5 Steps To Become Nietzsche’s Ubermensch (Superman)

Friedrich Nietzsche was a german philosopher and is considered one of the most important and influential philosophers in the world. His philosophy was particularly special to occidental philosophy.

Nietzsche’s concept of the “Ubermensch” is fascinating, and a little bit misunderstood as well. It was first seen in his 1883 book “Thus Spoke Zarathustra.”

When we hear about this, we can’t help but think about the actual Superman from Dc’s comic books. However, superman appeared for the first time on an action comic in 1938. So, don’t mix those two together.

Unsurprisingly, Nietzsche wasn’t far from the modern concept of a superman. His version was pretty similar to the bulletproof man but in psychological terms.

In his book “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” Nietzsche argues that evolution is not finished and can’t be assumed to be finished yet. Supposedly, human beings evolved from apes, but what are apes compared to us?

“Our way is upward, from the species across to the super-species. But the degenerate mind which says ‘All for me’ is a horror to us.”

― Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

We think of apes as lesser creatures, because we are a lot smarter and have evolved with a more practical body. Now, if apes are so little to us, what are we going to be to those in the future?

Zarathustra speculated about Nietzsche’s superman, about how that man, an advanced and evolved version of us would be like.

To Nietzsche, the Ubermensch wasn’t supposed to be physically strong, nor super smart. The Ubermensch was supposed to be psychologically superior. By this, I mean a person with an (almost) unbreakable psyche (or mind).

To visualize and conceive this idea, Nietzsche identified the person that he admired the most, and then analyzed those qualities. He was impressed by Johann Wolgang Von Goethe, whom he thought was the closest anyone had come to become a superman.

What is The Ubermensch?

The Ubermensch is Nietzsche’s profound solution to nihilism. In his book “God is dead,” Nietzsche points out that we have killed God and that this would lead to chaos.

“God is dead, and we have killed him.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

According to Nietzsche, the death of God would also mean the death of moral values, as well as divine justice and purpose. The realization that God is not necessary would lead to morality becoming subjective, and people becoming confused.

Nietzsche, as well as many great philosophers, thought that life is inherent suffering.

“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

For Nietzsche, the only way to survive was is to find meaning in suffering, although that doesn’t imply less suffering.

His response to a world full of injustice and pain was, you guessed it, the ubermensch.

To be an ubermensch means to be aware of the fact that life is suffering and has no inherent meaning, yet keep living and finding our own meaning.

Step 1: Make Your Own Values

The ubermensch is supposed to be very independent and psychologically stronger than most. He won’t be asking everyone what is right and what is wrong, nor follow other people’s path; he is supposed to build his own.

Nietzsche thought that religious people were weak because they follow other people’s steps instead of making their own. He wanted the ubermensch to reform humanity towards pagan values, the values of Goethe.

Keep your head high and don’t submit to an imposed idea as the majority does. You, as an ubermensch are better than that, you make your own and decide what is right and what is not.

Step 2: Accept That You Might Have to Hurt People

Superman knows that he might have to hurt others in the name of good things. Sometimes he can be selfish in a strategic way.

In certain situations, we have to let people fall so that they can learn the error of their ways. Sometimes we have to help them fail so that they can become a best version of themselves. The superman is aware of this and accepts it, instead of resenting the world.

Step 3: Accept Suffering as a Component of Good Things

The superman isn’t supposed to be jealous of others. He is aware that life implies suffering, and he accepts it. Instead of being resentful because of other’s success, he would make his own.

To suffer is normal. However, as Nietzsche said, we can find some meaning in that suffering and survive. That in itself is the meaning of life.

Being mad at the world, the government, and capitalism leads nowhere. An ubermensch makes his own fate, he works hard for what he wants and never gives up, no matter how many times he falls.

Step 4: Accept and Understand that You’re Different

An ubermensch is also different from your average Joe. He is a deviation from the norm, a superior human being; therefore, he has no equal, which may result in loneliness. Still, he is strong enough to understand and accept it.

“Like a last signpost to the other path, Napoleon appeared, the most isolated and late-born man there has even been, and in him the problem of the noble ideal as such made flesh–one might well ponder what kind of problem it is; Napoleon this synthesis of the inhuman and the superhuman”

― Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals / Ecce Homo

He is also gentle towards the weak. A gentleman like no other, out of his great uncomparable strength. He isn’t humble but proud of himself.

Step 5: Become Devoted to Earth

The superman has to invest in the practical applications of culture to raise the mentality of society. To become devoted to this means to become a force of nature.

In modern times this means taking action and becoming aware of how dangerous we humans are to the planet, to become “green” as they now say.

The philosophy of the superman is a lot like that of the Stoics but on steroids. It is an extreme, one which Nietzsche thought to be the only salvation for humankind.