The Antichrist

Are there any individuals living today that Nietzsche might call “Hyperboreans”? Who are they, and why do you believe they qualify for the title?

Discuss Nietzsche’s retelling of the Garden of Eden myth in Section 48—specifically, his claim that womanhood is key to science. Why do you think he made this claim?

Discuss Nietzsche’s argument against Immanuel Kant’s “categorical imperatives” and his hatred of “conviction.” What unforeseen side effects might adhering to Nietzsche’s skepticism have on cultural and societal traditions, particularly in a globalized world?

Beyond Germany’s 20th century history, what are other cases in which Nietzsche’s ideas were appropriated and misappropriated in the reorganization of societies? Which of his ideas were at play in the values of the Soviet Union and the United States during the Cold War?

Discuss Nietzsche’s belief that his elitism (favoring the Hyperboreans) is incompatible with democratic values. How might these two ideologies be reconciled? Have they already been reconciled in democratic societies?

Discuss Nietzsche’s fascination with ressentiment and décadence in Western society. Where in the modern world do you see these attitudes continue to be cultivated? In what ways?

Nietzsche scorns the West’s reliance on Christian morals in the face of then-recent scientific discoveries. Why do you believe this reliance continued even as Christian metaphysics fell apart?

How might a positive view of “martyrdom” (used as a broad term denoting any suffering for the sake of a cause) be reconciled with Nietzsche’s belief that martyrdom does not enhance a cause’s truth? Consider whether martyrdom must serve a cause’s truth at all.