By Samuel Damren
This is the final commentary in a series examining the relevance of Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy to present day America.
The prior commentary focused on “Master Morality” and “Slave Morality” in the context of societal governance. As imposed by nobles on the oppressed, Master Morality extolled the many virtues of the powerful, including for truthfulness, and denigrated the lower classes. Slave Morality inverted those moral values (the oppressed are “Good” and rulers “Evil”).
In Nietzsche’s view, the struggle between these “opposites” could only resolve when Kings were overthrown. He observed that “at the end of this tremendous process we discover that the ripest fruit is the sovereign individual … in short, the emancipated individual” that is “master” of his own “free will.”
This commentary focuses on the struggle between “individual free will” and what Nietzsche termed the “herd conscience.”
Accompanying the overthrow of Kings, Nietzsche foresaw risk: “Was that the end of it? Had the greatest of all conflicts of ideals been disposed of for all time? Or only adjourned … must the ancient fire not someday flare up much more terribly?”
His caution was that “sovereign individuals” not allow their “freedom of individual conscience” to be replaced at some time in the future with a “herd conscience” and consequently subjugated to another master.
When Master Morality was overthrown at the level of societal governance, it was not eliminated from other levels of social organization. Masquerading in the guise of blind faith, unswerving allegiance and strict obedience, Master Morality continued its aggressive virility in other forms through the beliefs of often disparate religious, social and political groups.
In present day America, Donald Trump’s authoritarian initiatives embraced by MAGA Republicans signal a “flare up” of the “ancient fire” of Master Morality and the rule of Kings.
Within their realms, Kings determine the “truth” of everything that they choose to decide. Once determined, the King’s subjects have a choice to either acknowledge and abide by the King’s “truth” no matter the facts or risk punishment, including “losing their heads.”
Donald Trump sees himself in a similar exalted position in declaring “truths” to MAGA America and his political vassals. Or, put in other words and as he lectured the UN General Assembly, “Trump is always right about everything.” Some recent examples:
• Trump fires prosecutors who, in exercising independent judgment as they are ethically required, find no probable cause to indict political adversaries that Trump claims without citing evidence are “guilty as hell.”
• Trump disparages and attacks judges whose independent fact-finding in the courtroom runs contrary to the Trump narrative of “truth” outside the courtroom. He would fire them if he could.
• More disturbing are Trump’s forays into “scientific truths” for which he lacks a shred of basic understanding. In his previous term, he suggested “injecting bleach” into COVID patients and took on hurricane forecasting with a Sharpie. In 2025, Trump doubled down by appointing a man with no medical expertise who spouts crank conspiracy theories as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
• Based on 2020 video from Fox News, Trump asserts in the present day that “Portland is burning” (when it is not) as justification for ordering military troops patrol the city to quell violent civil disturbances (which are not occurring).
• Trump says his birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein is a forgery when everyone recognizes the signature and recognizes that the wording reflects phrases Trump repeatedly employs.
No one in the Republican Party calls him out on these obvious falsehoods. Why? Nietzsche can tell you why. It is because they have subjugated freedom of individual conscience to the re-imposition of Master Morality by a president who increasingly behaves as King.
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Samuel Damren is a retired Detroit lawyer and author of “What Justice Looks Like.”
This is the final commentary in a series examining the relevance of Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy to present day America.
The prior commentary focused on “Master Morality” and “Slave Morality” in the context of societal governance. As imposed by nobles on the oppressed, Master Morality extolled the many virtues of the powerful, including for truthfulness, and denigrated the lower classes. Slave Morality inverted those moral values (the oppressed are “Good” and rulers “Evil”).
In Nietzsche’s view, the struggle between these “opposites” could only resolve when Kings were overthrown. He observed that “at the end of this tremendous process we discover that the ripest fruit is the sovereign individual … in short, the emancipated individual” that is “master” of his own “free will.”
This commentary focuses on the struggle between “individual free will” and what Nietzsche termed the “herd conscience.”
Accompanying the overthrow of Kings, Nietzsche foresaw risk: “Was that the end of it? Had the greatest of all conflicts of ideals been disposed of for all time? Or only adjourned … must the ancient fire not someday flare up much more terribly?”
His caution was that “sovereign individuals” not allow their “freedom of individual conscience” to be replaced at some time in the future with a “herd conscience” and consequently subjugated to another master.
When Master Morality was overthrown at the level of societal governance, it was not eliminated from other levels of social organization. Masquerading in the guise of blind faith, unswerving allegiance and strict obedience, Master Morality continued its aggressive virility in other forms through the beliefs of often disparate religious, social and political groups.
In present day America, Donald Trump’s authoritarian initiatives embraced by MAGA Republicans signal a “flare up” of the “ancient fire” of Master Morality and the rule of Kings.
Within their realms, Kings determine the “truth” of everything that they choose to decide. Once determined, the King’s subjects have a choice to either acknowledge and abide by the King’s “truth” no matter the facts or risk punishment, including “losing their heads.”
Donald Trump sees himself in a similar exalted position in declaring “truths” to MAGA America and his political vassals. Or, put in other words and as he lectured the UN General Assembly, “Trump is always right about everything.” Some recent examples:
• Trump fires prosecutors who, in exercising independent judgment as they are ethically required, find no probable cause to indict political adversaries that Trump claims without citing evidence are “guilty as hell.”
• Trump disparages and attacks judges whose independent fact-finding in the courtroom runs contrary to the Trump narrative of “truth” outside the courtroom. He would fire them if he could.
• More disturbing are Trump’s forays into “scientific truths” for which he lacks a shred of basic understanding. In his previous term, he suggested “injecting bleach” into COVID patients and took on hurricane forecasting with a Sharpie. In 2025, Trump doubled down by appointing a man with no medical expertise who spouts crank conspiracy theories as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
• Based on 2020 video from Fox News, Trump asserts in the present day that “Portland is burning” (when it is not) as justification for ordering military troops patrol the city to quell violent civil disturbances (which are not occurring).
• Trump says his birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein is a forgery when everyone recognizes the signature and recognizes that the wording reflects phrases Trump repeatedly employs.
No one in the Republican Party calls him out on these obvious falsehoods. Why? Nietzsche can tell you why. It is because they have subjugated freedom of individual conscience to the re-imposition of Master Morality by a president who increasingly behaves as King.
————————
Samuel Damren is a retired Detroit lawyer and author of “What Justice Looks Like.”
