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valentinaambrosius's review against another edition
Other books demanded my attention for now
bequavious's review
Super interesting, but a difficult read that I didn't have the time and energy to get through
cle_mrl's review against another edition
lu un peu vite pour un ds, à lire plus attentivement quand j’aurai le temps peut-être
toryw's review against another edition
3.0
it nearly hit. it hit on occasion. when it did, it did. that’s all
mattinthebooks's review against another edition
4.0
“Human history would be nothing but a record of stupidity save for the cunning contributions of the weak”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals
I think this line catches the tone of the book fairly well. Nietzsche is both cynical and realist in a way that is both offensive and refreshing. I use the word "offensive" here with no notion of "goodness" or "badness" as that would defeat the purpose. I simply mean that this work of Nietzsche is not a comfortable read and challenges a lot of notions you might be relying on, for better or for worse.
There are only two reasons this isn't five stars for me:
First, Nietzsche attempts to deconstruct historical interpretations of good and evil with a bird's eye view of morality to pull himself from the muck and mire of constructing worldviews. I appreciate that wholeheartedly- so much of philosophy is philosophers saying "here's why this other construction of morality is bad, here is why constructions of morality in general are bad... and here's my new, cool construction of morality! :)". Nietzsche doesn't do that. What he does do, however, is connote personal values through his evaluation of history. I have no problem with that, but it feels a teeny bit hypocritical to judge someone for making a personal view of morality as an overarching standard and then building a new system that is arguably still value-based.
Second, this isn't Nietzsche's best writing. It is undoubtedly still well-written, but since I know he can do better, I was only slightly disappointed.
Altogether though, I think anyone who cares about morality, understanding faith in a social context, building relationships between different religious groups, or just abstract history would really enjoy this read. I often don't ascribe to Nietzsche's views, but I always enjoy his attitudes towards self-righteous judgment, government, and moral worldviews propped up by both.
― Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals
I think this line catches the tone of the book fairly well. Nietzsche is both cynical and realist in a way that is both offensive and refreshing. I use the word "offensive" here with no notion of "goodness" or "badness" as that would defeat the purpose. I simply mean that this work of Nietzsche is not a comfortable read and challenges a lot of notions you might be relying on, for better or for worse.
There are only two reasons this isn't five stars for me:
First, Nietzsche attempts to deconstruct historical interpretations of good and evil with a bird's eye view of morality to pull himself from the muck and mire of constructing worldviews. I appreciate that wholeheartedly- so much of philosophy is philosophers saying "here's why this other construction of morality is bad, here is why constructions of morality in general are bad... and here's my new, cool construction of morality! :)". Nietzsche doesn't do that. What he does do, however, is connote personal values through his evaluation of history. I have no problem with that, but it feels a teeny bit hypocritical to judge someone for making a personal view of morality as an overarching standard and then building a new system that is arguably still value-based.
Second, this isn't Nietzsche's best writing. It is undoubtedly still well-written, but since I know he can do better, I was only slightly disappointed.
Altogether though, I think anyone who cares about morality, understanding faith in a social context, building relationships between different religious groups, or just abstract history would really enjoy this read. I often don't ascribe to Nietzsche's views, but I always enjoy his attitudes towards self-righteous judgment, government, and moral worldviews propped up by both.
chloekg's review against another edition
3.0
Striking for its novelty of thinking, the process is useful but the content is steeped in anti-Semitism. If true, his hypothesis that the concept of "evil" evolved from a fearful priestly caste has immediate relevance to daily life and society. If not true, it at least questions morality and guilt in a way that produces new value.
casparb's review against another edition
3.0
Did I say I was done with Nietzsche? Someone had blundered. This is a neat little tying up of the ideas entertained primarily in BG&E.
I'm not interested in presenting some sort of philosophical retort here. Nietzsche doesn't explicitly establish the dimensions of his ideal society, but the overall picture gleaned is particularly bleak to me. The suggestion that all action - including compassionate action - is reducible to the Will to Power perhaps is an example of the protofascistic reputation sometimes applied to Nietzsche.
His analysis of two overriding moralities dooms future societies to the endless Reichenbachian tumbling of strong and weak, rocks below impossible.
I'm not interested in presenting some sort of philosophical retort here. Nietzsche doesn't explicitly establish the dimensions of his ideal society, but the overall picture gleaned is particularly bleak to me. The suggestion that all action - including compassionate action - is reducible to the Will to Power perhaps is an example of the protofascistic reputation sometimes applied to Nietzsche.
His analysis of two overriding moralities dooms future societies to the endless Reichenbachian tumbling of strong and weak, rocks below impossible.