FREE ESSAY ON NIETZSCHE

NIETZSCHE

Who is Friedrich Nietzsche? Can a man born in 1844 really tell us anything of relevance in
the twenty-first century? To simply say Nietzsche was a German philosopher would be an
injustice... let's stay clear of labels, I'll simply describe Nietzsche as a man with an
incredible metal penetration of situations covering all walks of life... Friedrich
Nietzsche challenged the foundations of traditional morality and Christianity. He
believed in life, creativity, health, and the realities of the world we live in, rather
than those situated in a world beyond. Central to Nietzsche's philosophy is the idea of
life-affirmation, which involves an honest questioning of all doctrines which drain
life's energies, however socially prevalent those views might be. Often referred to as
one of the first existentialist philosophers, Nietzsche has inspired leading figures in
all walks of cultural life, including dancers, poets, novelists, painters, psychologists,
philosophers, sociologists and social revolutionaries. 
We have all bought into or been influenced by whatever we have been exposed to and
taught. Some philosophers have attempted to get away from these influences by denying
all. Nietzsche encourages us to look at past philosophers and to reevaluate our beliefs
and values, and to question their origin. To attempt to understand why we philosophize as
we do, and to think that perhaps the thinkers before us were still so influenced that
What philosophers create is a world that satisfies the 'desire of the heart' their
'reasons' come later. (pg.550) Philosophers attempt to create the world in their own
image.
Everyone has a dissatisfaction w/ life - a desire to define good 
and evil, to know what satisfaction is - and N. is attempting to get us to deny this
dissatisfation - to ask ourselves if we would be ok w/ this 'eternal recurrance'... do
you think that our current craze of political correctness, our frenzy to decide what is
good and what would be satisfying to the whole would be agreeable to N.? I don't think
that it would. Let us attempt to do away with our dissatisfaction and get beyond the good
and evil. Let us stop attempting to make other worlds better than this one, both
politically and spiritually. Amour Fati!
Our whole system of living is a fallacy; falsities and hypocrisies are inherent in its
very core, yet we
continue to live unsatisfactory lives, each with our personal life philosophies that get
us though the years.
Isn't it incredible that people can live with an intrinsic set of values judging right
and wrong, and a feeling of
purpose without really comprehending and penetrating their thoughts to the deepest
depths.
Amongst this herd of the unconscious are those whom would seek mental stimulation through
renowned
works. It amazes me that somebody could walk into Waterstone, Dillons or any other
bookshop, purchase
a book by say, Friedrich Nietzsche... read it... place it back on the bookshelf... then
return to a normal life.
Are the words too threatening to the self, or does this type of reader really see nothing
to be learned? If the
words are read so as to be understood then life is thrown upside down, there is a violent
realisation of a
world free from the bonds of ideology, or as Nietzsche would put it - a great
separation.