Kanon Nakagawa

Dear Followers,


BBC Documentary – Human All Too Human


Friedrich Nietzsche is, without a doubt, one of the most profound human beings who has ever existed. Easily comparable to Albert Einstein or Sigmund Freud, Nietzsche made invaluable contributions to modern philosophy. And yet, Nietzsche will only know obscurity in the foreseeable future. He will continue to be labeled as the core philosopher of Germany’ Third Reich. He will continue to be labeled as a power-hungry maniac who was mentally unstable. He will continue to be misunderstood and mischaracterized. I feel a heavy pain to know that many will never come to know or recognize the innovation of Nietzsche’s work. Perhaps Nietzsche was correct when he explained how he had the burden of becoming “the first decent human being.”

The story is always the same. Friedrich Nietzsche’s “will to power” was one of the driving theories of the National Socialist party. I wish I had 10 minutes to sit down with every human being on the planet to clear up this misconception. Whether through translation or ignorance, there is a widespread misunderstanding of Nietzsche’s famous phrase from “Beyond Good and Evil.” Much of this misunderstanding stems from Elizabeth Nietzsche, his younger sister, who reworked his philosophy in order for Nietzsche to become forever idolized as the original Nazi. Nietzsche, a man preoccupied with the liberation of the human being to a condition of transcendentalism, would be grimacing in his grave to know that he has been associated with the tyranny, a system of government representative of the complete loss of individualism. Not to mention that he was disgusted with every form of nationalism, as evidenced by his taking leave during Richard Wagner’s Bayreuth Festival play which championed a “German culture.” Indeed, the “overman” did not overcome his peers but instead overcame himself.


No, Nietzsche’s “will to power” was an internal process rooted in the body, a continual search for oneself as a means to transcend the physical boundaries of the body. He wanted to free the human from the confines of restricted living. In a world where “God was dead, we killed him,” our knowledge of certainty was fiercely shaken. While the notion that we cannot come to know things absolutely may not be so strange today following the advent of modern scientific theories including Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity and Werner Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, the notion of a post-God society was frightening during the nineteenth century. While individuals like Charles Darwin were shaking the moral foundations of the world, Nietzsche believed that the human condition was not prepared for this new and unlimited freedom. He saw himself as the new prophet, ushering in an age of “free spirits” who act with a fresh outlook, constantly questioning opinions and being open to new ways of living. In essence, Nietzsche truly was the first “European.”

How far must one go to reach objectivity however? Nietzsche described the challenge of the human condition as a state between the animal and his “overman.” Nietzsche was “slowly dying with each passing day,” using philosophy as an outlet to find a solution for his torment. Many thus equate Nietzsche with Arthur Schopenhauer’s pessimistic philosophy. As Schopenhauer described, human experience is depressing at best, and the best experience was not to be born but the die quickly and experience a complete release form the misery of the human world. To simply give in is weakness however, Even with Nietzsche’s physical diseases which left him an “invalid” for the rest of his life, Nietzsche continued to look for a way to transcend misery, to overcome misery instead of giving in.


However, Nietzsche was the first victim in the search for the overworld. He needed to become the new God. Sadly, nobody could take such a place. With his transvaluation of values, his answer to a society without divine restrictions, Nietzsche soon discovered the immensity of the task which he had undertaken. Nietzsche was enveloped in the questions he had posed, becoming mad in 1889 and remaining so for the remainder of his life. In his final moments, Nietzsche, the man who had denounced sympathy as the “everything born in weakness and pity, the basis of Christianity, the religion of pity,” became all too human. At the sight of a horse collapsing, Nietzsche was overwhelmed with sympathy and embraced the animal in public. One of his last sane acts involved him confirming his existence as a human, ridden with mistakes and imperfections.

There is no doubt that society consumes us. The human being today is subject to a number of “slave moralities,” including the lingering social functions of religion, the unquestionable information presented by the mass media, and a highly stylized form of “accepted thought.” Ironically, in a world without God, human beings have become more enslaved than ever. Why has this happened? Nietzsche, in “Beyond Good and Evil,” constantly explains the concept of “herd mentality.” Living beyond humanity is not easy. Transcending the constraints of the human experience in most cases involves living a life of isolation. As Nietzsche once explained, “one can only flourish among those who have identical ideals… I have none.” For the weak-willed, such a detached and lonely lifestyle is never desirable. Becoming part of the herd absolves the human being of responsibility. The human being is allowed to defer to a higher authority, and is thus absolved from the force of action. Indeed, Nietzsche’s so-called hierarchy was an explanation of how people behaved, not a recommendation for the powerful to enslave the weak. As with Nietzsche, isolation can lead even the powerful minds to insanity. After all, “if you cannot live within the law, you must construct a new law of find shelter in madness.” Nietzsche was unable to construct those new laws.


When observing Nietzsche’s example, life becomes a balancing act. How much do we allow society to consume us, and how much do we consume ourselves? Nietzsche had lost hope in society from the beginning according to a “Human All Too Human,” a BBC documentary. He lost his father and brother at age 5. The love of his life turned him down and ran off with his best friend. He was constantly inflicted with physical ailments. Philosophy, indeed, was the only thing which kept him moving forward. I seek to become a free-spirit as well. I seek to transcend the physical limitations of the human condition. From Nietzsche’s philosophy I have developed a drive for individuality. However, I will continue to be restricted by the bounds of individuality. Thus, I continue with the balancing act. I can seek to master myself and overstep my physical bounds. I can denounce Bradley’s bigotry. Yet, I will continue to be bogged down by the materialistic aspects of the human condition. Yes Mrs. Cardona, I will always be a part of the system. In the end, even the freest spirit must come to terms. We are, after all, “All Too Human.”


P.S. I could post relevant pictures, but you would be expecting that, right?


Ayumi Takahara,
Noel