Beyond Good and Evil

With a philosopher nothing at all is impersonal.

In "Beyond Good and Evil," Nietzsche critiques past philosophers for their lack of critical thinking and blind acceptance of dogmatic premises regarding morality. He specifically argues that they build grand metaphysical systems based on the belief that the good man is the opposite of the evil man, rather than a different manifestation of the same fundamental impulses that are more directly expressed in the evil man.

The work ventures into the realm "beyond good and evil" by leaving behind traditional morality, which Nietzsche subjects to a destructive critique. Instead, he advocates for an affirmative approach that fearlessly confronts the perspectival nature of knowledge and the precarious condition of the modern individual.

The book was published in 1886 during the later years of Nietzsche's life. Its original title is "Beyond Good and Evil: A Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future." Nietzsche had endured a difficult period in his later years, and this book is the result of one of those winters, which he considered very important. In one of his letters to a friend, he writes, "I have reaped a great deal from this winter and left a mark that has many difficulties, and sometimes I even fear its publication and a tremor seizes my limbs; the name of this book is 'Beyond Good and Evil: A Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future.'" The Persian translation of the book was first done by Mr. Darius Ashouri from the German text.

The dates of dissemination are 16/03/1399 and 21/01/1401 in the Persian calendar.

Beyond Good and Evil has truly provided an informative and thought-provoking experience. While I didn't appreciate it to the same extent as The Antichrist, this book still holds several rather valuable points, and I'm glad to have finally read it.

To fully appreciate Nietzsche, one must not be easily offended. I'm aware that some people are put off by certain statements he makes in his writings, and as a result, they make the rather odd presumption that Nietzsche was a moron. As a feminist, it's evident that Nietzsche was a misogynist, and there are parts in this book where he makes this known. However, there are also parts where he discusses equality of the sexes. I notice that Nietzsche admits that his misogyny is, in fact, a terrible weakness of his.

The style of this book is written in typical Nietzsche fashion. So, if you're expecting something that flows smoothly, you won't find it here. It's written in note form, although the subject matter is in some sort of order from which one can gain something.

"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you."

I enjoy how Nietzsche can write a line of thoughts that can then prompt a series of interesting questions and answers from his readers. I'll definitely be reading more from him in the future.

I can think of few instances where an author's reputation is more different from the reality of who he was, what he believed, and what he wrote. Perhaps only Machiavelli has been as profoundly misunderstood by history. Today, Nietzsche is often thought of as a depressive nihilist, a man who believed in nothing, and an apologist for the atrocities of fascism. But no description could be further from the truth.

Nietzsche had more reason than many to feel resentful and miserable. He grew up a sickly child, prone to severe headaches that often left him blind with pain. During his brief career in the cavalry, he tore several muscles in his side. And while serving as a medical orderly in the Franco-Prussian war, he contracted a number of diseases. These incidents affected his health for the rest of his life, leaving him bedridden and in pain for hours or days at a time.

Despite these hardships, Nietzsche did not give in to misery and bitterness. On the days when he felt well enough to write, he would emerge from his room with renewed passion and vigor. He would take long walks in the countryside, enjoying the beauty of nature before returning home to labor on his philosophy. Contrary to his reputation, Nietzsche rejected nihilism outright. He believed that if the world does not provide your life with a clear meaning, it is up to you to go out and find one (or create one), not to wallow and whinge.

Likewise, Nietzsche spent much of his life railing against the foolishness of nationalism and bigotry. His falling out with Wagner was over the composer's increasingly nationalistic style of music. So, how did he gain such an unfortunate reputation?

The first reason is that after his death, his sister took over his estate. She was a German nationalist and anti-semite, and she had a number of his papers rewritten to support these positions. She then published them posthumously in his name. Of course, this couldn't have fooled anyone actually familiar with Nietzsche's works and ideas, as the rewrites were in direct contradiction to his previous writings. But it still fooled many.

The second problem with the interpretation of his work is that his observations on the nature of the world are mistaken for suggestions for how the world should be. It's like reading a book about crime scene investigation and assuming that it is an instruction book for murderers, when in fact it is the opposite: an instruction on how to combat them and stop them.

Nietzsche and Machiavelli had a similar approach. They both recognized that the world can be a brutal place, where people gain power not by being wise and respected, but by dominating and taking advantage of others. But for Nietzsche, the solution was not to give in to this reality, but to free ourselves from it. We must recognize that 'good' and 'evil' are just words, used by the powerful to justify their actions. We must question the world around us and within us, and discover for ourselves what is important and what is true.

This was what Nietzsche meant by 'The Superman'. The man of the future, if he is to be free, cannot allow anyone else to define his life for him. He must question authority, both in the world without and the world within. His famous 'Will to Power' is the personal decision to take control of your life and create your own meaning. To be free means being a philosopher.

This is something that I have tried to achieve for myself. But unwinding prejudice and ignorance is a lifelong battle. I am grateful to have Nietzsche as an ally in my search. His joyful and witty deconstruction of the artificial world has been an invaluable comfort to me. There is no authority who can tell you who you are. In the end, it is up to you to create yourself.