Thus Spake Zarathustra :: Friedrich Nietzsche

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION

Thus Spake Zarathustra is one of the great works of modern philosophy, and an indispensable precursor to all major trends in 20th century Western thought. The book is controversial in part because the fictional prophet who serves as its protagonist, and who professes a nearly mystical version of Nietzsche's philosophy, does so in a way that dismantles many important aspects of the Western tradition.

Considered a challenge to conventional moral codes that dominated in its day, this late 19th century work of philosophy is still relevant today to the essential human experience. It takes the reader on a difficult journey through self-examination and through the subtle but ceaseless mix of problems that stem from needing to blend one's individuality with the work of existing in society.

:: READINGS OF THE ÜBERMENSCH ::

The Problem of the Übermensch

One of the truly central and problematic terms Nietzsche puts forth in the spiritual meditations of Zarathustra is the concept of the so-called "Übermensch", translated alternately as the superman or the overman. Traditionally seen as a being that is superior to or "beyond" the ordinary human being, it is likely more an extension of what we aspire to achieve, within the realm of human virtues and complications.

For obvious reasons, the idea has provoked great controversy and has led some to speculation that it helped lay the intellectual groundwork for the delusions of the Nazi regime in 1930s and 1940s Germany. This, coupled with other controversial analyses put forth by Nietzsche, has led to the accusation that his philosophy lacks an ethical component, or that it is primarily a destructive undertaking.

This misconception needs correcting, and we can go a long way by looking at elements in his philosophy which aspire to something better or more well-wrought in the experience of the human condition. We will start with his most controversial idea:

Nietzsche himself leaves only suggestive clues as to what precisely the Übermensch really is envisioned as being. So it is important, in order to take out of the infamous concept its far too mystical variants, to examine the problem from the perspective that it has never been clearly defined or understood.

There are various relatively comprehensive and complex theories as to what it might be, and it's important to understand the metaphysical and sociological significance in each case, to examine their validity and to explore possible previously unexplored alternatives: these are, to simplify our analysis, 1) the "post-human", 2) the "ultra-human", and 3) the "post-modern paradigm".

The Post-human

The most instinctive way of reading the Übermensch is to think of it as a post-human being or as the next stage of humanoid evolution. This implies that the human being, as we know ourselves to be, scientifically homo sapiens sapiens, will evolve into something else.

It is not widely accepted that Nietzsche is referring to actual natural selection in genealogical terms when he speaks of this being to come, though this interpretation has been tempting to those who wish to use it as an excuse to prop up unsustainable ideas about eugenics or racial supremacy.

The Ultra-human

Another way of reading Übermensch, perhaps with etymology as a starting point, is to postulate that Nietzsche means something "ultra-human", not actually non-human or post-human, but more human than we ourselves have managed to be able to become.

In this case, we could say that the ultra-human is that which, though ascertained via human consciousness, remains always just out of reach of human consciousness... it could be a state of awareness, a freer mind, or a mentality better able to cope with the elusive exigencies of leading a virtuous, authentic or ethical life, without giving in to the lies of dogma or hierarchy...

The Post-modern Paradigm

The post-modern paradigm for the complete person, the well-adjust, evolved and cultured, functional member of today's global society is very different from what was understood to be the general human nature when Nietzsche was writing. We are, in effect, living in the future.

Today's society is comprised of human beings, cleary, but with a level of metaphysical or doctrinal flexibility virtually unimaginable in the 19th century, when Nietzsche was writing. It is not necessarily the case that the post-modern paradigm for the human being can be seen as any kind of ideal, not messianic or mythical, but it is possible to describe what we now live as a temporal "beyond".

And with that, we can see that much of what Nietzsche writes may have pointed to his hoping that the dogmatic or structural ills he perceived to be infecting human civilization might be alleviated by the intellectual or spiritual agility of the beings inhabiting that moment, that beyond.

From Thus Spake Zarathustra...

Zarathustra's word for the great noontide, and whatever else I have hung up over men like purple evening-afterglows. Verily, also new stars did I make them see, along with new nights; and over cloud and day and night, did I spread out laughter like a gay coloured canopy.

I taught them all my poetisation and aspiration: to compose and collect into unity what is fragment in man, and riddle and fearful chance; as composer, riddle-reader, and redeemer of chance, did I teach them to
create the future, and all that hath to redeem by creating.

The past of man to redeem, and every "It was" to transform, until the Will
saith: "But so did I will it! So shall I will it". This did I call redemption; this alone taught I them to call redemption. Now do I await my redemption—that I may go unto them for the last time.

For once more will I go unto men: amongst them will my sun set; in dying will I give them my choicest gift!

From the sun did I learn this, when it goeth down, the exuberant one: gold doth it then pour into the sea, out of inexhaustible riches, so that the poorest fisherman roweth even with golden oars! For this did I once see, and did not tire of weeping in beholding it.

Like the sun will also Zarathustra go down: now sitteth he here and waiteth, old broken tables around him, and also new tables—half-written.

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