Quest for Happiness: Alex Mos's Thoughts on Nietzsche's Will to Power (And Her Articles)
Updated: 2 days ago
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Her Articles:
This article explores Nietzsche's "Will to Power" through the lens of Alex Mos's interpretation.
The article is well-organized, engaging, and informative, contrasting it with other philosophical views like Schopenhauer's. It acknowledges potential misinterpretations of Nietzsche's philosophy, particularly regarding power dynamics and the misuse of his ideas. The integration of Mos's articles allows readers to explore related themes further, building a bridge between different pieces of content on the article empire.
The article provides philosophical clarity, explaining Nietzsche's divergence from Schopenhauer's pessimistic philosophy and how his idea of "Will to Power" offers a more uplifting existential path.
Overall, the article is a compelling analysis of Nietzsche's "Will to Power," successfully integrating philosophical insights and Mos's writings.
"What is Happiness? - the feeling that power increases - that resistance to it is overcome," wrote Nietzsche in The Anti-Christ, meaning that men should seek Power, not pleasure, to find Happiness. Happiness is a rare and exquisite treasure, and I dedicate my life to finding it, just like (the vast majority) of my fellow earthlings.
Nietzsche defines the Will to Power as the "unexhausted procreative will of life," explaining why humans, despite existential suffering, can live a fulfilling life worth living.
This essay will explain my interpretation of the philosopher's "Will to Power."
Nietzsche's Will to Power
Nietzsche describes Will to Power in his famous book Thus Spoke Zarathustra as a creator of various moral systems in societies.
In his later work, Beyond Good and Evil, the philosopher links the Will to Power to supreme human intelligence and "ens realissimum," or the most real thing in our lives. This statement devalues religious ideas from the highest divine concepts. It replaces them with the Will to Power, a metaphysical force to overcome life's adversities, master inner demons, and turn into better version of themselves.
Nietzsche's Will to Power provides a more cheerful existential alternative to Schopenhauer's nihilistic explanation of human existential struggle.
Schopenhauer's principle underpinning reality, the Will of Life, describes a pointless cycle of craving, fleeting fulfillment, and boredom until a new desire arises.
On the contrary, Nietzsche's concept of Will to Power gives hope for finding Happiness by resisting weakness and escaping the mental trap of misery. It allows us to overcome suffering, and such victory strengthens our feelings of power, resulting in inner growth and great satisfaction.
The Will to Power... Misinterpreted
Nietzsche's term "Will to Power" can be easily misinterpreted. In his earlier work, The Joyful Science, he writes,
"We exercise our power over others by doing them good or by doing them ill -- that is all we care for."
Here, Nietzsche describes physical and political power over others, but it's not what he meant by the concept of Will to Power in his later works.
However, the term can be wrongly associated with inequality, competition, and domination for those less familiar with Nietzsche's philosophy.
The true meaning of Nietzsche's "Will to power" is: To possess a will to master one's weaknesses and transform to a superior version of oneself, not to subjugate others.
Despite his philosophical genius, Nietzsche's life was tragic. Ironically, he was not strong enough to overcome his weak disposition, which he despised. His poor health and unsuccessful love life contributed to his final collapse and mental illness, preventing him from finishing his work.
The book "Will to Power" was published by his sister-guardian, who deliberately forged and changed Nietzsche's passages to align them with her anti semitic Nazi ideology. The infamous book was printed in Nietzsche's name and, therefore, can be unjustly linked to him and his philosophy.
Will to Power and Asceticism
Nietzsche's key to Happiness is not pursuing fleeting pleasures but the power we gain when overcoming hardships and weakness within us.
Unlike Schopenhauer, Nietzsche didn't like asceticism and a rigorous abstinence from the sensual world.
When adapted to one's lifestyle, Will to Power results in a balanced, sober lifestyle, intellectual interests, high discipline, and self-criticism.
It doesn't imply avoidance and withdrawal from life, but it enables us to face our negative emotions and overcome them. Rather, it's a courageous way to experience an existential spectrum of life, love, and desire as a mentally free and powerful human, learning from every experience and becoming stronger.
The Will to Power doesn't limit us to strict asceticism but gives us the strength to accept disappointments and suffering in an empowering way.
Nietzsche believed Will to Power is a metaphysical property of conscious, intelligent men, and every human can access it through the intellect. True Happiness is achieved by becoming mentally powerful, confident, and balanced.
We should nourish habits and emotions, strengthening our Will to Power through a healthy lifestyle in moderation, loving relationships, and mindfulness. We also should avoid hedonistic distractions like overusing social media and chasing novelty for the euphoric effects of the adrenaline rush. Such unhealthy and addictive habits weaken our minds, hindering mental growth and Happiness.
What is Happiness? It is the feeling that our inner power increases because we overcame the resistance of adversity and suffering. It's the feeling that we positively changed the fabric of our emotional reality. It's a feeling that we grew and evolved into a better, more powerful version of ourselves.
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