I really want to create a book cover based on the herd mentality and instinct. Nietzsche describes the religious people as the herd; not made to command, just to follow what others say.
The first animal that comes to mind is a sheep. Sheep are obviously a key animal in The Bible. It seems fitting for the herd to be formed out of sheep.
I found this useful website called Sheep101. It explains about sheep in the bible. Sheep are mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times, more than any other animal. The prominence of sheep in the Bible grows out of two realities. Sheep were important to the nomads and agricultural life of the Hebrews and similiar peoples. Secondly, sheep are used throughout the Bible to symbolically refer to God's people.
Sheep representing God's people is both the same for Nietzsche and the Christians. To Nietzsche the sheep are docile and do as they are told but to the Christians the sheep represents their worth and importance to God. This would give the poster a double meaning which could only be understood A. if the viewer has prior knowledge about Nietzsche or B. through reading the book. This could be an intriguing selling point by creating a cover that only those who read it will understand.
Wait for me
Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the sheep in front of them. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good "decision." For example, sheep will follow each other to slaughter. If one sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock. This instinct is "hard-wired" into sheep. It's not something they "think" about.
Safety in numbers
Sheep are gregarious. They will usually stay together in a group while grazing. A sheep will become highly agitated if it is separated from the group. It is the banding together in large groups which protects sheep from predators which will go after the outliers in the flock.
Social animals
Sheep are a very social animal. Animal behaviorists note that sheep require the presense of at least 4 or 5 sheep which when grazing together maintain a visual link to each other.
Flocking together
Flocking instinct is strongest in the fine wool breeds, but exists in all sheep breeds, to some extent. It is the sheep's flocking instinct that allows sheep herders to look after and move large numbers of sheep and lambs.
Sheep are gregarious. They will usually stay together in a group while grazing. A sheep will become highly agitated if it is separated from the group. It is the banding together in large groups which protects sheep from predators which will go after the outliers in the flock.
Social animals
Sheep are a very social animal. Animal behaviorists note that sheep require the presense of at least 4 or 5 sheep which when grazing together maintain a visual link to each other.
Flocking together
Flocking instinct is strongest in the fine wool breeds, but exists in all sheep breeds, to some extent. It is the sheep's flocking instinct that allows sheep herders to look after and move large numbers of sheep and lambs.
The fact that sheep follow each other could support the idea of the rows alternating direction. It fits very well with what Nietzsche says about christians just following each other.
No comments:
Post a Comment