Great article! But I think you've misunderstood Nietzsche a little bit. You've recast the German philosopher in your own image, portraying him as somebody who respected religion but rejected dogma. But no, the Übermensch philosopher was much more radical! He rejected Christianity entirely, which he saw as representing the mediocrity of the masses. He instead found inspiration in the aristocratic ethos of pre-Christian pagan societies, notably Homeric Greece. Nietzsche was especially fond of Stoic fatalism (amor fati), which is similar to his own concept of "eternal return" and "the will to power."
Again, great article! I'd love to hear your comments on my response.
I think this is what makes his work that much more powerful: different elements strike chords in different people, creating instances where we can read the same work and take away different messages.
Oh, for sure! I use the word "misinterpret" very loosely. From my perspective, I believe Nietzsche's philosophical project was intended to completely overthrow Christianity. He was a staunchly secular thinker, who saw Christianity as herdish, sheep-like, passive, and mediocre. I don't think he was someone who wanted to "save" Christianity by getting rid of a few dogmas. But there's a few elements of metaphysics/spirituality in Nietzsche, notably his ideas about Fate and the Eternal Return.
Sep 11, 2023·edited Sep 11, 2023Liked by J.S. Kasimir
This has bugged me for years, in the specific way that something you were long guilty of yourself (until you happened to come across the context by chance) causes annoyance when others make the same mistake.
This is honestly why I've gotten used to googling quotes whenever I come across them--to find the context behind them, or even to see if they're real quotes at all. Interestingly, I find myself having the opposite reaction: people getting annoyed when I tell them the context! I guess it's a no-win situation.
Wading in the deep end here, I hope you’ll forgive. As a bit of background, I was raised as a NONE and was just received into the Catholic Church this past Easter. If this were my Tuesday study group, my question is that if “God is dead” how are we still alive? My very beginning understanding is that we have a kind of symbiotic relationship with God and our very existence depends on Him. So, He cannot be dead. And, if it all comes down to energy/matter that can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed, then, He really must be alive.
This is actually the first time I've seen God described through the lens of energetic principles. To have God being essentially perpetual, then one has to then contemplate: "Well, what IS God? Is it a being? A spirit? The cosmos? Consciousness/awareness itself?"
The universe is filled with many mysteries. But, I imagine, what one would dub as a higher power could possibly follow the same laws as the universe.
I remember the first time I read that passage in The Gay Science, me a good graduate of Liberty University, and I realized I had been lied to about it for a long time. We used to say: "God is Dead, Nietzsche. Nietzsche is Dead, God." And we all got a good laugh out of it. But when I read that passage for myself a long time after my days under Jerry Falwell and the gang, I realized it was a lamentation. There was nothing triumphal about it. It sure rings true today. What the hell have we done?
It is a shame. But luckily, there's always hope to turn things around! Like our mustachioed philosopher said, it's our duty to rise up and fill the world with the beauty and virtue. The best way to spread that influence is to teach the same lessons to children before they too become vain and cynical.
Great article! But I think you've misunderstood Nietzsche a little bit. You've recast the German philosopher in your own image, portraying him as somebody who respected religion but rejected dogma. But no, the Übermensch philosopher was much more radical! He rejected Christianity entirely, which he saw as representing the mediocrity of the masses. He instead found inspiration in the aristocratic ethos of pre-Christian pagan societies, notably Homeric Greece. Nietzsche was especially fond of Stoic fatalism (amor fati), which is similar to his own concept of "eternal return" and "the will to power."
Again, great article! I'd love to hear your comments on my response.
I think this is what makes his work that much more powerful: different elements strike chords in different people, creating instances where we can read the same work and take away different messages.
Oh, for sure! I use the word "misinterpret" very loosely. From my perspective, I believe Nietzsche's philosophical project was intended to completely overthrow Christianity. He was a staunchly secular thinker, who saw Christianity as herdish, sheep-like, passive, and mediocre. I don't think he was someone who wanted to "save" Christianity by getting rid of a few dogmas. But there's a few elements of metaphysics/spirituality in Nietzsche, notably his ideas about Fate and the Eternal Return.
Great piece. Very thorough and in-depth.
It’s good to see that in some corners of the internet, Nietzsche isn’t being reduced to a three word quote.
Thanks.
This has bugged me for years, in the specific way that something you were long guilty of yourself (until you happened to come across the context by chance) causes annoyance when others make the same mistake.
This is honestly why I've gotten used to googling quotes whenever I come across them--to find the context behind them, or even to see if they're real quotes at all. Interestingly, I find myself having the opposite reaction: people getting annoyed when I tell them the context! I guess it's a no-win situation.
That's true as well... It's difficult to avoid coming across as a know it all even when you're just trying to share knowledge!
Wading in the deep end here, I hope you’ll forgive. As a bit of background, I was raised as a NONE and was just received into the Catholic Church this past Easter. If this were my Tuesday study group, my question is that if “God is dead” how are we still alive? My very beginning understanding is that we have a kind of symbiotic relationship with God and our very existence depends on Him. So, He cannot be dead. And, if it all comes down to energy/matter that can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed, then, He really must be alive.
Maybe?
This is actually the first time I've seen God described through the lens of energetic principles. To have God being essentially perpetual, then one has to then contemplate: "Well, what IS God? Is it a being? A spirit? The cosmos? Consciousness/awareness itself?"
The universe is filled with many mysteries. But, I imagine, what one would dub as a higher power could possibly follow the same laws as the universe.
My RCIA class taught that God is existence itself. It’s one of those mysteries that make sense until you think about it.
It really is one of those things that makes you laugh from its overwhelming simplicity and beauty!
Exactly! It’s us that make it complicated.
I remember the first time I read that passage in The Gay Science, me a good graduate of Liberty University, and I realized I had been lied to about it for a long time. We used to say: "God is Dead, Nietzsche. Nietzsche is Dead, God." And we all got a good laugh out of it. But when I read that passage for myself a long time after my days under Jerry Falwell and the gang, I realized it was a lamentation. There was nothing triumphal about it. It sure rings true today. What the hell have we done?
It is a shame. But luckily, there's always hope to turn things around! Like our mustachioed philosopher said, it's our duty to rise up and fill the world with the beauty and virtue. The best way to spread that influence is to teach the same lessons to children before they too become vain and cynical.