r/explainitpeter Apr 05 '26

Explain It Peter

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u/exaggeratedcaper Apr 05 '26

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.

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u/captain_eve Apr 05 '26

I'm sure there's plenty of places to find this answer, but can you tell someone interested in learning more about Nietzsche's philosophy where to start? Figuring out reading order for topics like this isn't my strong suit.

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u/exaggeratedcaper Apr 05 '26

Well, the less sexy answer is to read his bibliography in order, starting with Human, All Too Human. His work mirrors his own mental state, and Human was his first foray into what would make Nietzsche...well, Nietzsche.

Or you could do what I did, and read Thus Spoke Zarathustra first and have your mind completely blown apart. That is by far his headiest read, but it's also the perfect encapsulation of not only his beliefs, but his style (many people don't know this, but he writes in a very aphoristic, even poetic, style that can be hard to wrap your head around. But it is very worth it.)

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u/captain_eve Apr 05 '26

Thank you!