2
0
“Was Nietzsche a sociopath?” This is a common charge directed at Nietzsche by those unfamiliar with his work along with accusations of antisemitism and so on. To this day, over 120 years after his death, Nietzsche is still denounced as a proto-nazi and often portrayed as a selfish man who used his philosophy to justify his own behaviours at the expense of others and so on, but was he a Sociopath or even a Psychopath? Let’s find out.
What is a Sociopath?
Let’s begin by defining terms, “Sociopath” and “psychopath” are both clinical terms that are often used interchangeably in common, everyday language thanks to their portrayal in media and so on, but they’ve got distinct meanings in the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry. There is a difference between a sociopath and a psychopath, even though there’s considerable overlap between the behaviours of each.
Sociopaths are often deceitful, impulsive, and manipulative in their dealings with the people around them and tend to disregard societal norms whenever it suits them, not to mention the rights of others. It’s also worth pointing out that sociopathy is linked to environmental factors such as growing up in an unpredictable, abusive, and unstable home. A dysfunctional upbringing that brings with it a fair share of childhood trauma, that might be enough to make a sociopath. Lacking in empathy or feelings of remorse sociopaths often engage in illegal, antisocial, or unethical behaviour simply because it advantages them in some way or another. Nietzsche certainly doesn’t help his case when he says:
“Against remorse. I do not like this form of cowardice in regard to one’s own actions, one must not leave one’s self in the lurch under the pressure of sudden shame or distress. Extreme pride is much more fitting here. What is the good of it all in the end!”
Nietzsche – The Will to Power
On the other hand, a psychopath is characterised by similar traits, but the lack of empathy and remorse tends to be even more pronounced, they tend to have a more calculating and predatory nature. Psychopaths often exhibit superficial charm, grandiosity, pathological lying, a lack of empathy or emotional depth. Unlike sociopathy, psychopathy is believed to have a stronger genetic or biological component to it, with the blame tending to be placed on abnormalities in the brain structure or neurotransmitter function playing a role and so on. In short Psychopaths are born but Sociopaths are made!
So, was Nietzsche a sociopath?
Nietzsche’s philosophical works, notably his critiques of morality and his concept of the “Ubermensch” (Overman), have sometimes led to interpretations of him as advocating for extreme individualism and a disregard for conventional moral standards. So, from the outside, looking in, it does seem like there’s elements of Sociopathy prevalent in his work, that is until you look deeper into the nuances and broader contexts of his writings that are designed to foster a spirit of deep reflection in the reader.
“He who cannot obey himself will be commanded.”
Nietzsche – Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Nietzsche’s critiques of ‘herd morality,’ (his phrase not mine) were never intended to be a justification for antisocial behaviour. Nietzsche’s works tend to centre around the importance of personal growth, creativity, and the pursuit of one’s own values. These values must be self-made, haven arisen naturally from within and in the absence of social pressure or coercion because only then can you be sure that you are living the life of your authentic self. Nietzsche points out repeatedly throughout his work that most people go through life with an inherited set of values that they do not question. They’ve picked them up from exposure to the herd morality of friends, family, and the community around them in their formative years.
The Nietzschean philosopher must look deep within and critically reflect upon his own values and make a judgement as to whether they serve him or not. If they do then all is well, if they do not then he must overcome them in some way or another. This is the path of the Superman. Whilst Nietzsche did criticize certain aspects of empathy and sympathy, he also valued traits such as courage, authenticity, and self-mastery. Nietzsche believed that many conventional moral systems, particularly those rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics, stifled individual potential and creativity by imposing rigid standards of right and wrong. Nietzsche saw these moral codes as inhibiting personal growth and stifling the development of authentic self-expression. In the pursuit of your unique potential, you may need to overcome societal constraints. Nietzsche’s concept of the “Ubermensch” or “Overman” symbolised an individual who transcends conventional morality and forges their own path based on their values and instincts. Authenticity, or being true to oneself, was prized as a means of living a fulfilling and meaningful life. Self-mastery involved mastering one’s desires and impulses in pursuit of higher goals and values. Hence Nietzsche says in his autobiography ‘Ecce Home,’ (Behold the Man)
“Become who you are!” Nietzsche – (Ecce Homo)
Hence for Nietzsche traits such as courage, authenticity, and self-mastery are essential aspects of the Overman and anything that stands in the way of this goal must be overcome, whether that’s an internal sensation such as a limiting belief or feeling of shame, or the external condemnation of the herd.
“I teach you the overman. Man is something that shall be overcome. What have you done to overcome him?” Nietzsche – Thus Spoke Zarathustra
In essence, Nietzsche’s philosophy encourages individuals to embrace their inner strength and creativity, challenge societal norms that may hinder personal growth, and strive for authenticity and self-mastery. Rather than promoting sociopathic behaviour, Nietzsche’s writings aim to inspire individuals to live more fully and authentically in accordance with their own values and aspirations.
“One must have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.” Nietzsche – Thus Spoke Zarathustra
It’s important to be mindful of Nietzsche’s mental illness, his lifelong afflictions of health issues and mental breakdowns, which may have influenced his perspectives and writing style, this was undoubtedly further exacerbated by his progressive brain disease, the symptoms of which worsened until he could no longer function, some of his detractors claim this to have been caused by syphilis as Nietzsche played the piano in a brothel at one time or another, but the more you find out about him the less likely it seems that he was in fact a sociopath. It’s essential to engage with Nietzsche’s work critically and in its entirety to appreciate the depth and richness of his philosophical insights.
“Courageous, unconcerned, scornful, coercive—thus wisdom wants us: she is a woman and always loves only a warrior.” – Nietzsche – Thus Spoke Zarathustra
So, was he a sociopath? Probably not, although elements of his work do seem to suggest a tendency towards this, until you understand that he was in fact a passionate man, who wrote his philosophy enthusiastically in euphoric and energetic bursts between bouts of illness and mental calamity.
In other words, He writes with mania and is unconcerned with the fact that readers may falter and misunderstand his work. His philosophy isn’t for everyone, he’s deliberately elitist, and revels in controversy by often goading the reader into a position of antipathy by declaring for instance, that Christianity is a religion of weakness, that it has turned victim mentality into something noble, that our highest values are in fact the values of slaves in ancient Rome who in the face of abuse from their masters had no choice but to ‘turn the other cheek.’ Likewise, in the ‘The Antichrist,’ he declared the arrival of Christianity to have been a pox on western culture that overturned pre-existing Athenian values that were ‘noble,’ and ‘strong.’
So, no he’s not a sociopath, but he certainly is a contrarian and provocative thinker who loves to upturn the apple cart in order to smash apart hierarchy, undermining institutions along the way, pointing out their flaws and illegitimacy as he does so. In short, he’s a contrarian who constantly digs away at the ethical and historical foundations of our civilisation in the hope that some members of the herd may shrug of their inherited slave morality and recover the ‘noble’ values of the ancient world, often depicted as those of the Aristocratic Greek noblemen of Athens and Sparta who embodied characteristics such as strength, vitality and creative power in their deeds and words, those free thinkers able to aspire to greatness in their own unique way. Nietzsche thus romanticised the past. So, he wasn’t a sociopath, but a romantic, contrarian.
