Thread by @shrikanth_krish

Thread that uses a framework of Nietzsche

But 2 things

1. Godse not a fine e.g of a hero using "master morality" prism

2. Nietzsche overrates the "instinctive" and underrates the "examined" life - hence a tendency to caricature men of calculation as purveyors of slave morality

https://twitter.com/aurvabhrg/status/1179421218782535686

One of the reasons Nietzsche had serious problems with Socrates (i.e. Plato) is that the Socratic philosophers disparaged the instinctive life.

Instead they privileged metaphysics, abstractions, reason, the soul, otherworldliness

For better or worse, they did have an impact on Christian theology

So the tendency to disparage the "instinctive", and to celebrate reflection over instinct isn't a Christian thing

It existed very much in the classical world.

In India as well

But there is a strain in European thought that was vociferously anti-intellectual

Nietzsche gave voice to that strain. Later picked on by Hitler on the Right. And post 60s by the New Left

A similar anti-intellectual strain exists in Indian life too. And it has considerable influence on hardline Hindutva

Having said that, this "anti-intellectualism" should not come to define Indian or Hindu conservatism

If it does, that's a bit of a shame

The problem with Nietzsche's world view is that it is too worldly

Too rooted in the material world. And highly enamored by what it views as "nobility"

It inevitably implies a distaste for religion. And for "conventional morality"

Nietzsche famously titled his great book published in 1886 as "Beyond Good and Evil"

It is tempting

But problematic, as it suggests the quest for a universal morality is utterly futile.

The elevation of "Ego" is also problematic as there are deep flaws and limitations of human nature even in the "best" of men.

Nazism was a practical manifestation of some of Nietzsche's ideas

And it was a disaster

Hindu conservatives should in my view read more of Plato and Aristotle

And maybe Burke - the great Briton who was deeply aware of the limitations of man

To me that's a better anchor for a conservative intellectual tradition than Nietzsche

The nihilism / contempt for religion that comes from Nietzsche, if embraced, results in a political system where
power is all that matters

And that stems from manly virtue

But manliness is not the only thing societies / civilizations lack

"Goodness" is also something we lack

By "Goodness" in this context - one means reflection restraining one's instincts

This is sometimes caricatured by Nietzsche fans as - "thinking too much" - the vice propagated by the ancient philosophers / theologians

Maybe "thinking" can be overdone

We don't want to become an enervated society. Lacking vitality. Lacking manly virtue

So Nietzsche had a point.

But that's not necessarily a "conservative" POV

It is merely a reactionary POV that is ironically anti-religion and also anti-philosophy more generally