New Man (utopian concept)
Encyclopedia
The New Man is a utopia
n concept that involves the creation of a new ideal human being or citizen replacing un-ideal human beings or citizens. The concept of a New Man has widely variated in propositions of what a New Man would be and has been promoted by a variety of religions and politicial ideologies, including communism
, liberalism
, fascism
, and utopian socialism
.
both as the fallen "Old Adam" and a "New Adam" as referring collectively to the fallen Old Man of humanity and a ressurected New Man following Jesus
.
's concept of an Übermensch
("Superman") was that of a New Man who would be a leader by example to humanity through an existentialist
will to power
that was vitalist
and irrationalist in nature. Nietzsche developed the concept in response to his view of the herd mentality
of Christianity as a faith. Nietzsche did not attack the teachings and examples of Jesus
, but claimed that the Christian faith forced people merely to believe in the way of Jesus, but not to act as Jesus did, in particular Jesus' example of refusing to judge people that Nietzsche claimed Christians had deliberately done the opposite of this.
and William Godwin
believed that the spread of liberalism in France
and the United States
constituted the birth of a New Man and a new era.
such as Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier
and Robert Owen
saw a future Golden Age
led by a New Man who would reconstruct society.
supports the creation of a New Man in a communist society following the values of a non-essential nature of the state and the importance of work for the affirmation of a person's humanity.
supports the creation of a New Man who is a figure of action, violence, masculinity
, committed be be a component of a disciplined mass that has shorn itself of individualism
.
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n concept that involves the creation of a new ideal human being or citizen replacing un-ideal human beings or citizens. The concept of a New Man has widely variated in propositions of what a New Man would be and has been promoted by a variety of religions and politicial ideologies, including communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
, and utopian socialism
Utopian socialism
Utopian socialism is a term used to define the first currents of modern socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, and Robert Owen which inspired Karl Marx and other early socialists and were looked on favorably...
.
Christian New Man
The doctrines of Paul the Apostle speak of AdamAdam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
both as the fallen "Old Adam" and a "New Adam" as referring collectively to the fallen Old Man of humanity and a ressurected New Man following Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
.
Nietzschean Übermensch
Philosopher Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
's concept of an Übermensch
Übermensch
The Übermensch is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche posited the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra ....
("Superman") was that of a New Man who would be a leader by example to humanity through an existentialist
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
will to power
Will to power
The will to power is widely seen as a prominent concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. The will to power describes what Nietzsche may have believed to be the main driving force in man; achievement, ambition, the striving to reach the highest possible position in life; these are all...
that was vitalist
Vitalism
Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is#a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from biochemical reactions...
and irrationalist in nature. Nietzsche developed the concept in response to his view of the herd mentality
Herd mentality
Herd mentality describes how people are influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors, follow trends, and/or purchase items. Examples of the herd mentality include stock market trends, fashions in apparel, cars, taste in music, home décor, etc...
of Christianity as a faith. Nietzsche did not attack the teachings and examples of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, but claimed that the Christian faith forced people merely to believe in the way of Jesus, but not to act as Jesus did, in particular Jesus' example of refusing to judge people that Nietzsche claimed Christians had deliberately done the opposite of this.
Liberal New Man
Thomas PaineThomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
and William Godwin
William Godwin
William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism, and the first modern proponent of anarchism...
believed that the spread of liberalism in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
constituted the birth of a New Man and a new era.
Utopian Socialist New Man
Utopian socialistsUtopian socialism
Utopian socialism is a term used to define the first currents of modern socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, and Robert Owen which inspired Karl Marx and other early socialists and were looked on favorably...
such as Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier
Charles Fourier
François Marie Charles Fourier was a French philosopher. An influential thinker, some of Fourier's social and moral views, held to be radical in his lifetime, have become main currents in modern society...
and Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
saw a future Golden Age
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology and legend and refers to the first in a sequence of four or five Ages of Man, in which the Golden Age is first, followed in sequence, by the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, and then the present, a period of decline...
led by a New Man who would reconstruct society.
Communist New Man
MarxismMarxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
supports the creation of a New Man in a communist society following the values of a non-essential nature of the state and the importance of work for the affirmation of a person's humanity.
Fascist New Man
FascismFascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
supports the creation of a New Man who is a figure of action, violence, masculinity
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
, committed be be a component of a disciplined mass that has shorn itself of individualism
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
.