Genealogy of Morality
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Nietzsche describes the current morality in the society using the term ascetic ideal since he believes the value system has been used to advance, divide and spread the concept of truthfulness that is used in judging whether one’s behaviors are wrong or right. In doing so he acknowledges the role that is played by the Christianity life that many people across the world and for centuries have now adopted, making truthfulness a core Christian value that is considered essential in improving the relationship between an individual and God. This is a clear indication that the ascetic ideal is so powerful as it interprets all human history and experiences indicating that anything outside its borders is considered opposition to what life should be. Nietzsche, therefore, argues that since morality is grounded on one concept, it becomes spontaneous and irrational in that it is passed from one generation to the other without questioning its validity and hence it becomes a slave-morality. Therefore, to make human life better and ensure every single opportunity is utilized by mankind there is the need to consider a fundamental question: can there be value and meaning in the natural life of every individual following the death of ascetic ideal?
In his argument, Nietzsche argues that from his history lessons that range way back to the 8th century, the concept of “good” was mainly attached to the aristocracy. He argues that this was the beginning of immorality in what we consider is right as only the traits that were possessed by the powerful members of the society were considered good. This indicates that the concept of good did not merely originate from those who portrayed goodness but from those who had the power and wealth to convince others that every of their action was good and that what they should follow. While most people in society believe that morals were developed on a sincere basis to guide all people equally, it is evident that it favored some and disregarded others in its history and that is why some sections of science are considered an opposing will. Notably, it is evident that if the ascetic ideal was to be withdrawn human experience and history would be made diverse since it would not focus on one goal of being righteous anymore. Therefore, even though Nietzsche’s historical arguments on the developments of moral values seem to be right, a clear distinction can be drawn between the logic of the ascetic ideal and its history, and therefore human life is far much important than the regulations that govern its behavior.
Notably, considering culture as the historical and biological as the logic, one can argue that the moral concept of a given context at a given time highly depends on the available opportunities to reshape it and this is a clear indication that the value-system highly depends on time. Therefore, Nietzsche’s critique on morality is valid since it focuses on the lack of basic foundational needs which formed the current nature of morality. He did not only think that morality was faulty but also misguided as it is inherited through generations and hence the mistakes from the previous generations are carried forward to the current civilized society. In his views, people should change and adopt a new culture that does not only rotate on the set restrictions that are presumed to be right, thereby diverting their minds to be open to form a new ideal that will improve human life while encouraging equality and basing it on facts. While some believe Nietzsche argument is right, if the current value system is to be withdrawn to create a room for a new morality, the level of immorality would lead to the extinct of humankind as most laws and rules that bring order are based on the ascetic ideal that was developed in the earlier centuries. Additionally, since the largest population across the world has accepted the current morality it would be hard to change them by claiming that for centuries, they have been shielded from the truth thereby adopting the “immoral truth” (Reginste, 10).
Nietzsche has also argued that the biggest challenge we are experiencing is as a result of the English psychologists whom he claims have shielded their eyes from facing the truth of life even though they know it. He claims that every day they train themselves to sacrifice what is desired by many to give them what is assumed to be true and hence should be eradicated from historians of morality (Nietzsche, Maudemarie, and Swensen, 10). Due to his stand, he prefers to be considered immoral and atheist rather than being associated with a morality that he considers fake as he claims it originated from the Jews and spread to the western and other nations (Reginste, 7). Notably, Nietzsche’s immoralism is complicated since he does not encourage people to do immoral actions but only acts to deny the sense of the current morality (Nietzsche, Maudemarie, and Swensen, 14). The reason why he is considered a great philosopher to date is that he only questions the norms of obeying morals without questioning facts and that is why most people still read his books even though they criticize morality. In his views, he argues that the psychologists should play the role of educating the larger population in questioning before adopting and following and stop using the thought of those who preceded them and that is why he says that “the whole train of their thoughts runs, as was always the way of old-fashioned philosophers.’’ (Nietzsche, Maudemarie, and Swensen, 10). While Nietzsche believes that psychologists are not doing enough, I believe that if they took the obligation to change the mind of others it would be immoral as this would lead to people having contradicting ideas depending on the psychologist, they believe in. Instead of improving the current situation, this would lead to its worsening as some would use the opportunity to benefit themselves by ensuring they have more followers to gain power even if it means sacrificing what is naturally right. In such a situation the world would become ungovernable as liberalism would lead to opposition to the rules and regulations that ensure every individual’s rights.
Additionally, Nietzsche also addresses the violation of power by the priestly class which has formed a movement that above the noble class and in most cases considers themselves more morality uprights than others in the society. He claims that this was a group that was created by the aristocrats and quickly names themselves as the chief enemies of immoralism to gain followers. This group of people was composed of both pure and impure as its main aim was mainly to ensure that the common class lived in self-denial to continue depending on the powerful class to guide them on what was good or bad. This is the reason he claims that “humanity itself is still diseased from the effect of this priestly cure” (Nietzsche, Maudemarie, and Swensen, 15). He claims that the only positive effect that emerged from the introduction of the priesthood was that they brought up an idea of a soul and that made human life more interesting and set it apart from that of other animals. On the other hand, he claims this development also had its cons as human beings became more complicated while trying to protect the soul as the priests made it seem like it was more valuable than any other part of the body as it was connected to the religion. While Nietzsche believes in the fakeness of the priesthood, I believe in the value and the role they play in shaping the society as most people look up to them for guidance and thereby most avoid immoral actions. Additionally, the introduction of a soul and the importance that was attached to it led to many people changing their lives as they have to please God in what they do to be assured of a better life even after death. This led to the shaping of the society eliminating a big percentage of inhumanity that was experienced before and brought togetherness in the community as a result of people sharing the same ideas due to religion.
In conclusion, it is important to note that morality brings togetherness in the society as all people are directed towards a common goal that helps live together despite the difference in each human. Notably, even Christianity guides people to morality, it is important for people to become liberal-minded, ensuring they only follow what is naturally right despite what is taught to them. This would lead to the elimination of aristocrats who intend to use religion for self-benefit to gain power. Nietzsche’s work has so much that people can learn both in philosophy and real-life since life goes beyond good and evil, and hence some changes can be done to the current morality to improve the ethical life. Notably, it is also important for society to ensure that morality diverted from its intentions of togetherness to become a tool for gaining the power of some selfish individuals.
Work Cited
Nietzsche, Friedrich, Maudemarie Clark, and Alan J. Swensen. On the genealogy of morality. Hackett Publishing, 1998.
Reginster, Bernard. “What is the structure of Genealogy of Morality II?.” Inquiry 61.1 (2018): 1-20.