| Sumario: | Nietzsche in his famous section on the "madman" in The Gay Science, announced an event which he called "the death of God." This event involves not only a movement away from religion but also a movement away from traditional values. It is the beginning of an age where the major question is the overcoming of 'nihilism'. This paper wishes to examine this announcement by focusing upon its listeners, not only the people in the marketplace who 'didn't believe in God', but also the academics who read Nietzsche. What does it mean to accept the death of God? What does it mean to accept the movement beyond traditional values and metaphysics? And most importantly, what of the people outside of the marketplace and the academic orbit whom Nietzsche is addressing? If Nietzsche wishes to revaluate all values, is this meaningful to the majority of the population of the world who still struggle to preserve their values and spirituality? This paper wishes to examine Nietzsche both inside and outside of his intended audience.
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