The Antichrist, Foreword

This is the beginning of my attempt to make sense of Friedrich Nietzsche, "the most misunderstood philosopher" in the words of them who proceed by claiming to be one of the few who do possess this rare understanding; on the other side are those who are too weak to make any decisive claim and thereby prove that they were never worthy of Nietzsche's work in the first place. The last group of people considers the whole of Nietzsche's life a show to enjoy, not to be taken seriously. This last bunch would likely be most to the taste of "the last priest of Dionysus", considering they give him the same treatment as the Greek god he serves.

It is my job to fall in none of these categories. I have to gaze into the abyss that is Nietzsche. The Foreword to the Antichrist lays out what is needed to do this, but it is the arrogance in us that says we fit all listed criteria. Reading the Foreword without considering closing the book right after shows that you are not the right person. You have already failed the very first condition:

"One must be honest in intellectual matters to the point of harshness to so much as endure my seriousness, my passion."

Are you honest enough to question that which everyone believes? Nietzsche is not speaking about being so called 'open minded' in the modern sense of the word. Instead, is it evil to kill people? Is it evil to kill God? Is anything evil at all? In our age these questions seem easy to the average post-modern adult teen, living the aftermath of God's death. To them I say: Nietzsche despises you and everyone else who still utters the oxymoron of 'equal rights'. Are you candid enough to admit that he may be justified therein?
This brings us to the second requirement for understanding Nietzsche:

"One must be accustomed to living on mountains - to seeing the wretched ephemeral chatter of politics and national egoism beneath one."

Be above everyone else, be isolated, be noble. Do not try to be equal to people who are below you. Instead, rise above them and keep rising higher. Stay away from the foul air of humanity and enjoy the pure scent of the mountains. If you are the average of the people you spend most time with, try to spend it with yourself. Humanity is something that has to be overcome, so do not pity anyone.

"One must have become indifferent, one must never ask whether truth is useful or a fatality..."

Truth has to be obtained to increase our power, not because it has some intrinsic value. It is not only useful or only fatal; it is both at the same time. Humanity has to be overcome so the superman can rise up. This is our goal and in that sense truth can help us, but it must also kill us. For this reason one should not care whether truth is useful or a fatality.
At last, one should be temperate to fully understand Nietzsche:

"And the will to economy in the grand style: to keeping one's energy, one's enthusiasm in bounds... Reverence for oneself; love for oneself; unconditional freedom with respect to oneself..."

Everything should serve the mind and the mind should be free to try anything. Even the much appraised instincts have to step aside. Not everyone can do this and not everyone should do this. For most people it would be fully unfit; it would be the denial of life to ignore their instincts. These people should not try to become the right person to read The Antichrist. Only the very few who were made to live in isolation in the mountains can attempt to gaze into this abyss.

In upcoming articles I will try to interpret Nietzsche's The Antichrist. One by one I will consider every aphorism. Whether I can stay honest the entire way through, fate will tell. But as Nietzsche would say: I love fate.