Kierkegaard and Nietzsche on Truth and Modernity

Mediocrity

Loss of individuality due to societal norms.

Public Opinion

Judgments of society shaping individual identity.

Present Age

Characterized by passive contemplation over action.

Stagnation

Result of excessive reflection without action.

Leisure Class

Intellectuals disconnected from practical life.

Intellectualism

Speculative thought avoiding real-life commitments.

Aesthetic Life

Focus on short-term pleasures over moral depth.

Ethical Life

Responsibility and moral principles guiding actions.

Repetition of History

Recycling past ideas without genuine engagement.

Tyranny of Safety

Preference for comfort over existential risks.

Authenticity

Facing uncertainty and making independent choices.

Religious Concerns

Trivialization of deep personal faith engagement.

Truth

Human invention rather than objective reality.

Objective Truth

Not inherent; shaped by human interpretation.

Language as Metaphor

Words abstract reality, creating conceptual distance.

Origins of Truth

Constructs created to facilitate understanding and cooperation.

Social Function of Truth

Maintains order and reinforces power structures.

Nonmoral Truth

Truth lacks absolute or universal moral value.

Consequences of Rejecting Truths

Freedom from rigid social constructs and norms.