The Unique One vs The Tarantula-Hearts

 




“You preachers of equality, the tyrannomania of impotence clamors thus out of you for equality: your most secret ambitions to be tyrants thus shroud themselves in words of virtue. Aggrieved conceit, repressed envy—perhaps the conceit and envy of your fathers—erupt from you as a flame and as the frenzy of revenge.”

—Friedrich Nietzsche

Throughout the life cycle of human beings, moments of self-consciousness frequently arise. During these pivotal times, individuals become acutely aware of their traits and characteristics, compelling them to evaluate themselves in relation to others. These experiences can have a profound and lasting impact on a person's psyche and behavior. Reactions to these comparisons vary; some individuals recognize differences as natural and motivating, while others see them as unjust and unfair. This perception of unfairness often breeds envy. Consequently, the envious may insist that reality needs to be reimagined to match their aspirations for success.

Nietzsche describes this scenario in his master vs slave morality. Master morality according to Nietzsche, originates from the noble class, characterized by values such as strength, power, and nobility. In contrast, slave morality arises from those who are oppressed or powerless. As such, this slave morality then values traits like humility, meekness, and equality. Nietzsche argues that the latter emerges as a reaction to the former, where the weak resent the strong and create moral frameworks that condemn strength and promote their own virtues.

The concept of slave morality serves as a powerful critique against various leftist ideologies, encompassing a wide range of beliefs from revolutionary to reformist and from statist to anarchist. It often emerges through political slurs like “Social Justice Warrior.” Those labeled as "Social Justice Warriors" typically harbor profound resentments toward individuals who are more successful or powerful. In response to these feelings, these leftist advocate for equality to compensate for their own inadequacies. Nietzsche astutely identifies this group as “preachers of equality” or “tarantula hearts,” asserting that they project their personal grievances onto society, cloaking their resentments in moral language. According to Nietzsche, this kind of moralizing can gain substantial traction, leading to oppressive systems that suppress individuality and excellence in the name of fairness. As a result, we witness a culture that pressures individuals to conform, stifling the pursuit of unique paths and ambitions in favor of an artificial sense of balance.

The truth behind this matter is evident in how the left chooses to confront its challenges. The meticulous effort to reduce harm in language and the ongoing rebranding of identities within the inclusive left can dilute its message and ambitions. For example, what was once the Black Liberation Army is now known as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), and the Gay Liberation Front has transformed into LGBTQIA+, which includes clear demands for the use of proper pronouns to seek validation and more inclusion into the state by advocating for new policies that ensure the inclusion of marginalized groups. Is this the true depiction of resistance and power within leftist discourse?

Natural inequalities found in human beings, such as variations in skin color, differences in sexual orientation and gender, and variations in skills and abilities, should not lead to state intervention aimed at compensating for these differences. State intervention only empowers the state rather than the individual. Therefore, we should advocate for our own strength and autonomy instead of relying on the state. However, this brings attention to another issue inherent in leftist discourse.

The left relies on these inequalities to advocate for the less fortunate. The more disadvantaged an individual is, the more they serve as fuel for the left’s narrative of equality, giving purpose to those who feel they are fulfilling a mission. In this dynamic, the left requires victims for its existence. Individuals facing inequalities must identify with oppression for the left to position itself as their savior. It's similar to how Batman needs crime in Gotham to justify his role in combating it. Just as the left cannot help the people through state intervention, it cannot claim to be the saviors of humanity. No political party can eradicate the natural inequalities inherent in individuals. True freedom begins with the individual, not the masses, or with some charismatic leader advocating for equality.

To achieve this, each person must take a personal inventory and become the owner of what they possess. Individuals cannot be free if they limit themselves to ideas that render them powerless. One might feel like a ragamuffin or a nobody, but even in that state, they are not void of potential. Instead, they represent a creative nothing—a space from which they can create. However, the individual must possess themselves as a form of property to unleash their power.

The concept of "creative nothing" can serve as a new focal point for anarchist discourse. By embracing our inherent emptiness—a space for self-creation—life becomes our own property, and rebellion transforms into the fullest expression of the self. Instead of being driven by envy of others, the creative nothing allows individuals to devalue and detach themselves from the meaningless values they may place on the possessions or property of others. This radical self-possession becomes the foundation of our cause.

In the words of Max Stirner,

I am owner of my power, and I am so when I know myself as unique. In the unique the owner himself returns into his creative nothing, from which he is born. Every higher essence over me, be it God, be it the human being, weakens the feeling of my uniqueness, and only pales before the sun of this awareness. If I base my affair on myself, the unique, then it stands on the transient, the mortal creator, who consumes himself, and I may say:

I have based my affair on nothing.