This message was self-deleted by its author

[Tuesday Afternoon]

This message was self-deleted by its author (Tuesday Afternoon) on Mon Sep 9, 2013, 10:25 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[rrneck]

1. Which ones are the five year olds.

I haven't studied Nietzsche, but I don't think Übermensch can be reduced to "take what you want".

[rrneck]

3. True that.

It beats the hell out of some stupid formula cartoon that just promotes some equally stupid toy tie in.

It reminds me of this kid.

He's either a genius or he just took a giant bong hit.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

5. Unfortunately, that is what the Übermensch can be reduced to

According to Nietzsche, if I am the Übermensch and you are the Untermensch and you commit an act which injures me, you are acting immorally. However, if I commit the exact same act, but it benefits me, I am acting morally. Any ethicist who says that the morality of an act depends on who the actor is can reasonably be said to be spouting crap.

No moral values apply to the Übermensch. The desires of the Untermenschen mean nothing at all. If the Übermensch wants to murder Untermenschen in job lots, that is just fine. The Nazis put that idea into practice -- leaving murder, torture, looting and general immorality as their legacy. It can certainly be argued that the Nazis misused this idea. However, it is the basis for the train of thought that led to Buchenwald, and Nietzsche cannot be absolved.

The basic problem I have with Nietzsche is that Nietzsche's denial of ethics means that anyone can call himself an Übermensch and "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law". So there is not just a direct line from Nietzsche to Josef Mengele, but a direct line to Aleister Crowley as well.

[rrneck]

6. Now look what you've done.

Now I have to read the damn thing.

[Sanddog42]

7. According to Nietzsche, if [...] you are the Untermensch

So, you're saying Nietzsche either coined or used the term Untermensch?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

8. Yes, it was the Nazis who coined that term

I probably should have said "non-Übermensch". It makes no actual difference to my argument.

[Sanddog42]

9. Now I'm confused

Can't anyone be an Übermensch simply by electing to follow their own rules?
If so, then who are the "non-Übermensch" to whom Neitzsche was referring?
In other words, who did Neitzsche say was fair game for ubermenschen to prey upon?