Nietzsche and Estrangement

What struck me most about this section was the estrangement that Nietzsche describes that exists between people. This is most clearly shown in section 16, Over the footbridge. Nietzsche states, "There was a time in our lives when we were so close that nothing seemed to obstruct our friendship and brotherhood, and only a small footbridge separated us . . . Since then, mountains and torrential rivers, and everything which separates and alienates, have been cast between us, and even if we wanted to reach each other, we couldn't anymore!" Have we really become so isolated from all of humanity? Is there no hope of connection anymore?

In many sections, such as 14 on love or 21 on selflessness, Nietzsche depicts people as only caring about other people in so much as they are useful to them. This certainly does create a world full of estrangement because there is no way to relate to other people if they only matter in the service they can provide you. In section 16, Nietzsche implies that this a estrangement is a new development of humanity. What caused it then? Is there any way to go back, to reconnect with our fellow man?

Nietzsche, does however, provide some glimmer of hope at the end of his discussion of love when he talks about friendship. He claims, "Here and there on earth there is probably a kind of continuation of love in which this greedy desire of two people for each other gives way to a new desire and greed, a shared higher thirst for an ideal above them. But who knows such love? Who has experienced it? It's true name is friendship." It seems that it is only through Nietzsche concept of friendship can any connection can be forged. And yet, this is all he has to say about it. I wonder then, what exactly this relationship would consist of and what is this higher thirst that will bring people beyond egocentric greed?