Quiz 1

Q1. What were the difference between 'Greco-Roman' values and 'Judeo-Christian' values according to Nietzsche? Why did he think Christianity was nihilistic in contrast to conventional definitions of nihilism?
According to Nietzsche, the difference between the Greco-Roman’s values and Judeo-Christian Values was in the lifestyle of the two groups, especially when it comes to religious belief.  It was Nietzsche view that the fundamentalist Christianity was not an open minded religion as Greco-Roman paganism mainly due to its involvement in politics, and practicing rituals that were somehow hateful; the early Christians believed that other religions were unholy, and those who practiced these religions had to be converted to Christianity or be killed, and this is one reason that led to the Crusade.  The reason why Nietzsche felt that Christianity was nihilistic in contrast to conventional definitions of nihilism is because the early Christians did not want to associate themselves with the rules and culture of the Romans.  The Christians wanted to create something different from what the Romans had, but still it was something that also had rules that people were supposed to follow.  In a way, the Christians destroyed the Romans’ values to create the Christians’ values, and this was nihilistic.

      

Q2.  Choose one of the Dada artists and explain (interpret) how they depicted social, political, and economic conditions in Germany after the first World War? You can refer to your assignment on this.

John Heartfield was an artist who fought Hitler and his way of life; most of the arts that Heartfield created depicted Hitler as inhumane, evil, a monster, and a distraction to mankind.  Heartfield’s work defined the political, social, and economic conditions of Germany under Hitler as worthlessly, nothing to be proud of.  In terms of politics, Heartfield depict Hitler, who many thought was a savior, as power angry and destroyer.  In terms of economic conditions, he depicted Hitler and his regime as greedy people who only thought of enriching themselves.  Most of the arts that Heartfield produced showed the cruel side of the war and the way of life that the Hitler regime imposed on the people.

Q3.  How does Siddhartha's search to find meaning relate to what was going on in Germany in the 1920s?

Siddhartha search to find meaning relate to what was going on in Germany in the 1920s in a sense that during the 1920s, like Siddhartha, the people of Germany felt that it was not making any sense to believe in the God there were being told to believe in.  The people in Germany witnessed a lot of cruel things happening in their culture, and started asking how God can allow things like the holocaust and the war to take place.  Siddhartha was raised to believe in a higher power, but felt that that was not enough because no one was able to tell him anything that he did not already know.  The war that was going on in Germany made a lot of people to start questioning things they felt did not make sense.
Q4.  What are some of the major psychological themes in either The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari or The Blue Angel?

Dr. Caligari had several psychological themes, and one important or major psychological theme was the power of the unconscious mind.  The all movie was a narration that was taking place in the mind of Francis who was a psychiatric patient of Dr. Caligari.  As the movie kept playing, the narrator convinced the viewers that Dr. Caligari was indeed the murderer, and it was until at the end of the movie when the viewers realized that the narrator was actually a patient, and his depiction of Dr. Caligari as a murderer was untrue.  It is amazing how expressionism achieved its intended goal of bringing to life the director’s goals and objective, especially as far as the roles of the characters are concerned.  The backgrounds and the all set up brought agony, and sadness.  The mind is a powerful too, that can be used for both positive and negative purpose.