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Ryan's Reviews > Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future
Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future
by Friedrich Nietzsche, Judith Norman
by Friedrich Nietzsche, Judith Norman
As always, Nietzsche presents a difficult, possibly contradictory array of views on the subjects of society, morality and history. I am certain that he wouldn't take offense to our picking-and-choosing among his philosophy- he wouldn't want to be taken dogmatically. To suggest that we find splendid truth in his writing alongside heinous invective would probably please him. He certainly wouldn't claim to have a monopoly on truth and wants us to come to our own conclusions.
In keeping with his other works that I've read, I am most moved by his vehement affirmation of life. He sees the dominant culture of his time as shying away from and condemning life and all its difficulties. In contrast, he strives to not only accept life in all its pain and struggle, but to forever cry for more. His idea of "eternal return" emphasizes the point- that we should live as though this life will be repeated ad infinitum. Nietzsche displays a veritable thirst for life, and its struggles only invigorate him.
Of course, we must address the troubling case of the misogyny displayed in the latter quarter of this book. It should be expected that when one so readily denounces conventional morality and democracy, and accepts that some will be born superior and some inferior, and that racial and national traits are real and inherited, well, it should come as no surprise that he embraces misogyny. Rather than discard all his works in disgust, I think we can learn something from this case. No doubt there is truth in much of what he writes, so we must ask ourselves where he went wrong in order to take such a heinous turn. Where in his philosophy lies the root of these opinions?
Many have seen the basis of these problematic pronouncements in Nietzsche's personal & psychological history. I suspect that were he alive today, he would have to grapple with the body of scientific evidence that suggests his broad opinions are based not in fact but in socially constructed roles. Nietzsche made himself vulnerable to believing in the reality of "national character" and "gender identity" and "racial memory" and all of these distractions, probably believing all along that he was speaking truth to power (an uncommon and unpopular "truth", his favorite sort.)
In the end, we do not have to agree or disagree wholesale with Niezsche's philosophy. As with all things, there are bits of value and bits to discard. In examining what we discard and why, we can learn from Nietzsche's mistakes.
In keeping with his other works that I've read, I am most moved by his vehement affirmation of life. He sees the dominant culture of his time as shying away from and condemning life and all its difficulties. In contrast, he strives to not only accept life in all its pain and struggle, but to forever cry for more. His idea of "eternal return" emphasizes the point- that we should live as though this life will be repeated ad infinitum. Nietzsche displays a veritable thirst for life, and its struggles only invigorate him.
Of course, we must address the troubling case of the misogyny displayed in the latter quarter of this book. It should be expected that when one so readily denounces conventional morality and democracy, and accepts that some will be born superior and some inferior, and that racial and national traits are real and inherited, well, it should come as no surprise that he embraces misogyny. Rather than discard all his works in disgust, I think we can learn something from this case. No doubt there is truth in much of what he writes, so we must ask ourselves where he went wrong in order to take such a heinous turn. Where in his philosophy lies the root of these opinions?
Many have seen the basis of these problematic pronouncements in Nietzsche's personal & psychological history. I suspect that were he alive today, he would have to grapple with the body of scientific evidence that suggests his broad opinions are based not in fact but in socially constructed roles. Nietzsche made himself vulnerable to believing in the reality of "national character" and "gender identity" and "racial memory" and all of these distractions, probably believing all along that he was speaking truth to power (an uncommon and unpopular "truth", his favorite sort.)
In the end, we do not have to agree or disagree wholesale with Niezsche's philosophy. As with all things, there are bits of value and bits to discard. In examining what we discard and why, we can learn from Nietzsche's mistakes.
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your review is very consistent and moderate, and pointed out exactly what I was thinking about. and You're definitively right about that Nietzsche wouldn't want to be taken enigmatically, he just can not ask for that when he cry all the time asking for "free spirit" thinkers to wake up. the other thing that impressed me was what you've said about his thirst to life, honestly I didn't read a great deal of Nietzsche's work but as you said each word of him give me that appetite to life that don't fade away easily, and that what make me return every time back to him, to learn of his spirit and his "mistakes".
Thanks for the comment. I meant that his misogyny was despicable, but not surprising considering how readily he embraces ideas of superiority and inferiority. His foundations aren't necessarily problematic but do make misogyny, racism and nationalism a lot more attractive.