Georges Bataille’s 'On Nietzsche': War, Chance, and the Collapse of Meaning with Stuart Kendall

What does it mean to write philosophy in a time of catastrophe? In this episode, we’re joined once again by Stuart Kendall to explore Georges Bataille’s On Nietzsche, a fragmented, intimate, and disorienting text written in the final years of World War II. We examine how Nietzsche becomes not just a philosophical reference but a companion for Bataille—a figure through whom Bataille grapples with sovereignty, death, and the limits of knowledge. From Sartre’s accusations of mysticism to the will to chance as a response to fascism and nuclear horror, we trace how On Nietzsche opens up an ethics of risk, uselessness, and survival. Support the show AHRC Current classes at Acid Horizon Research Commons (AHRC): acidhorizonresearchcommons.com AHRC Course Archive: https://www.acidhorizonpodcast.com/ahrc-course-archives Submit your course proposal: acidhorizonresearchcommons@gmail.com More Links Website: https://www.acidhorizonpodcast.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/acidhorizon Acid Horizon on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acidhorizonpodcast Boycott Watkins Media: https://xenogothic.com/2025/03/17/boycott-watkins-statement/ Subscribe to us on your favorite podcast: https://pod.link/15126…