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| Prisoners' Round, Vincent van Gogh, 1890 |
Nietzsche's "will to power," the core of his metaphysics and psychology, is the fundamental drive present in all living beings, including humans. He suggested in his writings that our desire to express ourselves, take charge of our lives, and reach our full potential is more fundamental than our desire to simply live.
In people, this "will to power" manifests as ambition and creativity. It also makes us try to impose order on a chaotic world. In societies, the "will to power" manifests as hierarchies, cultural values, and societal beliefs.
The Übermensch, or "Overman," is one of Nietzsche's ideas. It refers to someone who has overcome the "slave morality" seen in traditional religious and societal norms. The Übermensch does not believe in blindly accepting given meanings, calling the herd mentality "herd morality." They create their own principles. They live life to the fullest. This includes all its suffering and uncertainty.
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| Two Women Racing On Fish, Brynolf Wennerberg, 1914 |
But is the will to power truly achievable?
Despite being regarded as one of the most impactful philosophical ideas, the practicality of the "will to power" concept has constantly been questioned and criticized. Some critics dismiss it as an unproven metaphysical claim masquerading as a psychological theory. Postwar thinkers, particularly those from the Frankfurt School, loathed Nietzsche's concept of the will to power because, in their view, it celebrated control and domination and supported nationalism and anti-Semitism, even though Nietzsche himself openly abhorred these ideologies.
Some also view the concept as condoning the idea of one group being superior to and having the power to control another group. According to this perspective, the target of this domination is a passive or disorganized "other," such as women, marginalized communities, and non-European cultures.
The imperfections of any theoretical framework mean that the future remains ambiguous and open to questioning. The moment a perfect theory is obtained, the motivation to think is lost because the theoretical limit has been reached. Nietzsche's "will to power" is an impressive way of looking at things. But it is just an interpretation. And it is debatable. Therefore, it cannot be the last word. As Nietzsche himself said, "There are no facts, only interpretations."
Despite being regarded as one of the most impactful philosophical ideas, the practicality of the "will to power" concept has constantly been questioned and criticized. Some critics dismiss it as an unproven metaphysical claim masquerading as a psychological theory. Postwar thinkers, particularly those from the Frankfurt School, loathed Nietzsche's concept of the will to power because, in their view, it celebrated control and domination and supported nationalism and anti-Semitism, even though Nietzsche himself openly abhorred these ideologies.
Some also view the concept as condoning the idea of one group being superior to and having the power to control another group. According to this perspective, the target of this domination is a passive or disorganized "other," such as women, marginalized communities, and non-European cultures.
The imperfections of any theoretical framework mean that the future remains ambiguous and open to questioning. The moment a perfect theory is obtained, the motivation to think is lost because the theoretical limit has been reached. Nietzsche's "will to power" is an impressive way of looking at things. But it is just an interpretation. And it is debatable. Therefore, it cannot be the last word. As Nietzsche himself said, "There are no facts, only interpretations."
