Übermensch facts for kids

The Übermensch (pronounced "OO-ber-mench") is a big idea from the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. In his 1883 book, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche wrote about the Übermensch as a goal for all people. It's about becoming the best version of yourself, focusing on life here on Earth instead of looking for meaning in another world.

What Does Übermensch Mean?

The word Übermensch comes from two German words. Über means "over," "above," or "beyond." Mensch means "human being." So, Übermensch means "Overman" or "Beyond-Man." It does not mean "Superman" like the comic book character, which is a common misunderstanding.

Some people translated it as "Superman" a long time ago, but many scholars now prefer "Overman" or "Beyond-Man." This is because the German word über has a deeper meaning than just "super." It suggests going beyond what is normal or expected for a human.

Living Life on Earth

Nietzsche's idea of the Übermensch is very different from the idea of focusing on an afterlife. Zarathustra, the main character in Nietzsche's book, says that the Übermensch wants to give meaning to life right here on Earth. He tells people not to be distracted by promises of happiness in another world.

Nietzsche believed that some people imagine another world because they are unhappy with their current life. The Übermensch, however, loves and appreciates the earthly world. They embrace life fully, with all its joys and challenges.

Zarathustra also said that believing in an immortal soul separate from the body led to people ignoring or even harming their bodies. The Übermensch sees the soul as part of the body, celebrating the whole human being.

Creating New Values

The idea of the Übermensch is also connected to Nietzsche's famous phrase, "God is dead." This doesn't mean God literally died. It means that the old ideas and values, especially those from traditional religion, no longer guide people's lives or provide meaning. This can lead to nihilism, which is the belief that life has no meaning or purpose.

Zarathustra says the Übermensch will create new values to fight against nihilism. These new values won't be based on old rules or beliefs that make people feel bad about life. Instead, they will be about loving this world and living life to the fullest. The Übermensch aims to master human challenges and create a life that is strong and positive.

A Goal for Humanity

Zarathustra presents the Übermensch as a goal that humanity can work towards. It's about improving ourselves and future generations. For example, he suggests that a woman's goal might be to help bring about the Übermensch.

Nietzsche also compared the Übermensch to the "last man." The last man is someone who is tired of life, seeks only comfort, and has no big goals or dreams. The Übermensch is the opposite: full of energy, creativity, and a desire to achieve great things.

Some people have connected the Übermensch idea to eugenics, which is the idea of trying to improve humans through selective breeding. This is a very sensitive and controversial topic. Nietzsche's ideas can be interpreted in different ways, and this specific interpretation is not widely accepted as his main point.

Misuse by the Nazis

It is very important to know that the term Übermensch was terribly misused by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. They twisted Nietzsche's idea to describe their own racist beliefs. The Nazis used Übermensch to mean a "superior" Aryan or Germanic master race.

They also created the term "inferior humans" (Untermenschen), which Nietzsche never used. Nietzsche was actually against antisemitism (hatred of Jewish people) and German nationalism. He even said he would have "all anti-semites shot."

Nietzsche died long before Hitler came to power. Sadly, his sister, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, was a German nationalist and antisemite. She changed her brother's writings to fit her own beliefs, which helped the Nazis later misuse his ideas.

Influence on Anarchism

Nietzsche's ideas also influenced some anarchist writers. Anarchists are people who believe in societies without rulers or governments. They liked Nietzsche's dislike of the state, his ideas about people being creative and free, and his call to "revalue all values."

For example, the American anarchist Emma Goldman defended Nietzsche. She said that when he talked about the Übermensch, he wasn't hating weak people. Instead, he was hoping for a society where people would not be weak or enslaved.

Another anarchist, Murray Bookchin, said that workers should see themselves as creative individuals, not just as a "mass." He used Nietzsche's idea of "transvaluation of values" to describe how society could be rebuilt by people working together.

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