Nietzsche Essay, Research Paper
Who is Friedrich Nietzsche? Can a man born in 1844 really tell us anything of relevance in the twenty-first century? To simply say Nietzsche was a German philosopher would be an injustice? let’s stay clear of labels, I’ll simply describe Nietzsche as a man with an incredible metal penetration of situations covering all walks of life? Friedrich Nietzsche challenged the foundations of traditional morality and Christianity. He believed in life, creativity, health, and the realities of the world we live in, rather than those situated in a world beyond. Central to Nietzsche’s philosophy is the idea of “life-affirmation,” which involves an honest questioning of all doctrines which drain life’s energies, however socially prevalent those views might be. Often referred to as one of the first “existentialist” philosophers, Nietzsche has inspired leading figures in all walks of cultural life, including dancers, poets, novelists, painters, psychologists, philosophers, sociologists and social revolutionaries.
We have all bought into or been influenced by whatever we have been exposed to and taught. Some philosophers have attempted to get away from these influences by denying all. Nietzsche encourages us to look at past philosophers and to reevaluate our beliefs and values, and to question their origin. To attempt to understand why we philosophize as we do, and to think that perhaps the thinkers before us were still so influenced that “What philosophers create is a world that satisfies the ‘desire of the heart’ their ‘reasons’ come later.” (pg.550) Philosophers attempt to create the world in their own image.
Everyone has a dissatisfaction w/ life – a desire to define good
and evil, to know what satisfaction is – and N. is attempting to get us to deny this dissatisfation – to ask ourselves if we would be ok w/ this ‘eternal recurrance’… do you think that our current craze of political correctness, our frenzy to decide what is good and what would be satisfying to the whole would be agreeable to N.? I don’t think that it would. Let us attempt to do away with our dissatisfaction and get beyond the good and evil. Let us stop attempting to make other worlds better than this one, both politically and spiritually. Amour Fati!
Our whole system of living is a fallacy; falsities and hypocrisies are inherent in its very core, yet we
continue to live unsatisfactory lives, each with our personal life philosophies that get us though the years.
Isn’t it incredible that people can live with an intrinsic set of values judging right and wrong, and a feeling of
purpose without really comprehending and penetrating their thoughts to the deepest depths.
Amongst this herd of the unconscious are those whom would seek mental stimulation through renowned
works. It amazes me that somebody could walk into Waterstone, Dillons or any other bookshop, purchase
a book by say, Friedrich Nietzsche? read it? place it back on the bookshelf? then return to a normal life.
Are the words too threatening to the self, or does this type of reader really see nothing to be learned? If the
words are read so as to be understood then life is thrown upside down, there is a violent realisation of a
world free from the bonds of ideology, or as Nietzsche would put it – a great separation.