TRIGGER WARNING:
Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche here, for free, for all you intellectuals with your PDF reading desires.
https://www.nothuman.net/images/files/discussion/1/9994c4af16851fe2bc691b8896cf6694.pdf
Read Nietzsche. You will learn that everything everyone believes about him is false. At the end of his life, his sister had altered his published works to fit the narrative of the Nazis. His original texts were purged from Germany, and his concepts, especially that of Γbermensch was cleansed of its original meaning, forever stigmatizing Nietzsche's name.
I, personally, am fucking ridiculously unscrupulous, but I cannot deny the uplifting beauty in his dithyrambs. He envisioned a world full of art and poetry which would reflect all that is naturally beautiful of humankind, but also of the earth as humankind's sacred home. He believed people shouldn't face difficulties because of their race, and was even socially tolerant of religion, though he wrote of it's toxic nature, he never believed anyone was deserving of harm.
Nietzsche aimed to prove that the narrative of religion was be in direct contrast with human nature and prosperity for all. He believed religion was a subterfuge to give the masses a false belief in the meaning of life.
Nietzsche asked, "Is this a life that you would truly want to live again?"
Disabled and bed-ridden for many years, Nietzsche claims to have believed he hated himself due to ressentiment; a helpless self-hatred in which the blame is put on external parties for its cause. Upon realizing this, Nietzsche began making improvements in his diet, exercise, and surroundings. He complained of Germany's obsession with militarism and societal ideals, thus he moved to Basel, Switzerland, a place where he would write of its natural beauty and recognized its people as being lustful for life, because he too, loved humankind for all its natural joys.
Nietzsche believed that shame could be eliminated if all would begin living their lives striving to be Γbermensch themselves. It never was about superiority. It was about setting goals, following one's personal desires, and living life to the fullest, with honesty and dignity. Nietzsche thought that much of society suffers unknowingly from the decisions they leave to their superiors. He recognized just as Schopenhauer did that humans have a tendency to avoid making decisions, some avoid thinking altogether. That being said, Nietzsche believed that all humans were equals, just as animals in the jungle. He suggested that we redefine what makes us human and what serves our best interests as a unified type of animal, coexisting with the other jungle animals.
Nietzsche was not in favor of the vegetarian ideal, but praised the diet for its personal health qualities. He never thought people should be told what to eat, but they should take it upon themselves to find what best promotes their health. He loathed the German diet of meat and bread, which contributed to his dyspepsia.
Just like Schopenhauer, Nietzsche despised the abuse of animals. His final documented moment before living the rest of his life in hospice care (suspected to be dementia or a brain tumor, however, rumored to be of Syphilis, though he had documented his sexuality or lack thereof numerous times), Nietzsche had a disruptive public outburst defending a horse from a man who was senselessly flogging it.
He was declared insane, but he continued to write letters under the name "Dionysus" and enjoyed playing Beethoven on the piano.
There are a few things to understand when going into Nietzsche:
-He was raised Lutheran, and his early-deceased father was a well known pastor. He followed Christian beliefs until he began to study history in college.
-Nietzsche is honest and pure in what he writes. He is unafraid to take new information into account. That being said, he was so much of a bookworm that he even admits it is actually to his detriment. At the time, Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species was just gaining attention, a study which Nietzsche believed was foundational to his cause which was to evolve intellectually beyond the need for gods and rulers.
-Occasionally, Nietzsche makes an assumption about a group which has been recognized to be scientifically incorrect after his death, but evidence shows that he would have, otherwise, changed his views had he been able to access that information. However, he never believed anyone should be ashamed or punished for the conditions in which they were born. He hated how blacks and Jews were treated in Germany and always believed that it was the oppressors who harbored an endless well of self-inflicted guilt and misery that was to be spread throughout, punishing the smallest minorities the most.
-Nietzsche is self-aware. He is often condescending and sarcastic, but this he justifies by declaring his love of Dionysian principles. He is one in a world of madness, but the difference is that instead of denying it, he instead embraces this madness. He celebrates it!
-Nietzsche defines genius metaphorically referring to the domination of Europe by Napoleon Bonaparte. He describes genius as a revolutionary explosion that has an immense effect on society and the world. Napoleon had only died about thirty years before Nietzsche's birth, making him a relevant figure. He holds the view that Napoleon pulled off the impossible, ethics aside, and Nietzsche is great at looking at things objectively. Personally, Nietzsche did not believe in causing harm upon others. Violence is a display of a poor ethical foundation. He only wanted his books to spread just as rapidly and purposefully as Napoleon. He believed there would be no need for wars in the modern age if only the masses could recognize that national borders were meaningless for the flourishing of mankind.
-Nietzsche criticizes unnatural human behaviors, especially along the lines of herd mentalities, cults, and institutions. He criticizes the common behaviors of women at the time, but it's because he finds it troubling that they succumb to society's definition of what a woman should be. He believed that women had much they could contribute to society if only their behaviors weren't dictated and corrupted by men. He refers to Earth and Nature as a woman. He made sure to embrace his feminine side, while also celebrating that of his male side. Nietzsche's view of masculinity differs from common perceptions of the term. He believed that masculine men were dignified in their honesty, always willing to promote the supreme welfare of all humankind, challenging the popular concept of masculinity at the time as a detriment to society.
-Nietzsche's writings reflect the complexity of human thought in its natural state. Conflicting views always rise up in which he openly navigates, which is one of the most intimate experiences with one's writing I have ever witnessed. Everybody has a thought which they have never spoken of because of societal insecurity, whether or not that thought be true or chosen by the thinker as a valid decision. He thought that we should not fear our thoughts, but we could only do so by refining our ethical compasses and defining a morality grounded in a universal logic; not a traditional or handed down logic. He described people's morality to be an inherited reflex, rather than genuine virtue. He challenged humans to think about all it is that they value and claim to know.
-Nietzsche believes that ideals are reprehensible. That being said, he never considered his thoughts to be ideals. He thought his views to be a catalyst for change, but only in a contemporary sense. Once an idea becomes dogmatic, it becomes a poison. He trusted that his idea of Γbermensch would help the populace find its way out of the clutches of religion, but trusted humanity to continue making it's own destiny with "the good life" and "freedom for all" as its sole motivation. To live better than the ancient Greeks did.
-Nietzsche believes there would be no criminals in a society that supported their unique needs and prevented them from experiencing shame. He describes a criminal as someone who displays more freedom in their actions than the rest of the law-abiding society.
-Nietzsche is beyond good and evil. He believes this spectrum of classification of all people is inherently evil and obsolete. It is a poison. Neither concept is universal, and ultimately relies on the narratives that are most popular which are proposed by those who have power over others. His ideas go beyond this argument and are only rooted in what he sees as most ethical to the self without imposing harm and inequities upon others.
-Though Nietzsche is an atheist through and through, he still shows his softness on the majority of religious followers. His greatest disgust is directed toward priests, who take advantage of vulnerable people by offering no true quality to one's life, and instead dictating how one should live. For the rest, he only feels sadness, and wishes they come to their senses to take control of their lives and overthrow whatever it is that is keeping them from happiness in their lives.
Here is also a link to Ecce Home, Nietzsche's final published work which is his reflection on his life and why he thought the things he did. I think this one is one of his most positive works and is by far the shortest.
Please educate yourself on Nietzsche. Don't slander him because I am a shitty troll.
