Heidegger's overall philosophical project is one of deconstructing the Western metaphysical tradition of calculative thinking that objectifies beings and transforms all forms of existence into resources to gain mastery over the earth.
His politics is based on a Volk rooted in its own earth that can summon the historical energy necessary for embracing and transforming its own destiny. The German destiny, which is based on the notion of a singularly German form of rootedness in the earth, is a response to the historical crisis of Europe and modernity.It combats both the rootlessness of Weimar culture and the rootlessness and forgetfulness of being inherent in the entire Western metaphysical tradition.
This is seen as a Nietzschean counter-movement to the nihilism and vulgarization of modern life (liberal democracy, technical-rational dominion, mass consciousness, the rootlessness of urban life). Only a Volk committed to its roots could provide a bulwark against the forces of nihilism and reawaken the power of philosophy.
Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at March 22, 2005 11:57 PM | TrackBack