Originally posted by: Vic
Nietzsche was wrong. And the manner in which he was wrong has led to generations of immature and uneducated interpretations about the nature and understanding of religion and faith, and an overall weakening of philosophy. He, Kant, and Hegel pretty much killed philosophy, which IMO is one reason why people feel so empty inside today.
How do you know that people feel so empty inside today? Are you certain that you can't find large numbers of atheists and secular people who are perfectly happy and who feel fulfilled? Also, is it possible that much of the alleged emptyness might come from external factors such as the difficulty of maintaining a middle class lifestyle in today's United States (65 hour work weeks, no time for family, etc.).
It's also very possible that some of the people just had the wrong philosophy and should discover a better philosophy. For example, I've known people who were raised to be religious and who ended up carrying all sorts of poisonous religious baggage and philosophy with them even after they claimed to have become atheists. So, in a sense, it might very well be the poison of the religion that makes them feel empty inside. I suggest that they consider a different philosophy, one based on the notion that reality is objective in nature, that reason is man's means of knowledge, and that pursuing one's own life is the good. I might put it this way:
"There is a philosophy out there that is completely different from anything else that you've ever heard. If you're interested, read
The Fountainhead and
Atlas Shrugged.