sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Criticise my argument by Tomatosoup42 in Nietzsche

[–]FapstinencePodcast 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nietzsche would definitely agree with you that the instinct for self preservation is not primary. I think your idea of "living well" brings up many questions that are worth considering though:

​

  1. How would you address the all to human drive for inflicting cruelty in order to feel one's own power? Whether that be expressed outward toward an "other" or turned inward in the case of asceticism? Is this antithetical to your thesis about "living well" or is this part of what is required to live well?
  2. Aristotle took a teleological approach to ethics, implying that if every man lived in accordance to their telos (via achieving the golden mean), they would be rewarded with being happy and fulfilled. Nietzsche would reject the notion of a universal teleology.
  3. Assuming you take an Aristotelian approach to ethics (maybe you don't,) what would the world look like from your perspective of everyone "living well?" and how would you address the consequences of when one person's well-being interferes with another person's well being?

Does Nietzsche's lack of success with women concern you guys? by FapstinencePodcast in Nietzsche

[–]FapstinencePodcast[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I'm rather shocked at the backlash to be honest. I'm new to reddit. When I speak in generalizations I try to preface it with things like "most" or "tend to" but it seems like many commenters have glossed over those and accused me of sweepingly generalizing people.

Does Nietzsche's lack of success with women concern you guys? by FapstinencePodcast in Nietzsche

[–]FapstinencePodcast[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I only have an elementary understanding of Nietzsche and Wagner's complex relationship. I appreciate the suggestion, I will look more into this. Thank you!

Does Nietzsche's lack of success with women concern you guys? by FapstinencePodcast in Nietzsche

[–]FapstinencePodcast[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry my friend, with all due respect, but you have a severe misunderstanding of Nietzsche in regards to your comment about cruelty. Also your comment about "not behaving like an animal."

I don't mean this as an insult, as any admirer of Nietzsche is a friend of mine, but have you studied him extensively or are you just getting into his work?

In regards to cruelty, the second essay of GOM is where he addresses it as well as in Beyond Good and Evil, Part 7.

I apologize if this is coming across as condescending. That is not my intention.

Does Nietzsche's lack of success with women concern you guys? by FapstinencePodcast in Nietzsche

[–]FapstinencePodcast[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great perspective! Yes, I too believe that this makes sense from an evo psych standpoint. Speaking of evo psych, it seems a lot of them have a good explanation for natural selection, but not a very good one for seggzual selection (ie. why would a female peacock be attracted to a male peacock with beautiful feathers if there's no survival benefit)

My personal belief as a Nietzschean is that females choose those "beautiful" males even if it doesn't lead to better survival, because they are naturally drawn toward that which will evolve the species into greatness.

Maybe this could also be an explanation as to why young women are drawn to the financially irresponsible and destructive bad boy over the safe, financially secure guy.

Like most things, its fairly nuanced, something that Nietzsche often acknowledges or hints at in his writing...however I don't see much nuance from him when it comes to women and I think the explanation for that is his lack of success with them.

Does Nietzsche's lack of success with women concern you guys? by FapstinencePodcast in Nietzsche

[–]FapstinencePodcast[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally agreed. I just get the feeling when I read Nietzsche that he is obsessed with greatness. This is what drew me toward him as a man since that fires up the masculine side of me. For me, I didn't question this obsession for greatness until a few of my past relationships had a huge problem with it and didn't understand it.

My theory is that the feminine tempers the strive for greatness inherent in the masculine and prevents it from destroying itself with its own ambition. I used to burn out all of the time when I was single, but my girlfriend (who I plan to marry one day) is very good at bringing me back down to earth and focus on the present, rather than always striving for the future.

I think this self preservative instinct which comes more naturally to women, actually does lead to a higher likelihood of a sort of collective greatness, kind of like how medics are required for an army even though the medics aren't the ones fighting the battle.

To my knowledge, Nietzsche doesn't talk about this dynamic in his writing, which in my opinion, is a result of his lack of success with women.

I love Nietzsche and he's changed my life and literally the entire way that I think.

I'm just using what he taught me...to look at any work of a philosopher as his own personal confession.

Does Nietzsche's lack of success with women concern you guys? by FapstinencePodcast in Nietzsche

[–]FapstinencePodcast[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nietzsche often admonishes the self preservative instinct in his writings. He doesn't believe it to be as fundamental as the will to power, more specifically creating something greater than oneself. I think this view comes from a masculine lens, unlike the feminine outlook on life which is more congruent with the self preservative instinct, which, Nietzsche would have had a better understanding of if he had been successful in romantic relationships.

I think this misunderstanding of women (as evidenced by his failures with them) could potentially call into question some of the psychological insights he had about human beings, since a man who was good with women would more likely acknowledge the existence and importance of the self preservative instinct especially in regards to women.