The Greatest Individual

What is it that makes a person GREAT? Is it their wealth? Is it their character? Or, is it their impact? Every individual has some impact on society, no matter how large or small, so greatness can come in degrees. However, a truly great person has a long lasting and influential impact upon society. The individual I have chosen is Frederick Wilhelm Nietzsche (Pronounced: Knee-Cha), German born philosopher, great for his thought-provoking and original ideas. After such a long and formal introduction, I hope I can meet your expectations.

SOME BIO

Born October 15, 1844 and died August 1900, the majority of Nietzsche’s life was destitute. At the age of four, his father died,He was sickly for a majority of his life (suffering from insomnia, weakness, etc.) and, towards the end of his life, fell into fits of strokes and seizures. Before this, however, he spent much of his time writing (and composing), eventually producing over 15 published books and a countless number of unpublished notes. It’s no surprise that he has such an extensive library considering how little sleep his must have gotten.

While he is most commonly known for his cryptic and seemingly depressing aphorisms, his works propose the importance of the physical world (over the spiritual or supposed) and the questioning of all beliefs (no matter how popular they may be).

GOD IS DEAD

Nietzsche is perhaps most famous for the phrase, “God is Dead,” and is usually seen as an atheist. However, he admired Jesus and the faith, but resented modern interpretations. Basically, he believed that instead of leading to a fulfilling life, adherence to modern interpretations leads a person to sink into submission.

“In Christianity neither morality nor religion has even a single point of contact with reality. Nothing but imaginary causes, ‘God,’ ’soul,’ ‘ego,’ ’spirit,’ ‘free will’- for that matter ‘unfree will,’ nothing but imaginary effects (’sin,’ ‘redemption,’ ‘grace,’ ‘punishment,’ ‘forgiveness of sins.’)(1)

Furthermore, Modern Christianity puts unnecessary restrictions on the individual. Guilt, a “bad conscience” is the result of “bad Christian morality that turns an evil eye to our natural inclinations.” This encourages that we act NOW in this life, on this plane, rather than accepting and hoping for a Heaven. The belief and Founder are fine, but the interpretations of their meanings are misconstrued, to Nietzsche. These ideas are important because they force society to look past the herd.

UBERMENSCH

Since God is now dead, the worst sin that one can do is not against their creator, but now against the Earth. (By sinning “against the Earth,” it is meant that man continues to live in his decadent ways, to not overcome what separates him from realizing his true potential. (and by “he,” I do mean both genders… ))

“All beings so far have created something beyond themselves… What is the ape to man? A laughingstock or a painful embarrassment. And man shall be just that for the overman: a laughingstock or a painful embarrassment…” (2)

Contrary to the Ubermensch (”overman”) is the Last man. The Ubermensch is not the Last Man because the Ubermensch will be overcome soon enough (ape to man, man to overman). However, the Last Man is the Last Man because he chooses to not work. “His race is as ineradicable as the flea; the last man lives longest.” (2)

He proposes these ideas as possible outcomes for mankind. If man chooses to surpass his faults and work towards greatness, he will go the way of the Ubermensch. However, if man falls into decadence, he will go the way of the Last Man.

PERSPECTIVISM

Perhaps his most important contribution to society is his idea of Perspectivism, which boils down to there being no absolutely neutral view of life, no “‘God’s eye’… from which one can survey everything that is” (Solomon). Think of it as making a Point of View comment on everything.

Nietzsche applies this to Science, believing that it can become slightly dogmatic at times. Although science claims that its truths are not absolute, it offers no other perspective for finding them. He offers another perspective, the “aesthetic” perspective. Take for example, a musical composition. In one way, a person can view the parts that make up the song (key and time signature, chord progressions, etc.) while in another way, they can simply admire the piece as a whole. He does not say that one is greater than the other, for both give different ideas, but that it would be wrong to wholeheartedly think through one perspective.

THE END

Earlier, I stated that a person’s greatness depends upon the impact upon society. In one view, Nietszche ’s impact on society depends on how his ideas have been accepted and interpreted. If few people have accepted his ideas, then his influence would be nil. However, his ideas have been used in many contexts.

Please do not take my words as the gist of Nietzsche’s ideas, for it would not do him justice to judge his ideas based upon my interpretations. For more information, check out the sources at the bottom. Good day to you all.

Thanks to these sites for the pictures…