Nietzsche’s Philosophy: Superman and Nihilism
Nietzsche’s Concept of the Superman
The Superman, as envisioned by Nietzsche, is characterized by a profound desire to live fully, embracing pleasure, passion, violence, victory, power, success, health, and physical strength. This concept starkly contrasts with traditional values, particularly those of Christianity. The Superman does not adhere to pre-established norms but instead embraces chance, nature, and intuition as superior guides. Nietzsche opposes equality, critiquing socialism, anarchism, and democracy. He believes these ideologies promote a “herd mentality,” where the weak resent the powerful. Instead, he advocates for a morality of the lords, who dominate through force and violence. This is not to be taken lightly, as it is a core tenet of his philosophy.
The Superman is “faithful to the earth,” accepting life in its entirety without suppressing natural instincts. Their life is governed by the will to power, enabling them to challenge existing thought and affirm life, even if it entails an eternal return of the Superman and, consequently, the last man. This is not about a superior race but a new type of human being. Nietzsche suggests that there will never be many Supermen, as the path is too arduous for most. He famously stated, “All beings have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood and even go back to the beasts rather than overcome man?” For Nietzsche, man is a bridge, not a goal.
Active Nihilism
Active nihilism represents those who actively strive to dismantle traditional values and promote the advent of the Superman. This is symbolized by the figure of the lion in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Nietzsche describes three transformations of the human spirit:
- The Camel: Initially, man is a camel, burdened by the weight of morality and metaphysics, seeking justification and hoping for an oasis at the end of his desert journey.
- The Lion: During the trek, the camel tires of its burden and transforms into a lion, raging against everything that has defined its life. This stage represents active nihilism.
- The Child: Finally, the lion becomes a child, playing innocently on the seashore, free from the concepts of good and evil, fully enjoying life. Building and destroying sandcastles, symbolizing values, represents the era of the Superman.
Passive Nihilism
Passive nihilism describes the long decline of Western culture, which Nietzsche believes began with Socrates and intensified with the Judeo-Christian tradition. It represents the annihilation of life because it places the center of gravity of human existence in a “transmundane” realm, a world beyond this one. Christianity, with its values of resignation, submission, and guilt, embodies a deep resentment against life and a spirit of revenge against those who dare to live fully, being “faithful to the earth.”
Western culture, according to Nietzsche, is nihilistic because it is founded on nothing; its values are worthless. The history of the West is a story of ever-deepening decadence. All Western values are deemed worthless. Nietzsche believed that total annihilation had not yet arrived but was on the horizon. For the passive nihilist, after the “death of God,” nothing makes sense, and life becomes empty, finite, mortal, and irrational. The passive nihilist does not dare to create new values or to be faithful to the earth, convinced that without God, there can be no meaning or value. Nietzsche argues that if they were consistent, suicide would be the logical outcome of their desperation.