52 pages • 1-hour read
The Antichrist
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Index of Terms
Ressentiment
Explored in greater depth in his On the Genealogy of Morality, Friedrich Nietzsche defines ressentiment as an inferior individual’s unrealized hatred or envy towards those superior to them. In his introduction, H.L. Mencken calls ressentiment the “most important of all of (Nietzsche’s ideas)” and equates Christianity to a manifestation of mass ressentiment (3). In The Antichrist, Nietzsche argues for ressentiment as a driving force in theologians’ struggle against the Hyperboreans. He also describes Christians’ fixation on antisemitic revenge as a weaponization of ressentiment, ironic considering Christianity’s preoccupation with absolute love.
Décadence
In Section 6, Nietzsche describes décadence as synonymous with “rottenness”—the loss of the life-affirming “instinct for growth, for survival, for the accumulation of forces, for power” (18). When an individual caves to décadence, they become fond of whatever is detrimental to themselves, to life itself. Nietzsche believes Christianity is a religion based entirely in décadence, as it finds virtue in humiliation, suffering, and death.
Will to Power
While the exact definition of the will to power is still debated, and its origins are clouded by its proliferation within Nazi circles (despite Nietzsche’s avowed anti-antisemitism and anti-nationalism), it can be described as an individual’s desire to attain control (power)—that of their environment and themselves. The desire to attain power over oneself equates to purging the mind of all external influences—including morality—that disguise one’s true self. In revealing their true self, an individual frees themselves of the boundaries that limit their ability to exercise their own power and becomes capable of standing apart from the majority of humanity.
Denaturization
Nietzsche accuses all religions—with the notable exception of Buddhism—of “denaturization,” which he describes as a systematic process of reducing an individual or society’s reverence for life and their will to power (often by transferring this reverence to something outside of the living world). He describes Christianity’s denaturizing forces as emphasizing Christ’s death and resurrection over his life, “equal rights,” and décadence. The effects of denaturization ultimately culminate in the relegation of the Hyperboreans to live among the common masses, incapable of exercising the fullness of their will to power.
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