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Comment by samvher | Hacker News Reader

My guess is it reminds of Ayn Rand / Atlas Shrugged, but that’s just based on what I’ve picked up from documentaries (I haven’t read this book or anything else by her).

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Yeah I went and checked out the authors Twitter after reading the article and there was a tweet praising Atlas Shrugged very near the top which was amazingly on-brand I thought after reading the article.

Having actually read the book when I was going through an ill-thought out libertarian phase I don't understand how anyone capable of engaging writing themselves can think it's anything other than turgid dross. Feels more like praising it is part of the belief system than anything else.

I wasn't thinking about Ayn Rand (although her presence is no surprise at all). Lets just say that some of the rhetoric must have sounded better in the original German. e.g. "Übermensch" is a much more evocative word than "overman".

I was waiting for the blood and soil stuff but maybe that’s the next issue. I had thought the dork enlightenment stuff had died a death but apparently not.

> I had thought the dork enlightenment stuff had died a death

Gotta put out the rich backer's message to where the audience is receptive. And phrase it to please them (i.e. sound thoughtful)

Yes, exactly. When reading essays like this, a critical thinker should remember “consider the source” and “cui bono?”

> "Übermensch" is a much more evocative word than "overman".

Try "Superman" instead.

I'm not a historian, and I've wondered whether the historical background for the comic (conceived in the early '30s I think?) included some of the racial overtones that were more pervasive at the time. I don't know how influential Darwin and Galton were scientifically at the time, but even if they weren't current in scientific circles (which I kind of doubt), certainly it's hard to ignore that the ideas were "in the water" so to speak.

> and I've wondered whether the historical background for the (Superman) comic included some of the racial overtones that were more pervasive at the time.

Maybe you should look into it some more then

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jan/30/take-that-mr...

https://screenrant.com/superman-secret-hebrew-name-jewish-ka...

https://anfieldindex.com/geek/comics/superman-jewish-hero

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Siegel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Shuster

Thanks for the links! I'll check them out.

These were super interesting, thank you. Do you know if there are any references to them intentionally trying to subvert the Nazi idealism of the Übermensch?

It’s a shibboleth at this point into the club of the ultra selfish.

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