Why the Ubermensch is not human and you cannot become an Ubermensch

The Übermensch, a concept that has sparked endless fascination, is often misunderstood. Many imagine it as a goal for humanity—a pinnacle of personal growth and self-mastery. But let me be clear: the Übermensch is not human, and you cannot become one. However, this does not diminish your potential to transform yourself into a higher human being, someone who bridges the gap between humanity and what lies beyond it.

The idea of the Übermensch comes from the realization that humanity is not the endpoint of evolution. Just as humans surpassed apes, something greater will one day surpass us. The Übermensch is this next step, a being that embodies the future of existence, not as a perfected human but as something entirely other. To imagine you could become the Übermensch is to misunderstand its essence. It is not a matter of personal development or achieving greatness within the bounds of humanity—it is a matter of surpassing humanity altogether.

What, then, can you aspire to? You can overcome yourself. You can rise above the complacency of the "last men," those who seek comfort and safety over meaning and greatness. By embracing struggle, creativity, and self-discipline, you can become a higher human being—a bridge to the future. This does not mean abandoning humanity but transcending its limitations while remaining deeply connected to it.

To become a higher human is to cultivate virtues that drive evolution forward. It means breaking free from herd mentality, rejecting the mediocrity that binds so many, and creating new values that inspire others to do the same. Yet even as a higher human, you are not the destination; you are the path. You are a stepping stone toward a reality that neither you nor I can fully comprehend.

Accept this truth: you cannot be the Übermensch, but you can live as if your efforts prepare the way for it. In doing so, you find purpose—not in reaching the ultimate, but in striving to help bring it into being.