The Higher Man

Nietzsche - Follow No One, Trust Yourself Don't follow, trust yourself is a quote often attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche. While there is no evidence that Nietzsche himself spoke or wrote this, it doesn't make the advice any less valuable. Trying to be someone different than you are can be hard on you and those around you. While it may give you some measure of satisfaction to think that you are like the people you admire and respect, it will only lead to frustration and unhappiness. The desire to emulate others can cause you to lose sight of who you actually are and what makes you happy. While it may seem easier to follow someone else's path in life, it may not be the best path for you. Following your own path takes courage and a willingness to take risks with your future. In many cases, following your own path will lead to success even if it doesn't guarantee that outcome. For example, if you want to become a successful musician, but decide being a lawyer would be more practical because people tell you that's the road most traveled by musicians, then you're missing out on opportunities to learn how achieving your dream might work out in practice. You might also miss out on an opportunity for success as a musician since taking a different career path won't necessarily help your music career succeed. Trust thyself: Every heart vibrates to that iron string. Only those who have no self-confidence are afraid of trusting themselves; they stand in deadly fear of "their own heart," of its snares, of its delusions, and of being led astray by it. But the reality is that the greater part of our heart's wisdom has a more tender tone for the reason that it is not our own wisdom but that of a third person, and all kinds of strange fancies become confused with it. TAKEAWAY Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Follow no one, trust yourself. Be your own leader, break with tradition”. These words of wisdom are basically saying the same thing as the quote earlier. If you follow the herd, you’re liable to end up in a rut, and perhaps have a less enjoyable life than you would have if you took risks and did things that others may not like. I think this is wise advice: while critiquing others certainly can be valuable, ultimately you need to be honest with yourself about what works best for you and try out different ideas and beliefs. Only then will you be able to identify what works for you and what doesn’t. A famous German philosopher said, "He who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. He who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before." If you are a student of philosophy or religious studies, it is your favorite Nietzsche quote. You did not hesitate to quote him on Facebook and Twitter at every opportunity. His thoughts are your life's true aphorisms or inspiration. You dream of a world where everyone thinks like that. Nietzsche argued for independent thought and self-reliance, and one of his main points was that anyone can create the authoritative figure on anyone else. I think this is an important point, but that doesn’t mean that we should be completely egocentric in our thinking. We can all learn from our mentors and elders, but we should still question everything they tell us. Just because someone is more experienced than you don’t necessarily mean they are right. The only thing stopping you from thinking independently is your past experiences, so once you realize that you might be able to begin creating your own unique path for yourself.

The Superman or Overman Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy has had a tremendous influence on modern culture. Nietzsche was a German philosopher who was born in 1844 and died in 1900. He is perhaps most well known for his 1883 book, Thus Spoke Zarathustra where he discusses the Übermensch or "Superman" concept. The Superman is not super-human, but rather someone who has achieved human potential and can no longer be considered "human". He or she is so great that they have transcended their mortality, their state of being human. Nietzsche's concept of the Übermensch (German for "overman" or "superman") is stated most clearly in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, composed in four parts between 1883 and 1885. The Übermensch represents humanity's future and the completion of its current state; it comes into being by overcoming one's current limitations and becoming more than one currently is. Nietzsche describes this process as self-overcoming. This idea can be traced back to Homer's Iliad, where Achilles' great warrior strength is contrasted with his mortality. Achilles' death is inevitable, but he can avoid it if he stays away from battle. As a result, he chooses to fight because it allows him to transcend his humanity. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) developed the concept of the Übermensch as a cultural and literary archetype who embodies the strengths and talents of humanity at its best, rather than as an individual who was above moral law like God was traditionally conceived. Some interpretations regard the term as Nietzsche's literal translation of the Latin phrase superman, while others claim that it was an expression used by the first Christians to describe themselves. Nietzsche held that modern culture had lost sight of what true human greatness could be and substituted it with ideals based on weak human qualities such as pity, sympathy, The concept of the Superman actually has little to do with physical strength (although strength or power may play a role), but instead deals more with an individual's mental capacity and will power. The Superman is the person who has harnessed their ego and desires enough to gain control of them and use them for something greater than themselves. TAKEAWAY The Superman is the highest and most complete embodiment of human potential. And Nietzsche argues that this superman is the "meaning of the earth." It is only in the presence of such a being that we feel as though our lives are worthwhile. This fascinating, almost egotistical concept introduces us to Nietzsche’s theories on nihilism and the relation between man and nature. As implied by its extroverted form, it also values external forces over internal ones. The Superman is a reflection of humanity, but in a highly idealized state.

Why you should get to know Nietzsche? Because his philosophy is an excellent complement to the power of action and its potential for progress. He tried to offer an alternative for the religious morality, in which he believed there is no such thing as absolute good and absolute evil: what matters are your values, how you acquire them, and your ethics. Did you know that Friedrich Nietzsche was among the top 5 most influential philosophers of last 500 years? Or did you know that Albert Einstein called him "the only true philosophical genius of mankind"? Understanding his philosophy might help answer some of the questions that threaten your mental health nowadays. God is dead. Really? What would the world be like if God was dead? That’s the question that Nietzsche attempted to answer. Spoiler alert: It wouldn’t be good. According to Nietzsche, God has been the fixed point in our lives – the ultimate goal, if you will. People live their lives searching for him, but they never find him because he doesn’t exist. As a result, they must come to terms with this reality and mold themselves accordingly. Most people rely on a god of some sort in their lives. Whether that god is a Bible-wielding one that demands you believe in him and his merry men, or a scientific one that demands you “be reasonable.” Regardless of what god you think is real, the question of his existence is often asked and answered. Thoughts on free will! For humans, life is a process of wishing and trying to attain one’s wishes. It appears that there are some sort of major obstacles to attaining our wishes. There are various reasons for this obstruction of wishes. For instance, our reasoning might identify obstacles such as logic, causation, or the like. However, if we have "free will" we can tackle these obstructions in a logical and competent manner. TAKEAWAY: Nietzsche's thoughts are as relevant today as ever.... Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most controversial philosophers to ever have lived. He had a very unique way of thinking and looking at things in life, which was different than almost any other philosopher that came before him. His writing style was like no other, as words often became fragmented and disorganized. This made him easy to understand his philosophical message, but also difficult to read out loud and hard for anyone to attempt to mimic. His philosophy goes against many traditional beliefs held by people today, and even sometimes I can’t help but shake my head as I read. But one thing is for sure: Nietzsche’s thoughts are as relevant today as ever.

Nietzsche's main idea: To be oneself is the meaning of oneness's existence. In his book "Also Sprach Zarathustra," he expresses this idea as a monologue. This takes place in a forest where Zarathustra is meeting with animals and telling them his ideas. Each of the animals represents some sort of human belief, like tradition, truth and other similar things. Nietzsche basically says to free yourself from these limiting beliefs and instead be free to do what you want and experience the world for all its worth. Nietzsche was a psychologist who believed the self-overcoming and creativity of the individual is what gives life meaning. He believed that a person must be true to oneself and their will in order to create a meaningful identity. If a person did not, there is nothing else that could give meaning to their existence, as every other thing in life -- money, fame, relationships -- was all external and fleeting. A person must be true to themselves. Nietzsche wrote, “I do not want to be any model or example. I dare to be myself. I seek for myself. There is an immense amount of freedom'' (Human, All Too Human, 112; orig. German, 418). In Human, All Too Human he was also full of praise for “the doer who does” as opposed to the “dreamer…who dreams about doing much someday” (Vinyl: 22). Nietzsche praised the actions of the individual and he encouraged people to stand up for themselves and not consider conforming in order to please others. Nietzsche famously asked what does not kill you makes you stronger? There is a lot of truth to this statement. It is hard to overstate how important it is for any sales person to go through rejection early in their sales life. A salesperson who only sells when everything lines up perfectly does not develop the sales chops that are needed to be successful. Section: Nietzsche quote: without music life would be a mistake. What better way to talk about music than to quote someone who personifies the ultimate humanist philosopher: Friedrich Nietzsche. More than just a quote, this is a reminder. Music plays an integral role in our lives. It helps with overcoming ourselves, it signifies triumph and tragedy, it brings out our best qualities and diffuses all negativity out of us; it reflects the ebb and flow of life. Without music, life would be a mistake. Takeaway: In making the conscious decision to "be yourself" philosophy is chosen In conclusion, be yourself because it is ultimately a healthy decision and will yield you the most personal satisfaction. Being a true and worthwhile person is much better than being fake and pretending to be something that you're not. In the end it is better to have no friends at all than one or two fake friends. In this self-proclaimed present day popularity contest, which many of us so dearly participate in, people are more concerned with what other people think about them (if you ask them and if they're honest with you) than being true to themselves and their value systems. Be confident, be yourself. Remember that there is nothing evil or bad about feeling attraction toward other men. In a world where most people follow other people’s philosophies, choosing to choose one’s own philosophy is quite revolutionary in and of itself. I hope you will think about this more, test it out, and see how it fits in with your life. Be conscious of how you feel, and let your feelings guide you as you mature into an understanding of who you are and what is best for your life.