What does it mean to be a superman according to Nietzsche’s philosophy

In the second half of the 19th century, German Friedrich Nietzsche He proposed that “God is dead” and from that idea several concepts emerged, including that of “superman”. What does this mean for your philosophy?

This philosopher, philologist, musician and poet defined concepts of religion, history or science that were and are the subject of study throughout the West. His idea of ​​the death of godthat brought human beings to freedom.

“The higher we rise, the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly,” it was one of his sentences describing what he thought of those who disagreed with his ideas.

After the idea of ​​the death of God, it is man who must take his place. And Nietzsche proposes that he create new values, to distance himself from those that Christianity has given and governed him.

This new man will be the “superman”, which translates from the German term “übermensch“, which can also be translated as “superman“(beyond man).

What does it mean to be a superman according to Nietzsche’s philosophy

This superman would be a person who has achieved a state of spiritual and moral maturity higher than that considered that of the common man.

The concept comes from the book “Thus spoke Zarathustra“, a work that contains his main ideas and where the philosopher tells the story of a prophet who returns to civilization after being in solitude.

The conception of the superman proposed by Friedrich Nietzche refers to man capable of overcoming himself and his nature. He ideal state It would imply someone capable of overcoming their weaknesses.

While creating the file own valuesman will be able to reach his maximum potential and become what he really is.

For Nietzsche”God is dead“and with this everything that man has built around the idea of ​​God, including the Western value system, is destined to collapse.

How to become superman

For the superman to be possible, Nietzsche speaks of three transformations or metamorphoses of the spirit.

This and that”camel“become”Lion“and let the lion turn”child“. What does it mean?

The camel represents the individual who, consciously or unconsciously, deforms his posture and his mind by carrying a load that he considers his, even if it is not.

What we drag also drags us, preventing us from moving forward. These are the weight of guilt and obligations imposed from outside by God.

So, the camel has to do it turn into a lionan animal capable of throwing away with its strength all the burdens that oppress it.

The lion represents the subject who has recognized the uselessness of his own loads it and rejects it.

Finally, the lion must transform into a child, in which we find the freedom of the human being, his maximum Autonomy and affirmation.

He left behind his burdens and also their rejection. He plays and in his games he creates his own rules.

Nietzsche sees in this figure the best symbolization of the superman as innocent man, creator, who was freed from Christian guilt.