I'm usually not into philosophy but this was a fascinating read, especially since I believe that politics is often where it can actually have an impact on the world. I heard how he was supposedly...
I'm usually not into philosophy but this was a fascinating read, especially since I believe that politics is often where it can actually have an impact on the world. I heard how he was supposedly misunderstood and misrepresented by his right-wing sister but that doesn't seem to be the full story. Also striking how the hatred for "the weak" often comes from the weakest people in society. Maybe those most desperate for a chance to escape their own weakness, even just in thought.
"Also striking how the hatred for "the weak" often comes from the weakest people in society." Well, if you live in a society that regards strength as one of the most important and noble things...
"Also striking how the hatred for "the weak" often comes from the weakest people in society."
Well, if you live in a society that regards strength as one of the most important and noble things (and of course that goes together with disregard for those who are weak and sickly) it is hard to escape that notion, to not internalize that poisonous idea. Even if you fit the image of "weak".
I want to add that this hatred does not seem to especially come of "weak" people to me. I suspect many of the "strong" people in Nietzsche's time shared that disdain.
What confuses me about anyone adopting the attitude is that it is mostly self-destructive, either short-term or at least on some less obvious, long-term level. "Weakness" can take many forms but...
What confuses me about anyone adopting the attitude is that it is mostly self-destructive, either short-term or at least on some less obvious, long-term level. "Weakness" can take many forms but it's mostly either a weakness of political power, physical/mental weakness or being poor. All those things can affect pretty much anyone or at least very likely someone you care about at some point in life so then you can only make exemptions (which renders you a hypocrite) or you're pushing this to the point of self-destruction. The only way it makes sense is as a gamble of you and everyone you care about never encountering a moment of weakness or you brutally accepting the consequences (including death). And if you're already pretty weak, those chances are somehow even worse, if non-existent.
All it takes is some political change and you'll encounter the backlash of those you oppressed before (see pretty much any political revolution, ever). How many kings and dictators ended their life with their heads on a pike, how's that for being in a position of "weakness"? Is it suddenly "unfair"?
It also requires a definition of happiness that does not take into account any sense of empathy for the general population, but that's not even coming into play, here!
"or you're pushing this to the point of self-destruction. " Which maybe happened with Nietzsche. It is not like humans never had self-destructive behaviours. But yeah, I agree most, if not all,...
"or you're pushing this to the point of self-destruction. "
Which maybe happened with Nietzsche.
It is not like humans never had self-destructive behaviours. But yeah, I agree most, if not all, people have a "weakness" in one or another way. To hate the weakness within, is to hate yourself, and that leads to the inner annihilation. Unless...
you do doublethinking. Your "weakness" doesn't count, or you hide it for everyone, even for yourself. So you can from that superior position judge on others.
But yeah, to say that weakness is to be eradicated, is to say "weak" (or better said less fit) humans are to be eradicated which then leads to fascism.
A comparison between the idea's of Nietzsche and of the alt-right, and of course also of the role Nietzsche's life played in the forming of his idea's. I found it quite interesting. Edit: How do I...
A comparison between the idea's of Nietzsche and of the alt-right, and of course also of the role Nietzsche's life played in the forming of his idea's.
I found it quite interesting.
Edit: How do I add the tags?
I tried: Nietzsche, alt-right, philosophy, Übermensch, pity but I get the message: invalid tags. What do I wrong here?
I'm usually not into philosophy but this was a fascinating read, especially since I believe that politics is often where it can actually have an impact on the world. I heard how he was supposedly misunderstood and misrepresented by his right-wing sister but that doesn't seem to be the full story. Also striking how the hatred for "the weak" often comes from the weakest people in society. Maybe those most desperate for a chance to escape their own weakness, even just in thought.
"Also striking how the hatred for "the weak" often comes from the weakest people in society."
Well, if you live in a society that regards strength as one of the most important and noble things (and of course that goes together with disregard for those who are weak and sickly) it is hard to escape that notion, to not internalize that poisonous idea. Even if you fit the image of "weak".
I want to add that this hatred does not seem to especially come of "weak" people to me. I suspect many of the "strong" people in Nietzsche's time shared that disdain.
What confuses me about anyone adopting the attitude is that it is mostly self-destructive, either short-term or at least on some less obvious, long-term level. "Weakness" can take many forms but it's mostly either a weakness of political power, physical/mental weakness or being poor. All those things can affect pretty much anyone or at least very likely someone you care about at some point in life so then you can only make exemptions (which renders you a hypocrite) or you're pushing this to the point of self-destruction. The only way it makes sense is as a gamble of you and everyone you care about never encountering a moment of weakness or you brutally accepting the consequences (including death). And if you're already pretty weak, those chances are somehow even worse, if non-existent.
All it takes is some political change and you'll encounter the backlash of those you oppressed before (see pretty much any political revolution, ever). How many kings and dictators ended their life with their heads on a pike, how's that for being in a position of "weakness"? Is it suddenly "unfair"?
It also requires a definition of happiness that does not take into account any sense of empathy for the general population, but that's not even coming into play, here!
"or you're pushing this to the point of self-destruction. "
Which maybe happened with Nietzsche.
It is not like humans never had self-destructive behaviours. But yeah, I agree most, if not all, people have a "weakness" in one or another way. To hate the weakness within, is to hate yourself, and that leads to the inner annihilation. Unless...
you do doublethinking. Your "weakness" doesn't count, or you hide it for everyone, even for yourself. So you can from that superior position judge on others.
But yeah, to say that weakness is to be eradicated, is to say "weak" (or better said less fit) humans are to be eradicated which then leads to fascism.
I agree with you that it does not make sense.
A comparison between the idea's of Nietzsche and of the alt-right, and of course also of the role Nietzsche's life played in the forming of his idea's.
I found it quite interesting.
Edit: How do I add the tags?
I tried: Nietzsche, alt-right, philosophy, Übermensch, pity but I get the message: invalid tags. What do I wrong here?
You can't use the minus sign. Neither the "ü" probably. The error message is bad. See here.
It worked, thanks!
@ainar-g is on the right track: the only symbols you can use in tags are numbers and lower-case letters and spaces - and nothing else.
Yeah. Oh well, you can still make clear enough tags with them.