NIEZSCHE is one of a group who are often portrayed as strange, impenetrable, and on some weird and original tangent all their own, when the
secret that binds ALL of these seeming mavericks ---NIETZSCHE, STRAUSS, PAGLIA, and Victor Davis HANSON (CHEENEE's guru)--- is
the CLASSICS Department, the pre-Christian values they are INDIVIDUALLY steeped in ---and wanted to live by TODAY.
It's not that NIETZSCHE "influenced" the ones after him, it's that EACH of these WENT BACK individually to the Ancients. They want to live by the "
strong" pre-Christian values of STRENGH, physical force/domination, PRIDE ("gloating") as opposed to the "
weak" values of humility, mercy, turning the other cheek.
And it's NOT that NIEZCHE was a proto-Nazi. Richard WAGNER *was* one and NIETZSCHE broke with him. After he went into his mental helplessness his unintellectual sister took control of his body and dressed him as a prophet, literally, with people visiting to pay obeissance, which would have REPELLED him, and herself courted the proto-Nazis according to her own small understanding of him, or just for her self-interest.
CHEENEE did a little dance right before the Iraq attack, presenting Victor Davis HANSON to the media as his guru. This dude has been laying out the PNAC working plans for public consumption, the two-pronged thing of
active war (preemptive/proactive) plus "
noble goals" (forcing "democracy" on others). His role has been to dig up historical examples as precedents for what the PNAC-ers want to do anyway.
Here's a whimsical, but prescient, capturing of what goes on with the Classics types:
******QUOTE*****
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Music: Stephen Sondheim Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Larry Gelbart + Burt Shevelove Film: 1966
"Bring Me My Bride" (I, Miles Gloriosus)
http://libretto.musicals.ru/text.php?textid=5&language=1....Let haste be made,
I cannot be delayed!
There are
lands to conquer,
Cities to
lootAnd
people to degrade!
SOLDIERS
Look at those arms!
Look at that chest!
Look at them!
MILES
Not to mention the rest!
Even I am impressed. ....
SOLDIERS
Look at that foot!
Look at that heel!
Mark the magnificent muscles of steel!
MILES
I am my ideal! ....
MILES
COURTESANS
I, Miles Gloriosus,
I,
Paragon of virtues,
Him, Miles Gloriosus
Him, Paragon of virtues,
SOLDIERS
A man among men!
With sword and with pen!
MILES
I, in war the most
admired,
In wit the most
inspired,
In love the most
desired,
In dress the best
displayed,
I am a parade! ....
*****UNQUOTE****