New book on egoism, and a question about Nietzsche and Stirner

Daniel Davis buybuydandavis at yahoo.com
Fri Nov 26 03:09:38 CET 2010


> From: Svein Olav Nyberg <i at i-studies.com>
> Subject: Re: New book on egoism, and a question about Nietzsche and Stirner
> 
> >Why do people consider  Nietzsche an egoist?
> >For some, I'd guess it's just a  word
> 
> Nietzsche has at some point praised egoism, and that being such a 
> rare thing, he's included among its proponents.


I went to a web site with the collected works of Nietzsche and did a local 
google search for "egoism".

Going through the various references, I'm struck with Nietzsche's drive for a 
*response* to egoism. The egoism of the Higher, Taller, and Shinier is good, 
while the egoism of the Lower, Shorter, and Duller is contemptible. The whole 
thrust is to impose authority, rank, privilege, and subjection not just on the 
decadent, but especially on the Siegfrieds in their "innocent egoism"; to impose 
a goal and a purpose on a egoism that would do as it chose.

Like Rand, it's never enough to be free, one must always be right; one must have 
the sanction of Life, the Universe and Everything. It's always an egoism seeking 
permission, a "good boy" pat on the head, which justifies sneers and commands 
directed to the "bad boys". Living under your own sanction is never enough; the 
universe must approve of you, and disapprove of those who don't agree with you.

Buy Buy -- Dan Davis


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