to him and said, “Hey, red man, why the hell are you staring at me? Are you crazy, or something?”

“No,” the Indian replied, “twenty years ago I was arrested for making love to a buffalo. I thought you might be my son.”

Osho,
When you talked about the superman, you said that the camel has to become a lion. I feel very attracted to that lion, but I am still afraid to get in contact with it. I have the feeling the lion in me has something to do with my power. How can I use my power without losing my love? How can I use my power and still stay with an open heart? To me, love and power seem to be contradictory. Is this so? Can you say something about this, please?

The question that you are asking is exactly the same as the question that Pankaja asked. You also have the same misunderstanding, although it is not related to Friedrich Nietzsche.

You are basically asking, “How can I use my power without losing my love? How can I use my power and still stay with an open heart? To me, love and power seem to be contradictory.”

That’s your misunderstanding.

Love and power are not contradictory.

Love is the greatest power in the world.