Übermensch
The concept of "Übermensch," introduced by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in his 1880s work "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," describes an evolved form of humanity that transcends conventional human limitations and societal norms, particularly those imposed by religious structures. Translated as "overman" or "superman," the term represents an ideal that Nietzsche believed humanity should strive toward, emphasizing self-overcoming and the rejection of outdated moral frameworks. The Übermensch is often illustrated through metaphorical transformations, such as that of a camel, which bears the weight of traditional values, into a lion, which challenges those values, and ultimately into a child, symbolizing new beginnings and creativity.
Interpretations of the Übermensch vary significantly—some view it as a physical evolution, while others see it as a mental or philosophical transformation. The concept has also been misappropriated in modern contexts; notably, the Nazis distorted Nietzsche’s ideas to justify their racial superiority agenda, despite Nietzsche himself being a critic of nationalism and anti-Semitism. The ambiguity in translation and interpretation has led to ongoing debates about the true meaning and implications of Nietzsche's Übermensch, with scholars exploring its relevance in discussions of personal autonomy, artistic freedom, and the potential for human evolution.
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Übermensch
Übermensch is a philosophical concept introduced by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) describing a person who has evolved into a transcendent form of humanity by overcoming human failings and the influences of religious society. Nietzsche first used the term Übermensch—translated as overman or superman—in his book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, a philosophical work published in the 1880s. Nietzsche's open-ended description of the Übermensch and problems with the word's translation have led to varying interpretations of its meaning. Some view it as heralding a physical human evolution; others see the transformation as mental, philosophical, or artistic. In the 1930s, the Nazis used Nietzsche's ideas as justification for their belief in the superiority of the German race.
Background and Origin
Friedrich Nietzsche was born in Röcken, Germany, in 1844. He was educated in the strict academic atmosphere of nineteenth-century Germany, where he was influenced by classical literature and the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860). Schopenhauer was an early-nineteenth-century German philosopher best known for his writings on human will. Nietzsche published his first book of philosophy in 1872 and wrote a number of others during the next two decades. His work often was existential, dealing with the role of reason, will, faith, and morality in human existence. In 1882, Nietzsche famously declared "God is dead" in his book The Gay Science. The statement has been interpreted as proclaiming the actual death of a supreme being, but scholars see it as Nietzsche's criticism of his society's reliance on the Christian God for its morality.
In 1883, Nietzsche began his next work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Written over two years, the book is a series of parables and speeches given by Zarathustra, also known as Zoroaster, the founder of the ancient Persian religion Zoroastrianism. The religion introduced the concepts of a single omniscient god, the cosmic struggle between good and evil, and a divine judgment day with an eternal reward. Many of these ideas later influenced Judeo-Christian beliefs. Arguing that Zarathustra's teachings were responsible for starting Western civilization down the wrong path, Nietzsche's book returns the prophet to earth to set humanity on the right road to enlightenment.
Nietzsche introduces the idea of the Übermensch in the book's prologue. After leaving a mountain cave and visiting a town, Zarathustra begins preaching his concept of the overman while watching a man walk on a tightrope. "I teach you the Übermensch," the prophet says. "Man is something that shall be overcome. What have you done to overcome him?…Man is a rope, fastened between animal and Übermensch—a rope over an abyss." As he continues with his teachings, Zarathustra offers parables illustrating the path to becoming this enlightened Übermensch. One of these uses the images of a camel, lion, and child. The burden-carrying camel travels into the desert, where it transforms into the rebellious lion. The lion challenges the superiority of the dragon, before finally transforming into a child.
Interpretations
Nietzsche intended his Übermensch to be the ultimate goal of humankind—the casting off of society's Christian ideals and moving toward the final form of human evolution. He felt humans were incomplete beings that relied too much on antiquated notions of religion as a means of fulfillment. The rope on which Nietzsche's man was walking was a bridge between the human past and a new form of human—a complete, enlightened being. The tale of the camel, lion, and child illustrates the path needed to accomplish this change. The camel carries the burden of humanity's old values. Turning into the lion symbolizes a challenge to the established way of thinking, as seen in the dragon. The child represents beginning and a new humanity.
While Nietzsche was adamant that disposing of religion was a central part of humanity's transformation, he was ambiguous about the exact means to that end. Some future scholars who studied his work saw the Übermensch as a human who had overcome the internal chaos of the mind and achieved artistic and philosophical freedom. Others saw it as a person who lives according to their own system of values. Still others took it as a literal evolution—humankind surpassing the bounds of humanity.
Part of the problem with the interpretation is found in the translation of the term. In German, über means "over or above," and mensch means "human or man," as in the collective humankind. Nietzsche's concept was meant to be someone who had risen "over human," but it also has been translated using the Latin prefix super-, which means above or beyond. This has led to the idea of a superior human being with abilities outpacing those of other men. This translation of Übermensch as Superman was partly the inspiration for the comic book character of the same name.
When Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) and the Nazis came to power in 1933, they used Nietzsche's idea of the Übermensch as a justification for their policies of racial superiority. Nazi authorities developed a racial hierarchy that put the German übermenschen, or "supermen," at the top, and the untermenschen, or "subhumans," at the bottom. These terms may have been derived from Nietzsche's work, but he was not a supporter of Nazi ideals. Nietzsche died in 1900, but during his life, he was a staunch critic of nationalism and anti-Semitism. While he was aware that his philosophy could be used to justify tyranny and lawlessness, he also was a proponent of an ordered society and argued his ideal human would also overcome the desire to act in such a manner.
Bibliography
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