The overman will be non-dogmatic. What does this term mean? More than
just a free spirit, the non-dogmatic individual will be something "higher, greater, and thoroughly different that does not want to be misunderstood and mistaken for something else." (BGE, 44) The overman will not hold a dogmatism about truth—that is, he will not embrace the "will to truth." Nietzsche asks why value truth over progress: "why not rather untruth?
and uncertainty? even ignorance?" (BGE, 1) Of course, an obvious answer to these questions is that you are often worse off having been deceived. But doesn't untruth sometimes benefit, too? When one stands for an unconditional pursuit of truth, one is standing on faith that truth is better than untruth. This faith the overman will reject. Consider Kima's going to Deputy Commissioner Daniels about McNulty
and Lester. One possible explanation of her decision is that, all things considered, she believes that deception weakens the police department and that more criminals will be caught and convicted if police officers like McNulty are run off the force. If this were her reasoning, then she would be a rule-utilitarian, having judged that better consequences result from adhering to truth. A better explanation of her decision, I think, is that she adopts an
absolutist position about truth. When McNulty initially tells her about what he has done, she says, "You can't do this." ("Clarifications, Season 5) Later, after she further expresses resistance, he reminds her that his scheme has resulted in Marlo's arrest. There's no doubt about what she thinks of that rationale: "Fuck Marlo," she says. "Fuck you." ("Late Editions," Season 5) Marlo ends up walking. McNulty and Lester end up leaving the police
force, since they would never again be able to do real police work. The streets of Baltimore are less safe as a result of Kima's decision. She knows this, even as she does what she does. And McNulty recognizes why she did what she did. "Detective," he says at his and Lester's "wake," "if you think it needed doing, I guess it did." ("30," Season 5) Kima's so committed to preserving the truth that she knowingly sets into
motion a process that ends in Marlo's freedom. The overman rejects this absolutist position. He will be what Nietzsche calls an "attempter," a person who exercises a kind of skepticism that "despises and nevertheless seizes," "undermines and takes possession," "does not believe but does not lose itself in the process," "gives the spirit dangerous freedom, but […] is severe on the heart." (BGE, 209) This skepticism gives the free spirit its freedom. What is important is not truth, taken in isolation, but species-enhancement and individual-preservation. Truth is important only insofar as it helps us achieve these Is Omar non-dogmatic about truth? Omar, Brandon, and Bailey are planning to rob an Eastside gang of their
drugs. Omar explains that as he will come through the street, the dealers will run to the alley, where Brandon and Bailey will be waiting. "Rats always run to holes in times of danger," he says. Brandon smiles. "And you him, ain't you? … Danger." Omar replies, "Naw, man, I'm just a nigga with a plan, that's all." "And a shotgun," adds Bailey. ("The Pager," Season 1) Omar is danger. The reason is that he uses truth as a tool, and doesn't
value it unconditionally. For example, he has no qualms about lying under oath in the William Gant murder trial about seeing Bird pull the trigger. In this instance not telling the truth achieves more, especially since Omar knows that Bird committed the killing. In the same trial Omar exploits the reluctance of others to face the uncomfortable truth. When Levy, the attorney, says that Omar is immoral, and is "feeding off the violence and despair of the drug trade," "stealing from those who themselves are stealing the lifeblood of our city" and is "a parasite who leeches off the drug culture," Omar responds by saying, "Just like you man […] I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. It's all in the game though, right?" ("All Prologue," Season 2) Omar also capitalizes on the will to truth found in others. After he has
been set up by Marlo for the death of a "taxpayer," he asks Bunk for help. Bunk says that even if he has been set up for this job, there are plenty more that he did do for which he should be punished. But Omar sees through this posturing: "You think on this … Now if Omar didn't kill that delivery lady, somebody else did. But you giving 'em a free walk right now, ain't you?" ("Unto Others," Season 4) Omar generally rejects the unconditional pursuit of truth. Every once in
awhile, however, we see him backslide here too, rejecting moments of advantage because of a lingering embrace of truth for truth's sake. This is seen most clearly in his relationship to Brother Mouzone. Stringer has led Omar to believe that Brother Mouzone was responsible for the torture and death of Brandon, so Omar tracks the Brother down at a motel and shoots him in the abdomen. As Omar stands above him, ready to finish him off, he reminds Brother Mouzone of the person whose death he is avenging. The Brother responds, "You got some wrong information." Omar says, "Man, you lying to live." "I am at peace with my god," the Brother says. "Do what you will." ("Bad Dreams," Season 2) Omar realizes that the Brother has no motivation to lie. It's clear that he
had nothing to do with Brandon's death. At this point Omar the killer would have no apparent reason to let Brother Mouzone live, unless his only reason to kill him was his belief that the Brother had killed Brandon. Once he discovers the truth, he lets the Brother live, even calling for an ambulance. Why then would a non-dogmatist about truth make such a decision? It
would have been much easier for Omar to have finished the job. Surely Omar realizes that when Brother Mouzone recovers, he will be seeking some kind of repayment for the injury. Is this an instance of Omar's relapsing, becoming a fettered spirit—fettered by a dogmatism about truth? It's hard to say, but here is one reason to think that Omar is still
displaying a non-dogmatism about truth. Brother Mouzone will likely seek vengeance from someone. It might be Omar, it might also be whoever gave Omar the "wrong information"—that is, the person who set the Brother up. It's possible that Omar is forward-looking enough to see the day when the two of them will be allied under one cause. We can see that Omar isn't always so ready to let people go, however. He
finds Savino outside a club, knowing that he's one of Marlo's muscle, and suspecting that he was present at Butchie's death. Savino says that he wasn't there. Omar replies, "So you innocent, huh?" Savino nods. "Let me ask you something though. Being that you muscle for Marlo, what you was gonna do if you was there, huh? Riddle me that." Savino gives no response. Omar pauses, and seems to be considering letting Savino go, as he had with Brother Mouzone. After a moment, though, he says, , "You know what, yo?" and shoots Savino in the head. ("Took," Season 5) This is in stark contrast to how he handled Brother Mouzone and suggests
that he is a non-dogmatist after all.