4 ms·

A disgusting and mean spirited account of Nietzsche's life. Not worth reading.

verisimi 4y ago
With a non-commendation like that, I'm reading it! PS I really don't see what you find objectionable in this rather boring article.
dang 4y ago
"Please don't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A good critical comment teaches us something." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html If you want to give us something more substantive about Nietzsche, I'm all in favor - but please don't just post dyspeptic dismissals. Even if the article is as bad as you say, if that is all you have to say, it only degrades the forum. Better to remember that everything is basically crap and not say anything. (p.s. I think John Gray is a tad overrated but at least his topics are interesting, and 'disgusting and mean spirited' doesn't track the article as I read it)
- fedeb95 4y ago
  I might try. The article is indeed well written, but seems to confuse Nietzsche's biography with Nietzsche's ideas. In literature and philosophy it's good to know biography to better understand where thoughts might have come from, but thoughts must be taken by themselves ultimately. That seems to be the error of the people who wrote Nietzsche's biographies too. Countering arguments with personal life isn't worth much.
- mdp2021 4y ago
  > p.s. I think John Gray Are you into Humanities, dang? What is your target about John Gray? Maybe Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals? I did not know LSE's John Gray was so "famous" - I would have thought the homonymous proponent of the "Mars and Venus" ideas could came to mind earlier!
- kentrado 4y ago
  My apologies dang, hopefully I have now expanded sufficiently on the matter. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33201562 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33201562
leobg 4y ago
I can see (or rather guess) why you’re saying this. 1. The author buys the story that Nietzsche contracted syphilis in a brothel. No evidence exists for this claim. Syphilis isn’t even consistent with the symptoms Nietzsche was experiencing. The claim was first brought forth in a book 30+ years after Nietzsche’s death, and at a time where his philosophy have been instrumentalized by the Nazis. 2. This quote, which is itself dismissive (and, I may claim, very wrong): > If you want solutions to the disorder of our time, you will gain little from reading Nietzsche. That indeed seems to apply much more to this article.
- kentrado 4y ago
  You have guessed correctly. I'm sorry if I did not take the time initially to expand. I would also add this whole spicy philosophical gossip about Nietzsche being hopelessly lovestruck by this person Salome is not supported by strong evidence. All accounts of it has been exaggerated and, as it is often with historical figures, repeated long enough that people believe it to be canonical [1]. The Salome myth, is often used, as it was in this article, to cast aspersions against his character and by extension his philosophy. Most of the article it is just a big list of unsubstantiated ad-hominem attacks against him. The author claims insight into Nietzsche's most private moments and thoughts without evidence to support those claims. 1- https://paradoxoftheday.com/friedrich-nietzsche-and-lou-von-salome-the-myth-of-marriage-proposals/ https://paradoxoftheday.com/friedrich-nietzsche-and-lou-von-...
  - leobg 4y ago
    Agree wholeheartedly. I used to have this image in my head about Nietzsche as well. Disgruntled proto-Nazi, who failed with women and, out of spite, dreamt up the uber-man. Then I read the man himself. I actually think Nietzsche has excellent insights into the kind of problems that our time, especially, keeps bringing up to the surface. For instance, regarding dismissiveness, he said: “What you cannot love, that you shall pass by.” So I hope nobody listens to John Gray, and those curious will read what Nietzsche actually wrote, and what he meant.
- cr4nberry 4y ago

With a non-commendation like that, I'm reading it! PS I really don't see what you find objectionable in this rather boring article.

dang 4y ago

"Please don't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A good critical comment teaches us something." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html If you want to give us something more substantive about Nietzsche, I'm all in favor - but please don't just post dyspeptic dismissals. Even if the article is as bad as you say, if that is all you have to say, it only degrades the forum. Better to remember that everything is basically crap and not say anything. (p.s. I think John Gray is a tad overrated but at least his topics are interesting, and 'disgusting and mean spirited' doesn't track the article as I read it)

fedeb95 4y ago
I might try. The article is indeed well written, but seems to confuse Nietzsche's biography with Nietzsche's ideas. In literature and philosophy it's good to know biography to better understand where thoughts might have come from, but thoughts must be taken by themselves ultimately. That seems to be the error of the people who wrote Nietzsche's biographies too. Countering arguments with personal life isn't worth much.
mdp2021 4y ago
> p.s. I think John Gray Are you into Humanities, dang? What is your target about John Gray? Maybe Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals? I did not know LSE's John Gray was so "famous" - I would have thought the homonymous proponent of the "Mars and Venus" ideas could came to mind earlier!
kentrado 4y ago
My apologies dang, hopefully I have now expanded sufficiently on the matter. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33201562 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33201562

leobg 4y ago

I can see (or rather guess) why you’re saying this. 1. The author buys the story that Nietzsche contracted syphilis in a brothel. No evidence exists for this claim. Syphilis isn’t even consistent with the symptoms Nietzsche was experiencing. The claim was first brought forth in a book 30+ years after Nietzsche’s death, and at a time where his philosophy have been instrumentalized by the Nazis. 2. This quote, which is itself dismissive (and, I may claim, very wrong): > If you want solutions to the disorder of our time, you will gain little from reading Nietzsche. That indeed seems to apply much more to this article.

kentrado 4y ago
You have guessed correctly. I'm sorry if I did not take the time initially to expand. I would also add this whole spicy philosophical gossip about Nietzsche being hopelessly lovestruck by this person Salome is not supported by strong evidence. All accounts of it has been exaggerated and, as it is often with historical figures, repeated long enough that people believe it to be canonical [1]. The Salome myth, is often used, as it was in this article, to cast aspersions against his character and by extension his philosophy. Most of the article it is just a big list of unsubstantiated ad-hominem attacks against him. The author claims insight into Nietzsche's most private moments and thoughts without evidence to support those claims. 1- https://paradoxoftheday.com/friedrich-nietzsche-and-lou-von-salome-the-myth-of-marriage-proposals/ https://paradoxoftheday.com/friedrich-nietzsche-and-lou-von-...
- leobg 4y ago
  Agree wholeheartedly. I used to have this image in my head about Nietzsche as well. Disgruntled proto-Nazi, who failed with women and, out of spite, dreamt up the uber-man. Then I read the man himself. I actually think Nietzsche has excellent insights into the kind of problems that our time, especially, keeps bringing up to the surface. For instance, regarding dismissiveness, he said: “What you cannot love, that you shall pass by.” So I hope nobody listens to John Gray, and those curious will read what Nietzsche actually wrote, and what he meant.
cr4nberry 4y ago