Postmodern men, especially teenagers, often do not realize the negative consequences that their “social actions” may have on others. Many cases of bullying and cyberbullying in recent years have read in the newspapers and can be the cause. What reflections can we do? Despite progress, our civilization seems in every respect a civilization in decline, as Nietzsche said over a century ago. It is necessary to draw attention to the thought of the great German philosopher, because his words may be enlightening for all of us. The European civilization, which we call “higher culture”, like any other human community, has its roots in a long legacy of fierce cruelty. Cruelty, in fact, has to do with the original, with remote history. Giving guilt, negative judgments, taunt, are the spiritual mode by which cruelty is consolidated, although it has softened over time the extent of physical violence. Then, we should reverse the trend that the world has taken over the centuries, in which the fear and the fight against pain and suffering have always been greater than the capacity for joy and to create friendly relations. We should think about a civilization that adopts new behaviors and new rules, with the help of Law and Philosophy, through which we can live in a lot easier way and freer from the passions of the current one, becoming a community of friends who communicate joy.

Nietzsche and Possible Salvations of Postmodern Civilization

Zavatta L.
2016-01-01

Abstract

Postmodern men, especially teenagers, often do not realize the negative consequences that their “social actions” may have on others. Many cases of bullying and cyberbullying in recent years have read in the newspapers and can be the cause. What reflections can we do? Despite progress, our civilization seems in every respect a civilization in decline, as Nietzsche said over a century ago. It is necessary to draw attention to the thought of the great German philosopher, because his words may be enlightening for all of us. The European civilization, which we call “higher culture”, like any other human community, has its roots in a long legacy of fierce cruelty. Cruelty, in fact, has to do with the original, with remote history. Giving guilt, negative judgments, taunt, are the spiritual mode by which cruelty is consolidated, although it has softened over time the extent of physical violence. Then, we should reverse the trend that the world has taken over the centuries, in which the fear and the fight against pain and suffering have always been greater than the capacity for joy and to create friendly relations. We should think about a civilization that adopts new behaviors and new rules, with the help of Law and Philosophy, through which we can live in a lot easier way and freer from the passions of the current one, becoming a community of friends who communicate joy.
2016
Nietzsche Decline of Civilization Postmodernity Cruelty Good friendship
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12070/3573
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