[lbo-talk] HOW THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT IS BLOWING IT: REVISITED

[Charles Brown]

It's important to understand that he was the opposite of a systematic
philosopher (of the sort Marx tried to be, for instance). Everything he
writes is an aphorism -- an experiment in thinking, if you will. Some
of his experiments succeeded, some flopped spectacularly. And very
likely he wasn't completely serious in many of them. That quip you
quote about "woman," for instance -- who knows what he was trying to
say there? Perhaps he was following in the tradition of German
philosophers who weren't too successful with the opposite sex and
resented their failure, e.g., Schopenhauer. In any case, offhand
remarks like that are not anywhere near the core of his world view.

The "Superman" thing has been frequently misunderstood, especially by
English-speaker readers of translations who don't understand what he
was trying to say in German. Try reading Walter Kaufmann, for example,
to get a better understanding.

Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org

^^^^^^^
CB: The quips and aphorism form makes sense. Sounds like email list style.

In the past here ( or there), Jim Farmelant and I have noted the
Schopenhauer/Nietzsche connection in the apoethesis of power in Schopenhauer
and will to power in Nietzsche, which seems a candidate idea closer to the
core worldview here. Schopenhauer taught in the same school/college as Hegel
and "hated" him. So, there may be an anti-systematic philosopher link too (
since Hegel was such a systematizer).  Marx is a descendent of Hegel.

 Focus on will is a form of idealist philo, from a Marxist standpoint.

N. is not just the opposite of Marx in form. The anti-popular/elitist
content is the exact opposite of Marx, too. In the past here, there was a
report of N. cheering the fall of the Paris Commune, which seems an
emblematic anecdote in contrasting him with Marx.

Actually, I have a copy of one of Kaufman's , which I have perused. Will
Durant discusses Nietzsche , too. Finkelstein analyzes Nietzsche as
contradictorily "good and bad", and as expressing,through irrationalism, the
alienation and confusion  of many, including intellectuals, in the era of
the rise and crises of the imperialist phase of capitalism, WWI, "The
Wastland" , and all that. 

Nowadays, of course, there is google too.

Not to be provocative, but I can't help but think that _maybe_ the Nazis
misunderstood the "Superman" thing too, even though they spoke German. I
mean the use of the same word causes the thought to pop into one's mind. I'm
willing to believe N. meant well, was misunderstood and all, but the
anti-masses stuff is ripe for abuse. Lets say he was negligent, reckless
even.