History Analysis / FriedrichNietzsche

Well, probably not. As we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite their being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. Even just the word, "Übermensch" has been translated various ways into English, such as "Superman," "Overman," "Superior Man," and even "Noble Man" or simply left untranslated altogether - depending on the connotations the scholar believes the word should have (or that they believe Nietzsche intended it to have). Meanwhile the world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions]] and [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] by [[DeathOfTheAuthor other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The last is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. As we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite their being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. Even just the word, "Ubermensch" has been translated various ways into English, such as "Superman," "Overman," "Superior Man," and even "Noble Man" or simply left untranslated altogether - depending on the connotations the scholar believes the word should have (or that they believe Nietzsche intended it to have). Meanwhile the world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions]] and [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] by [[DeathOfTheAuthor other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The last is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. As we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite their being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. Even simply the word, "Ubermensch" has been translated various ways into English, such as "Superman," "Overman," "Superior Man," and even "Noble Man" or simply leaving it untranslated altogether - depending on the connotations the scholar believes the word should have (or that they believe Nietzsche intended it to have). Meanwhile the world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions]] and [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] by [[DeathOfTheAuthor other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The last is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. As we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite their being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. Even simply the word, "Ubermensch" has been translated various ways into English, such as "Superman," "Over-Man," and even "Noble Man" - depending on the connotations the scholar believes the word should have (or that they believe Nietzsche intended it to have). Meanwhile the world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions]] and [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] by [[DeathOfTheAuthor other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The last is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. As we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite their being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. Even the world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions]] and [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] by [[DeathOfTheAuthor other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The last is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Analytic philosophers were not so enthusiastically receptive of him. They often discredited him as a philosopher, characterizing him as more of a literary figure (Bertrand Russell even calls Nietzsche's ideas ''mere [[PowerFantasy power phantasies]]''), because he didn't leave behind a [[{{Canon}} systematic, coherent, rational philosophy]] in the manner of Creator/{{Aristotle}}; indeed, one of the most coherent ways to read Nietzsche is as an extended critique of Hegel's famous philosophic System (with a capital 'S'!). His own views shifted so dramatically over time that Karl Jaspers claimed that Nietzsche could be cited pro ''and'' contra on each matter, though this has been contested since. (The fact that he inherited some sort of insanity didn't help matters. Reread that part about his going nuts in his forties... yeah.)

In addition, Nietzsche most likely considered himself to be a philologist, not a philosopher. His academic background and a great deal of his non-philosophical work was in philology, the study of written historical languages. His philosophical works are as much a critique on the use of language as they are traditionally philosophical branches of thought such as morality, reason, and the nature of thought. In that sense, he has a lot more in common with Creator/LudwigWittgenstein (another German-speaker whose thinking focused heavily on language) than many Analytics give him credit for.

In addition, Nietzsche most likely considered himself to be a philologist, not a philosopher. His academic background and a great deal of his non-philosophical work was in philology, the study of written historical languages. His philosophical works are as much a critique on the use of language as they are traditionally philosophical branches of thought such as morality, reason, and the nature of thought.

Well, probably not. As we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite their being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. Even the world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The last is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

In short, whatever picture you may have had of Nietzsche could be wrong. For example, '''Nietzsche has ''never'' encouraged you to be an [[TheUnfettered unfettered]] [[NietzscheWannabe nihilist]] who causes chaos [[ForTheEvulz simply for the power of doing it]].'''

In addition, Nietzsche most likely considered himself to be a philologist, not a philosopher. His academic background and a great deal of his non-philosophical work was in philology, the study of written historical languages. His philosophical works are as much a critique on the use of language as they are traditionally philosophical branches of thought such as morality, reason, and the nature of thought.

Analytic philosophers were not so enthusiastically receptive of him. They often discredited him as a philosopher, characterizing him as more of a literary figure (Bertrand Russell even calls Nietzsche's ideas ''mere [[PowerFantasy power phantasies]]''), because he didn't leave behind a [[{{Canon}} systematic, coherent, rational philosophy]] in the manner of Creator/{{Aristotle}}; indeed, one of the most coherent ways to read Nietzsche is as an extended critique of Hegel's famous philosophic System (with a capital 'S'!). His own views shifted so dramatically over time, that Karl Jaspers claimed that Nietzsche could be cited pro ''and'' contra on each matter, though this has been contested since. (The fact that he inherited some sort of insanity didn't help matters. Reread that part about him going nuts in his forties... yeah.)

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

In addition, Nietzsche most likely considered himself to be a philologist, not a philosopher. His academic background and a great deal of his non-philosophical work was in philology, the study of written historical languages. His philosophical works are as much as critique on the use of language as they are traditionally philosophical branches of thought such as morality, reason, and the nature of thought.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche-related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[note]]For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.[[/note]]) about just what the guy was saying.

In addition, Nietzsche most likely considered himself to be a Philologist, not a Philosopher. His academic background and a great deal of his non-Philosophical work was in Philology, the study of written historical languages. His Philosophical works are as much as critique on the use of language as they are traditionally Philosophical branches of thought such as morality, reason, and the nature of thought.

In short, whatever picture you may have had of Nietzsche could be wrong. For example, '''Nietzsche has ''never'' encouraged you to be an [[TheUnfettered unfettered]], [[NietzscheWannabe nihilist]] who causes chaos [[ForTheEvulz simply for the power of doing it]].'''

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]], and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[hottip:*:For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, TheNazis, and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[hottip:*:For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped his reputation in some circles.]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, TheNazis, and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[hottip:*:For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the Iraq War were in some way linked to him hasn't helped is reputation in some circles.]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Analytic philosophers, on the other hand, were not so enthusiastically receptive of him. They often discredited him as a philosopher, characterizing him as more of a literary figure (Bertrand Russell even calls Nietzsche's ideas ''mere [[PowerFantasy power phantasies]]''), because he didn't leave behind a [[{{Canon}} systematic, coherent, rational philosophy]] in the manner of Creator/{{Aristotle}}; indeed, one of the most coherent ways to read Nietzsche is as an extended critique of Hegel's famous philosophic System (with a capital 'S'!). His own views shifted so dramatically over time, that Karl Jaspers claimed that Nietzsche could be cited pro ''and'' contra on each matter, though this has been contested since. (The fact that he inherited some sort of insanity didn't help matters. Reread that part about him going nuts in his forties... yeah.)

In short, whatever picture you may have had of Nietzsche could be wrong. For example, '''Nietzsche has ''never'' encouraged you to be an [[TheUnfettered unfettered]], [[NietzscheWannabe nihilistic]] CompleteMonster who causes chaos [[ForTheEvulz simply for the power of doing it]].'''

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, TheNazis, and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago, broadly using Nietzsche as the basis for a reevaluation of classical political philosophy and modern political science[[hottip:*:For his trouble, Strauss ended up being accused of creating a cadre of antidemocratic elitists; that several of the prominent Neoconservatives in the GeorgeWBush administration who pushed for the [[WarOnTerror Iraq War]] were in some way linked to him hasn't helped is reputation in some circles.]]) about just what the guy was saying.

Analytic philosophers, on the other hand, were not so enthusiastically receptive of him. They often discredited him as a philosopher, characterizing him as more of a literary figure (Bertrand Russell even calls Nietzsche's ideas ''mere [[PowerFantasy power phantasies]]''), because he didn't leave behind a [[{{Canon}} systematic, coherent, rational philosophy]] in the manner of Creator/{{Aristotle}}; indeed, one of the most coherent ways to read Nietzsche is as an extended critique of Hegel's famous philosophic System (with a capital 'S'!). His own views [[YourMileageMayVary shifted so dramatically over time]], that Karl Jaspers claimed that Nietzsche could be cited pro ''and'' contra on each matter, though this has been contested since. (The fact that he inherited some sort of insanity didn't help matters. Reread that part about him going nuts in his forties... yeah.)

In short, whatever picture you may have had of Nietzsche could be wrong. For example, '''Nietzsche has ''never'' encouraged you to be an [[TheUnfettered unfettered]], [[NietzscheWannabe nihilistic]] CompleteMonster who instigates chaos [[ForTheEvulz simply for the power of doing it]].'''

Analytic philosophers, on the other hand, were not so enthusiastically receptive of him. They often discredited him as a philosopher, characterizing him as more of a literary figure (Bertrand Russell even calls Nietzsche's ideas ''mere [[PowerFantasy power phantasies]]''), because he didn't leave behind a [[{{Canon}} systematic, coherent, rational philosophy]] in the manner of {{Aristotle}}; indeed, one of the most coherent ways to read Nietzsche is as an extended critique of Hegel's famous philosophic System (with a capital 'S'!). His own views [[YourMileageMayVary shifted so dramatically over time]], that Karl Jaspers claimed that Nietzsche could be cited pro ''and'' contra on each matter, though this has been contested since. (The fact that he inherited some sort of insanity didn't help matters. Reread that part about him going nuts in his forties... yeah.)

In short, whatever picture you may have had of Nietzsche could be wrong. For example, '''Nietzsche has ''never'' encouraged you to be an [[TheUnfettered unfettered]], [[NietzscheWannabe nihilistic]] CompleteMonster.'''

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, TheNazis, and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, TheNazis, and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago) about just what the guy was saying.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, TheNazis, and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place. As for people with the actual intellectual capacity to handle what Nietzsche meant, let's not even ''talk'' about the theories of Martin Heidegger and Leo Strauss (respectively someone who thought the Nazis were on to something--later realizing they weren't, but refusing to admit it--and a Jew who fled the Nazis to teach at the University of Chicago) about just what the guy meant.

Well, probably not. Like we said, his ideas are [[MindScrew pretty weird]] and kind of [[ShrugOfGod self-contradictory]]. [[SeriousBusiness And despite them being constantly quoted, seriously followed, and vehemently debated]], especially by academics, villains, and crackpots alike, many still don't know what some of his most famous words, "GodIsDead" and "{{Ubermensch}}," exactly meant. The world's foremost scholar on all things Nietzsche related, Walter Kaufmann, wasn't even sure that Nietzsche was an Atheist; he went back-and-forth on this determination more than once during his studies of Nietzsche's works and writings. The confusion isn't helped ''any'' by all the later [[{{Fanon}} additions and]] [[WildMassGuessing interpretations]] [[DeathOfTheAuthor by other people]], such as AdolfHitler, TheNazis, and Nietzsche's own Nazi sister, Elizabeth. The latter is particularly guilty; for example, she didn't publish ''Ecce Homo'' until eight years after his death, because it didn't comply with her own views, instead compiling ''The Will to Power'' out of materials he never intended to publish in the first place.