Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-05
Superminds.

Men have always worShiped great
history make much of heroes, the frs
type of supermen. These heroes were
godlike in appearance and power. and
we're held to be part human, part
divine. This stage of civilization has
been called the heroic age" Hercules
is the type of the physical superman
and his labors tell of the conquest OF
the terrors of the earth to prepare for
mans occupation. Giants represent
another variety of supermen. Heroes
and giants alike belong to the age OF
myth and fable, like the dragons which
they slew. They survive i'll the fairy
tale stage of human interest and in the
sagas of ancient days. Thus men
dream of power beyond their reach and
dramatic their dreams.
The age of magic, overlapping the
age of heroes, approaches the super
mind; not strength, but cunning or
mystic power now prevails. Goliath Is
the superman, but David is the super
mind. Jack the Giant Killer remains a
popular tale. The fairies likewise rule
by virtue of powers more akin 10 those
of mind. They confer supervision, OF
invisibility or instant transport. an
Initiating time and space; they protecr
from harm.
Charms to bring good luck and to
open sealed doors, and amulets to ward
Off demons and drive i'll luck away, are
powers superior to mere brute strength:
Magic potions require knowledge OF
secret arts the medicine man ana the
fortune teller and the augur and
prophet are all approximations 10 the
supermind that can TRANSCEND Tie
ordinary human limitations.
Yet these are all in the nature OF
dreams. which Freud interprets as IN
fulfilled desires. We pay or compen-
safe ourselves by dreaming of what we
cannot accomplish in fact. The magic
lamp or magic carpet are similar de-
vices. to give a touch OF realism 20
dream wishes.
When men ceased to dream and BE-
gan to explore and experiment. 10 see
how they could increase their powers
they didn't abandon the dream or myth
stage of procedure. They sought the
nhilosopher's stone, or the secret 1or-
mula to convert baser metals into golu'
ar the fountain of youth or the ellxl:
of life-aIl with a partial conVlctlcn
that these superhuman powers realiV
existed and could be obtained II only
one knew how and where to seek.
Similarly, in early history. actual
men we're raised to superhumsn sta
t,Ire Kings were glorified, and when
they died became gods. The great on
earth became still greater as myth; IN
the form of tradition, glorified their
exploits, AS late as Roman days the
real Caesar and Caesar the superman
and supermind survived together; ana
hero worship took on its modern form,
tvpically in the case of Napoleon.
The supermind is a much later con-
ception and arises from scientific
view of the possibilities of expansion
of human power through cultivation
and exceptional gifts. 1t has also, and
even more prominently, a social origin.
1t entered into modern thought by way
Of Nietsche. German philosopher OF the
nineteenth century, who popularlzed the
notion of Superman.
He has been called the mad phlloS-
opher, alike for his extravaganza OF
manner and statement, and the years
spent in an asylum for the insane; but
his philosophy is not that of mad
man, since it is reflective view OF the
career of humanity on grand scale.
He concludes that all the real work
of the world has been done by Supermen
who rise superior to ordinary limita-
tons and obligations as we'll He glori-
fies the superman and belittles the or
binary man. The master must have
his slaves and master morality is of
one order, slave morality OF another.