The last man is a term used by the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in Thus Spoke Zarathustra to describe the antithesis of his theorized superior being, the Übermensch, whose imminent appearance is heralded by Zarathustra. The last man is the archetypal passive nihilist. He is tired of life, takes no risks, and seeks only comfort and security. Therefore, the last man is unable to build and act upon a self-actualized ethos.
Key Facts
| Subject | Last man |
| Category | Antithesis to the Übermensch in Nietzschean philosophy |
| Reading time | 1 min · Intermediate |
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