Nietzsche & Nihilism handout on Ernst Jnger (1895-

1998)
The Worker: Domination and Form (1932): attempts to make a new reality accessible, where
its less about new thoughts or a new system (Foreword)
the ways an! means o" how the workers "orm #$ metaphysical power %113& $ source o" gi'ing
sense %1()&* begins to penetrate the worl! are the total character o" work (99), which is a new
an! particular will to power (+,)
-echnology is the symbol o" the workers "orm (+2)
.n or!er to possess an e""ecti'e relation to technology, one must be something more than a
technician (1(9)
-echnology is the ways an! means in which the workers "orm mobili/es the worl! (10,)
-echnology, as mobili/ation o" the worl! through the workers "orm, is the !estroyer o" e'ery
"aith in general, an! thus also the most !ecisi'e anti12hristian power that has appeare! up to
now (10()
3omination is to!ay possible as the representation o" the workers "orm, which lays claim to
planetary 'ali!ity (192)
On/over/across the Line (1901) is a !iagnosis o" our con!ition o" the line 4 the /ero1point,
or /ero1meri!ian 4 ie, nihilism ($ the basic power $ the workers "orm $ where
humanitys princely appearance is missing #1,*)5 an! how to cross the line towar! the new
basic 'alue (31)
6 goo! !e"inition o" nihilism coul! be compare! with making a carcinogen 'isible .t woul!
not mean the cure, but rather probably its presupposition, inso"ar as humans in general contribute
to it .ts a matter o" a process that goes "ar beyon! history (11)
7ihilistic currents are primarily characteri/e! by re!uction #eg, -8 9liots The Wasteland*,
in which e:cess !ries up: humanity "eels itsel" as e:ploite! in multiple, an! not only economic,
relations; which !oes not preclu!e the re!uction "rom being boun! together "or long stretches
with a growing !e'elopment o" power an! cogency (22")
-he whole is in play; .ts about the planet in general (2))
-here can be no !oubt that our constant stock #ie, persons, works, an! e<uipment* as a whole
has mo'e! o'er the critical line -hus !angers an! security are change! (3,")
-he moment in which the line is passe! brings beings turning towar! us anew5 thus begins the
shimmering o" what really is (32)
-he #will to* -otal =obili/ation has reache! a stage much more threatening than the earlier one
7aturally, the >erman is no longer its sub?ect, an! thus the !anger grows that he will be
concei'e! as its ob?ect (3@)
Please note: 6ll these concepts ("orm, type, organic construction, total) are there "or concei'ing
-hey !ont matter to us -hey may be summarily "orgotten or set !own a"ter they ha'e been
use! as tools in working to grasp a particular reality that subsists !espite an! beyon! e'ery
concept5 the rea!er must look through the !escription as through an optical system (29@)
Aei!egger (19391(,) on BCngers The Worker: .t has weight because it, in a manner !i""erent
"rom #the 1922 Decline of the West by Dswal!* 8pengler, achie'es what up to now all 7iet/sche
literature coul! not 4 to communicate an e:perience o" beings an! how they are in the light o"
7iet/sches pro?ection o" beings as will to power #an! Eachie'es the !escription o" 9uropean
nihilism in its phase a"ter the "irst Forl! Far* .n so !oing, 7iet/sches metaphysics is naturally
in no way concei'e! thought"ully an! the ways towar! this are not once shown5 rather the
opposite: this metaphysics becomes, instea! o" <uestion1worthy, sel"1e'i!ent an! apparently
super"luous
Aei!egger (1900) to BCnger: =y eluci!ation attempts to meet your me!ical !iagnosis in the
mi!!le Gou peer o'er an! cross the line . ?ust "irst look at the line you'e re1presente! -he
one ai!s the other reciprocally in the e:tent an! clarity o" e:periencing