Nietzsche and Other Exponents of IndividualismCarus, Paul
Philosophy
Nietzsche and Other Exponents of Individualism
Carus, Paul
Individualism; Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900
Perhaps the most worthy exponent of Nietzsche in England to-day is his
translator Thomas Common. He does not consider himself an orthodox
Nietzsche apostle but thinks that Nietzsche has given the world a very
important revelation and that his new philosophy of history and his
explanation of the role of Christianity are among the most wonderful
discoveries since Darwin. At the same time Mr. Common pronounces
Nietzsche's doctrine of eternal recurrence "very foolish" and believes
his use of the terms "good" and "evil" so perverted that he was
frequently confused about them and so misled superficial readers. Mr.
Common published at regular intervals during the years 1903 to 1909
ten numbers of a small periodical entitled variously _Notes for Good
Europeans and The Good European Point of View_, and expects to resume
its publication soon. Its motto is from Nietzsche, "In a word--and it
shall be an honorable word--we are Good Europeans ... the heirs of
thousands of years of the European spirit." Its purpose is expressed in
its first number as follows: "Our general purpose is to spread the best
and most important knowledge relating to human well-being among those
who are worthy to receive it, with a view to reducing the knowledge
to practice, after some degree of unanimity has been attained.... As
Nietzsche's works, notwithstanding some limitations, exaggerations and
minor errors, embody the foremost philosophical thought of the age, it
will be one of our special objects to introduce these works to English
readers."
These numbers contain many bibliographical and other notes of interest
to friends or critics of the Nietzsche propaganda. Mr. Common has
published selections from Nietzsche's works under the title, _Nietzsche
as Critic, Philosopher, Poet and Prophet_.[4]
In America Nietzsche's philosophy is represented by a book of Ragnar
Redbeard, entitled _Might is Right, the Survival of the Fittest._[5]
The author characterizes his work as follows:
[Illustration: BUST OF NIETZSCHE, BY KLINGER.]
"This book is a reasoned negation of the Ten
Commandments--the Golden Rule--the Sermon on the
Mount--Republican Principles--Christian Principles--and
Principles' in general.
"It proclaims upon scientific evolutionary grounds,
the unlimited absolutism of Might, and asserts that
cut-and-dried moral codes are crude and immoral
inventions, promotive of vice and vassalage."
The author is a most ardent admirer of Nietzsche, as may be learned
from his verses made after the pattern of Nietzsche's poetry. He sings:
"There is no 'law' in heaven or earth that man must needs
obey! Take what you can, and all you can; and take it
while you--may.
"Let not the Jew-born Christ ideal unnerve you in the
fight. You have no 'rights,' except the rights you win
by--might.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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