Friedrich Nietzsche
L'Anticristo

I come from a classical high school, specifically from the infamous "Giulio Cesare" in Rome, Trieste district. Yes, exactly, the one praised by the incurable romantic Antonello Venditti. I studied philosophy for three years, without ever truly being passionate about it and, honestly, without even understanding much of it. It's not that I was particularly interested in that subject, given that, at that age, my main interests were elsewhere. I tried to memorize the essential phrases just enough to pass the oral exams. But without ever sharing or understanding what I was repeating. Despite this, however, I was never held back in philosophy, fortunately.

Now that adolescence has passed, and I've entered maturity, it seems appropriate to approach, humbly and enthusiastically, what is the mindset of people. To participate, in short.

A few days ago, while rummaging through the shelves of the family library, I came across "The Antichrist" by Friedrich Nietzsche (published by Adelphi). One of the greatest thinkers in the history of philosophy and the main influencer of modern Western thought.

Well, the book left me very puzzled from the first pages. The style is agitated, feverish, at times almost desperate. As if someone were intimately shouting their pain to the world!

From the preface, one immediately notices an expression of subtle sycophancy: "Come now! These are my readers, my righteous readers, my destined readers". A naive reader might think: how nice, perhaps I am destined, I am part of something! But of what? The discourse continues: "The rest is simply humanity. One must be above humanity by force, by nobility of soul - By contempt...". Now I ask, how can someone be superior to themselves? I was always taught to accept myself as a human being, with my flaws, my weaknesses, my fears. Like everyone else, willing or not. No one excluded. I go on, increasingly bewildered: "The weak and misfortuned must perish (p. 5)". At this point, I am ready for anything, indeed a little further on I read: "compassion is the practice of nihilism. Let it be said once again: this depressing and contagious instinct hinders those instincts that tend towards the preservation of life". Sincerely, I believe that participating in the pain of others is a normal expression of human sensitivity. It's what makes us human, social beings, communicative. This is why internet sites open like this, to share something, to understand each other, to confront on an equal footing.

I suspect: that Nietzsche desires to be superior to another man in order not to have to confront him on equal terms?... As I continue, the suspicion grows.

I'm not a psychologist, but I did some research and read that Nietzsche's father, an integralist and reactionary Protestant pastor, had a "difficult" relationship with Friedrich. That is, he perhaps did not give him the love and understanding that his son expected from him.

As often happens in strictly religious families, the education of children is based on absolute dogmas, which, for fear of contravening the rules of religion itself, sometimes postpone, sometimes replace a sincere, honest, and humble human relationship, Fear.

Nietzsche was afraid. Afraid to the point of being terrified. He was afraid of suffering. He had as if placed himself on a pedestal and looked down on everyone else, with "contempt", as he writes. But in reality, he had only isolated himself from others, in a near-delusion of omnipotence he had rejected his nature as a man to escape the consequence of being a man: suffering. The only thing that, together with death, no one will ever be able to avoid. Loving someone who makes you suffer strengthens character, helps not to be influenced by manipulative and egocentric people. Loving makes you grow, in short. And loving is also feeling compassion.

I believe that without accepting suffering, one cannot be happy. Because suffering exists, it's there, you can't escape it, pretend not to see it, not to feel it. Not without going insane, at least. Loving someone who makes you suffer strengthens character, helps not to be influenced by manipulative and egocentric people. Loving makes you grow, in short.

This continuous escape from his human feelings produced a devastating effect in Friedrich, to the point of no longer being able to control his emotions, which like a geyser, would unexpectedly and without reason, burst out. It seems, in fact, that one day, in Turin, seeing a coachman whipping his horse, he threw himself on the animal's neck and cried like a child. He, who so much despised humankind and its compassion.

Now I come to a philosophical reasoning: if Friedrich Nietzsche, who reflects in many ways modern thought, rejected compassion and went mad, can one base modern mentality on the absence of compassion, and not end up going mad?

For my part, the only thing I feel for Friedrich Nietzsche is compassion.

Goodbye everyone.