Nietzsche's conception of values transcends mere morality, rooted in physiological instincts and the necessities of life rather than conscious creation.
The historical context of value creation, according to Nietzsche, counters Peterson's view of potential chaos arising from individual values after the 'death of God'.
Nietzsche sees inner conflict as a productive force for personal growth, while Peterson misjudges this struggle as a detriment to unified value formation.
Deep dives
Different Conceptions of Values
Jordan Peterson and Nietzsche address values differently, leading to a misunderstanding of each other’s philosophies. Peterson views values as conscious, ethical standards that individuals adopt and try to live by, equating them with moral principles. In contrast, Nietzsche argues that values extend beyond mere morality and are rooted in physiological demands and instincts, arising from life's necessities rather than conscious choice. This fundamental difference highlights that Peterson's interpretation reduces Nietzsche’s complex philosophical notions into simplistic, moralistic terms.
The Nature of Value Creation
Peterson asserts that the concept of creating values arises in response to the 'death of God,' potentially leading to an anarchic state where individuals are unable to agree on shared moral codes. However, Nietzsche posits that humans have always created values throughout history, with past lawgivers re-evaluating existing morals rather than generating them from scratch. He emphasizes that values may shift and change based on evolving societal needs and individual instincts, refuting Peterson's notion of an imminent chaos if values are individual and subjective. Thus, Nietzsche’s perspective underlines a history of value creation rather than a future-oriented crisis.
Misunderstood Challenges in Nietzsche's Philosophy
Peterson raises challenges concerning the notion of individuals creating their values, suggesting they might fight over differing beliefs. Nietzsche, however, views this struggle between conflicting values as an inherent aspect of life, where competing groups and individuals ultimately reshape and refine their values through conflict. Nietzsche argues that the pressure to adapt and re-evaluate values arises from life's circumstances and is not avoided through adherence to traditional moral codes. This misunderstanding leads Peterson to misjudge Nietzsche's acknowledgment of human nature as dynamic and ever-evolving rather than static and bound by rigid ethical constructs.
Complexity of the Self
Peterson points to the existence of conflicting drives within individuals, suggesting these competing urges complicate the ability to create unified values. Nietzsche, on the other hand, recognizes this multiplicity within the self, understanding it as a tension that can lead to a productive ordering of one’s drives and instincts. The competition among these inner drives does not negate the development of coherent values but rather contributes to a person's growth and self-overcoming. By misunderstanding Nietzsche’s approach to this inner conflict, Peterson overlooks the productive potential of struggle and competition within the individual psyche.
The Overman Misconception
Peterson's interpretation of the overman posits that this figure will create new values, yet Nietzsche articulates that the overman symbolizes a new valuation itself, rather than the creator of values. The overman represents an ideal that transcends current human limitations and signifies the evolution or improvement of humanity over time. Nietzsche does not suggest that individuals can simply strive to become overmen; rather, he emphasizes living in ways that promote the emergence of this ideal. This crucial distinction reveals a deeper philosophical divergence between Peterson's understanding and Nietzsche's intent regarding the function of the overman in his broader critique of societal values.
This episode is a polemic. While I have addressed Jordan Peterson's misunderstandings of the "God is dead" aphorism, or his bungling of Nietzsche's view of truth, here we address one of his most often repeated distortions of Nietzsche's philosophy. According to Jordan, Nietzsche said we can create our own values, but, in fact, this is impossible.
I break down Jordan's misreading into four sections: 1) Jordan doesn't understand what Nietzsche means by "values"; 2) Jordan doesn't understand what Nietzsche means by "creating" values, 3) Jordan's problems with the "creation of values" fail, largely due to these misunderstandings, 4) Values do not need to be created by the Overman.
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