Nihilism in "The Murderers Are Among Us"
Published on Nov 21, 2015
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Nihilism in "The Murderers Are Among Us"
epistemological failure, value destruction, cosmic purposelessness
"Several connections can be made between the foundations of National Socialism with the resulting nihilistic trauma portrayed in
Mertens’ character."
Arguements
- The Philosophical background of National Socialism appealed to nihilists
- Narrative progression which establishes Hanz Mertens' humanity vs. Nihilism
- Mertens' nihilistic behavior post-war was a result of his Nazi affiliation
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Selected Sources
- Strehle, Stephen. “The Nazis and the German Metaphysical Tradition of Voluntarism.”
- Elbe, Stefan. “‘Labyrinths of the Future’: Nietzsche’s Genealogy of European Nationalism.”
- Rosenberg, Alfred. “The Myth of the 20th Century”.
1. The first source looks at the works of George Santayana, who critiqued the post-Kantian trend of egoistic voluntarism (defined as will prior/superior to intellect or reason)
2. Argues that through the context of nihilism, Nietzsche was able to gain insight into the appeal of 'national ideas', proposing that 'good europeans' transcended national perspective while avoiding a pan-european identity.
3. Argues the 'myth' of the 20th century as the Aryan 'race soul' which, upon awakening, drives a subsequent racial world-revolution.
2. Argues that through the context of nihilism, Nietzsche was able to gain insight into the appeal of 'national ideas', proposing that 'good europeans' transcended national perspective while avoiding a pan-european identity.
3. Argues the 'myth' of the 20th century as the Aryan 'race soul' which, upon awakening, drives a subsequent racial world-revolution.
