The 1886 masterpiece Beyond Good and Evil, by Friedrich Nietzsche, offers a powerful and essential assertion of personal morality that has potential effects and impacts on the contemporary world of the 21st century. In this book, Nietzsche is not satisfied and opposes moral dogmatism, where it is assumed that only one moral truth is in existence and only a single code by which we abide and live that truth.
Friedrich suggests that such beliefs tend to stifle the human spirit and can result in prejudice, oppression, and mistrust only. In his opinion, true morality is that which a person explores and discovers for themselves by undergoing a painstaking experience of trials and experimentation, questions and mistakes and errors. It is only through suffering to determine a person’s own values, a person’s particular truth, that one truly attains morality.
The truth will always push a person into taking new risks, exploring new heights, and trying out new things. The fact can prompt a person to do something never thought of or that seems somewhat weird or crazy. This kind of truth has been observed by early educationists and philosophers who remarked on it and its power on people to explore new ideas. The topic of Beyond Good and Evil and the subsequent book by Nietzsche is a powerful articulation of his mature arguments and philosophy. It further depicts a cry at its heart for moral liberty (NIETZSCHE). In some instances, Nietzsche suggests and rebukes scientists, philosophers, and the so-called modern men altogether for their presumptions that they possess empirical knowledge or an understanding that they do not have. This is considered as one of the most crucial aspects of his philosophies for the 21st century due to its vehement support and embracement of the multicultural perspective. Apparently, the true motivation behind Nietzsche’s work is not the devaluation of values but, instead, the revaluation of values. In this instance, it seems Nietzsche leaves enough room for the absorption and assimilation of beliefs and cultures that existed outside the Anglo-European. This was to show respect to the individuals to be, believe as well, and behave as they perceive fit (NIETZSCHE).
In the view of Nietzsche, the ability and power of a person to cultivate their individualistic morality is by becoming a superman. This is a person who has transcended prejudice, orthodoxy, persecution, and judgment while cultivating their own personal senses of good and evil or right and wrong. However, the critiques of Nietzsche’s philosophy view his appellation of Superman as an unfortunate mistranslation. They further argue that the term would be replaced perfectly by the term overman which would also clearly reflect the intentions of the author. They argue that Nietzsche is only interested in and champions the people who were not entangled in the throes of thoughtless beliefs and traditions by following the crowds of the majority. In their view, Superman would take on the role of thinking independently while pursuing truth other than the establishment and tradition (NIETZSCHE).
Conclusively, the 1886 treatise, Beyond Good and Evil, by Friedrich Nietzsche is a strong, challenging, enlightening motivation to action for the contemporary world of the 21st century. In this book, Nietzsche rebukes dogmatism and the presumptions of truth as singular and knowable. It is the responsibility of human beings to discover the truth and morality for themselves, to make experiments and explorations, and to suffer while in the process of realizing and knowing what is good and true for themselves alone. Oppression fades away while in the process, giving room for the growth and development of respect for diversity. In this case, people tend to become who they should, can, and must be. They usually become the ones who have risen above, becoming the superbeings.
Work Cited
NIETZSCHE, FRIEDRICH. BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL. [S.l.]: ARCTURUS PUBLISHING LTD, 2018. Print.
