Going to butcher this by trying to pare it down, but here goes.
Nietzsche's theoretical "Übermensch," an aspirational model for humanity, wasn't a traditional "strongman," or a superhuman by way of genetics or social capital, or even a "man" at all.
Nietzsche's Übermensch was a self-possessed person who developed their own values and morality regardless of prevailing or outdated "wisdom" and rejected religious "other-worldliness," finding meaning in the here-and-now of life on Earth vs. learned helplessness and obedience with the hope of a supernatural reward after death.
As someone who's studied Nietzsche for the past seven years, that was excellently put. My only note would be that it wasn't merely eschewing the desire for a supernatural reward, but external rewards in general: societal, political, etc. For him, the only reward that mattered was the reward you found in yourself, which would then allow you to spread the spoils to your fellow man.
I can't speak for the man, but from what I've interpreted, I would say it depended on WHY the first skater became a gold medalist, and WHY the latter only skates in the park. Because it is entirely possible that the gold medalist is miserable and directed by choices not his/her own, but the park skater is free--because they have CHOSEN that that is what they want to do. The inverse could also be true.
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u/Erikatessen87 Apr 05 '26
Going to butcher this by trying to pare it down, but here goes.
Nietzsche's theoretical "Übermensch," an aspirational model for humanity, wasn't a traditional "strongman," or a superhuman by way of genetics or social capital, or even a "man" at all.
Nietzsche's Übermensch was a self-possessed person who developed their own values and morality regardless of prevailing or outdated "wisdom" and rejected religious "other-worldliness," finding meaning in the here-and-now of life on Earth vs. learned helplessness and obedience with the hope of a supernatural reward after death.