Nietzsche and the Deconstruction of Identities: The “Free Spirits” in Intercultural Societies
Abstract
The author of the article considers Nietzsche’s idea of deconstruction of identity resulted from his criticism of the metaphysical concept of the subject and shows that this idea determined the specifics of Nietzsche’s philosophical position. It is stressed that Nietzsche examined the “constructive” function of such concepts as “personality”, “will”, and “action” because he was seriously concerned about the future of these terms in a civil democratic society. Nietzsche believed that the great task of “I” consisted in building social relations on the new foundations discovered due to the practice of “reappraisal of all values” and criticism of the traditional metaphysical approach to subjectivity. Among the traditional values subject to reappraisal there are an uncritical view of culture, religion and history, as well as such political values as those of the nation and borders. According to Nietzsche, “strong” people face the task of developing the principle of a new reality, taking into account the new values. This reality is described as one of many possible interpretations of the future, because it depends on a perspective that is regarded as “dominant” in relation to both the past and the present, and presupposes free and creative human activity. From this point of view, the culture, coming into contact with other cultures, can integrate with them precisely due to the greater self-confidence achieved as a result of its historical development; moreover, this self-confidence makes it possible for a culture to manage its “self-overcoming”. The author concludes that it is important to read Nietzsche from an intercultural perspective and that Nietzsche’s ideas are a “sketch” of the philosophy of the future.
