#2: The “Nietzschean Supermen” Obsession
eopold became fascinated with Friedrich Nietzsche and interpreted the philosopher’s concept of superior individuals in a dangerously self-serving way. He reportedly believed exceptional people could stand above ordinary moral rules. Loeb was less philosophically committed, but the idea helped rationalize their escalating behavior. Historians caution against blaming Nietzsche for the crime; Leopold’s reading was selective and distorted. Still, the “superman” theory gave reporters irresistible language for two privileged students behaving as though laws were for everybody else.
