The Nazis were a few philosophical steps down from Nietzsche, but I only learned recently that Nietzsche himself started out greatly admiring American Ralph Waldo Emerson
In 1884, Nietzsche described Emerson as, “a glorious, great nature, rich in soul and spirit” and pronounced Emerson to be, “the author who has been the richest in ideas in this century.”
Nietzsche is misunderstood and much of that misunderstanding has resulted in a prostitution of his philosophy. “God is dead” and nihilism are not an intended goal or a desirous conclusion but was Nietzsche’s observation of the direction of western cultural. The Übermensch (superman) was suppose to represent an evolution beyond our current condition, which has resulted in the death of god and nihilism, and who would return a sense of spirituality to our existence.
Nietzsche’s writings were edited after his death by his sister who changed much of his work to endorse anti-Semitism and nationalism, which Nietzsche opposed as examples of the problems creating the nihilistic culture he was observing. Those who link Nietzsche with the rise of the Nazi’s misunderstand his philosophy. What most people assume Nietzsche was endorsing was in fact what he was objecting to...
BTTT
Y’know, Nietzsche says: “Out of chaos comes order.”