Will to power: Nietzsche’s concept of the “Will to Power” vs Alfred Adler’s insight that Nietzsche’s

Compare Nietzsche’s concept of the “Will to Power” with Alfred Adler’s insight that Nietzsche’s “Will to Power” is not essential to human nature, but is, in fact, a neurotic pattern of behavior based on a “fictional goal” created by the individual in order to cope with the demands of society.

From what I think I understand of Nietzsche’s concept of “Will to Power”, it is basically an individual’s motivation to strive for the best possible things in life. The “will” being motivation or action to do, and the “power” being those best possible things. The “power” is defined as the best possible thing in life because, loosely speaking, power is the essential part. Any person with any amount of power is able to more easily obtain other things they define as the best possible thing for them. To have these things means you have power, as that is what it took to get it.

Alfred Adler’s take on “Will to Power” somewhat has a point because people do what they have to do to meet society’s demands. I am not sure yet if I agree or disagree that it is not essential to human nature, but I do believe it is essential, though not to everyone. As for it being a “fictional goal”, I am not sure what I think about that. I can see how a goal might be fictional to someone else observing a person trying to obtain said goal, but that does not mean it is fictional overall. I think that is more subjective. Society has many demands for many people, some just choose to not make it a mission to live up to those demands so this is how they may see it as fictional, to see someone else trying to live up to it.