Arguing (and agreeing) With Nietzsche

Friedrich N is one of those guys whom people quote.  There is a bushel of oft quoted people.  I often find it annoying, truth be told.  The one that really gets me is, "Someone once said...".  No kidding.
Someone once said, "I like to go to the store."

Geez, someone once said almost anything.  That someone could have been me.  I could say, "Nietzsche wasn't entirely correct in his assessment of human behavior", then hide behind the "Someone once said" motif.  Takes the heat off me, and I can pretend to be as mad at "someone" as you are, should you not like what I/they said.  So watch out for paths of the socio or psycho variety when it comes to the "someone said" game.  It may all be a trick.

The thing about Fred is he is quoted as saying "Man is the cruelest animal".  Of course there are pure dumbasses in positions of academic power and authority, today, who probably bristle at the word "man" being used in the universal human experience sense.  Or they would say even the Nietz knew how awful men are.  Seriously the fake attempts to level all of life's challenges and opportunities has devolved for many years into a form of dadaism.

So screw it.  I will address the quote as written.  I will probably not split things up by gender, race, perceived sex or race, or any possible variation of condition of birth, real or imagined.

My thought was, maybe that is true.  But cats of all types can be pretty rough on squirrels, birds, mice and the like.   The game of cat and mouse can often go on for awhile.  The cat bats the prey around, then makes it think there may be hope, then bats it some more.  They keep doing that, giving the prey hope, then violently mocking them for it.

But humans have done some brutal stuff no question.   The trouble is, man is the kindest animal as well.  That statement is equally true.   Although I doubt any species has more members who hate themselves and others of their kind the way many humans do.   It is very hip in many circles.
I would say a certain ilk of white liberal takes the cake on glorifying hatred of humanity.  In a totally self righteous, somewhat removed way.  As if they too aren't human white devils.

But still, humans are absolutely the kindest creatures on earth.  You can find tons of aberrant humans who are in no way kind.  That does not change the fact that no other animals include so many individuals who step up to rescue their fellows in time of need.  It is a shame that both extremes are in our potential.

It's always hipper to take the cynical view, "we're the cruelest bastards of all life forms ever!", rather than the optimistic one.  When you see events like the NYC boat lift of 9/11/2001, it is clear no other creature would find such numbers of people risking, giving, doing everything to save other humans.

So, I agree that man is cruelest, but I submit that (universal) he is also the kindest.  And the most academically confused.  See the saga of what's his/her name Manning and Harvard.

Fads and nonsense rule much.  Peer acceptance is behind at least 83.5% of all people in demonstrations, marches and other activities in which mobs pretend to be serious aBout some issue, or non-issue.  They won't admit it of course.  Following the groups helps them be considered smart. Parroting talking points and propaganda wins tons of points.

Humans are the most self destructive creatures around, as far as I know.  Of course, not all are.  Just enough to rouse the rabble.   And oh, does the rabble love rousing.