Nietzsche and his words have been said to influence the belief system of the Nazi party in Hitler’s Germany. There are several of his works that can appear to back this claim, however, it was never Nietzsche’s argument nor his ambition to create what history unfolded in the Holocaust. But when you have passages presented such as the opening aphorism (257) in part 9 of Beyond Good and Evil, the lines blurry. What is presented to the reader in aphorism 257 of part 9 is an argument that all of civilization including the various enhancements to life are a byproduct of hierarchical society, where there are the strong and then the subordinate. Nietzsche’s argument is detailed within the aphorism and is dotted throughout the other works of his, as
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The aphorism also presents that the enhancements in man came from the domination of barbarians over that of more peaceful, civilized people. Nietzsche says, “…barbarians…predatory men still in possession of an unbroken power of the will and a desire for power, threw themselves on weaker, more civilized, more peaceful…cultures, in which at that very moment the final forces of life were flaring up in a dazzling fireworks display of spirit and corruption. This quotation is giving the implication that current society is a result of such actions, but it comes into full fruition in the following sentence, “At the start the noble caste has always been the barbarian …show more content…
Or even better yet, how is it that the noble caste has always started as the barbarian caste? This does not make any actual sense, as this statement is only allowing for one particular setting of possibilities and nothing more. To make the statement that something “always” concludes in the same way, is implying that it has been proven and is beyond the stage of theory. I believe that Nietzsche was attempting to push his argument deeper into the conversation of enhancing change. This is seen in the ending sentence of the aphorism, where he points out that it is not only about physical strength, but also spiritual
The aphorism also presents that the enhancements in man came from the domination of barbarians over that of more peaceful, civilized people. Nietzsche says, “…barbarians…predatory men still in possession of an unbroken power of the will and a desire for power, threw themselves on weaker, more civilized, more peaceful…cultures, in which at that very moment the final forces of life were flaring up in a dazzling fireworks display of spirit and corruption. This quotation is giving the implication that current society is a result of such actions, but it comes into full fruition in the following sentence, “At the start the noble caste has always been the barbarian …show more content…
Or even better yet, how is it that the noble caste has always started as the barbarian caste? This does not make any actual sense, as this statement is only allowing for one particular setting of possibilities and nothing more. To make the statement that something “always” concludes in the same way, is implying that it has been proven and is beyond the stage of theory. I believe that Nietzsche was attempting to push his argument deeper into the conversation of enhancing change. This is seen in the ending sentence of the aphorism, where he points out that it is not only about physical strength, but also spiritual