In his work “Gay Science”, Nietzsche examines the nihilism which was characterizing the contemporary Europe. Nietzsche believes that with the scientific inventions, people have lost their human and the virtues that describe Christians. This is why he says that “God is dead”; that we have killed God with our actions. His work was an explanation of fear due to the abandonment of religion. He believes that human beings have ceased to acknowledge the divinity of God, and as a result, God has abandoned us. For thousands of years, the western world has been guided by the rule of God. But with the scientific discoveries and increase in the intellectual capabilities, the western society have abandoned God. The high moral authority which used to be the part and parcel of the society has been eroded and replaced with chaos and vices. With the existence of God, the society was given the true meaning of life; but with the death of God, the society has gone haywire. Nietzsche believes that without the existence of god, the western society is moving to an age of nihilism. He, however, warns that nihilism will lead our word into more problems.
It is important to note that the phrase “God id dead” does not mean anything closer to “God does not exist”. In his book “Gay Science”, Nietzsche alluded a couple of times that God once existed but due to our action, “we killed Him” (Nietzsche 212). When God was still alive, he gave the world a true meaning of living a virtuous life. Those who believed in him lived a life of high morality and decency. Before his “death”, God used to serve as the basic aspect of the western life. The moment God “died”, the western culture was altered, and the world went astray.
For thousands of years, the western society based their actions on the belief of God. Now that God is dead, the society has changed, and the western people no longer justify their assumptions by the appeal of God. Nietzsche suggests that for us to believe in God, we must justify it with our actions. It is, therefore, important to note that Nietzsche does not insinuate, in any way, that God does not exist. As a matter of fact, he believes in the existence and divinity of God than many readers can interpret. Comparing Nietzsche argument with the contemporary Western culture, we can say that he was right. It is not easy to refute the fact that the western society no longer bases their claims in religion. As a matter of fact, atheism is spreading so fast in the contemporary western culture. With education and scientific theories, more people tend to stop believing in the existence of a deity (Nietzsche 246). They believe that anything that exists can be explained scientifically.
“God is dead” also does not mean that God once existed then literally died. Nietzsche means that the moral foundation of a human society is based on religion. He believes that he moral assumptions oh humans should be guided by religion so as to create a morally upright society. Nietzsche postulates that the moment one forsakes the faith in Christianity, they start to pull out of the Christian morality. The moral construct of a society is self-evidence. And the moment a society like the western society has withdrawn from the religious umbrella, their moral behavior is evidenced to have changed for worse. By breaking out of the religious morality, one breaks their whole moral construct. By saying that “God is dead” Nietzsche means that man no longer believes in the existence and divinity of God because they do not recognize it in the first place. Nietzsche says that through the death of God, people will not just lose their belief in divinity but also their moral virtue (Nietzsche 368). With the loss of morality, the western society will become nihilists. The only way out of this is by seeking another foundation. This foundation should go deeper than just understanding the Cristian values. By discovering this foundation, we will access the basis of “will to power”. This basis of “will to power” is what Nietzsche refers to as “the essence of reality”.
In his examination of the will to power, Nietzsche believes that it is rather a psychological mindset. Deep inside us, we have the drive and zeal for power. This zeal inside us dominates other aspects about us. The will for power, is stronger than the will to survive. Nietzsche gives an example of martyrs. Martyrs die in the quest of obtaining the power which they believe that they will achieve by maintaining their course. Nietzsche also says that the will for power is far much greater than the urge for sex. For example, monks sacrifice their sexual life so that they can have a greater sake in the afterlife. This will and zeal for power may end up manifesting itself in form of physical dominance and violence. According to Nietzsche, people should not let their will for power control them. They should turn their yearning upside down and endure deprivations so that they can ensure self-control and absolute spiritual depth. By repressing your will for power, you may end up gaining the power strong enough to conquer the barbarians.
“The Genealogy of Morals” by Nietzsche is made up of three essays. These essays basically focus on or morality and the “will to power”. Nietzsche tends to critiques our moral judgments and our moral values. He endeavors to examine the origin of every moral aspect of our society. In his first essay, he examines the issue of “good and evil” or “good and bad” (Nietzsche 196). He gives the explanation of the concepts of “master morality” and “slave morality. According to Nietzsche, master morality is developed by a free, healthy and strong society that saw good and named it so. The slave morality consists of a people who are enslaved, unhealthy and weak; they are referred to as “bad” because no one admires their weakness. In contrast, when the slaves feel that they are oppressed by the masters, they refer to the masters as “evil” and themselves as “good”.
In his second essay, Nietzsche examines the concept of “bad conscience” and “guilt”. Nietzsche endeavors to trace the origin of guilt and the associated punishment. He believes that guilt and punishment were not originally based on a transgressional moral sense. Nietzsche compares guilt and punishment as revenge. He believes that those who were guilty owes us debt, and the moment they are punished, the debts are paid off. Nietzsche also believes that we see ourselves as sinners (Nietzsche 223). This is what he referred to as the bad conscience. The origin of guilt and bad conscience is traced from our animal instinct and our cruelty and aggression towards ourselves as well as others.
In the third essay, Nietzsche examines the true meaning and nature of “ascetic ideals”. Nietzsche believes that “ascetic ideals” are the paradoxical and the powerful ideologies that control the contemporary world. Ascetic ideals can be seen as weak and sick will. Due to its animal instinct, the “will” becomes sinful and vile. Nietzsche believes that “man would rather will nothingness than not to will” (Nietzsche 265). Nietzsche believes that the ascetic ideal is the endeavor by people to maximize their feeling for power. It does not believe in denying the existence of the power and will, but rather, to affirm such existence. Through the existence of the ecstatic ideal, one starts to maximize their will for power. Nietzsche’s work in “The Genealogy of Morals” is closely related to “Gay Science” in that they both examines the root of human morality. They all believe that the only way the morality of a society can be maintained is by focusing on its roots. By so doing, one will evaluate the ascetic ideals which will bring the will to power among the members of the society.
Works Sited
Nietzsche, Friedrich. The gay science: With a prelude in rhymes and an appendix of songs. Vintage, 2010.
Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm. The Genealogy of Morals. Vol. 4. Carlton House, 1992.
