Reading Help Beyond good and evil
new; we hear strange music badly. When we hear another language `
` spoken, we involuntarily attempt to form the sounds into words `
` with which we are more familiar and conversant--it was thus, for `
` example, that the Germans modified the spoken word ARCUBALISTA `
` into ARMBRUST (cross-bow). Our senses are also hostile and averse `
` to the new; and generally, even in the "simplest" processes of `
` sensation, the emotions DOMINATE--such as fear, love, hatred, and `
` the passive emotion of indolence.--As little as a reader nowadays `
` reads all the single words (not to speak of syllables) of a page `
` --he rather takes about five out of every twenty words at random, `
` and "guesses" the probably appropriate sense to them--just as `
` little do we see a tree correctly and completely in respect to `
` its leaves, branches, colour, and shape; we find it so much `
` easier to fancy the chance of a tree. Even in the midst of the `
` most remarkable experiences, we still do just the same; we `
` fabricate the greater part of the experience, and can hardly be `
` made to contemplate any event, EXCEPT as "inventors" thereof. All `
` this goes to prove that from our fundamental nature and from `
` remote ages we have been--ACCUSTOMED TO LYING. Or, to express it `
` more politely and hypocritically, in short, more pleasantly--one `
` is much more of an artist than one is aware of.--In an animated `
` conversation, I often see the face of the person with whom I am `
` speaking so clearly and sharply defined before me, according to `
` the thought he expresses, or which I believe to be evoked in his `
` mind, that the degree of distinctness far exceeds the STRENGTH of `
` my visual faculty--the delicacy of the play of the muscles and of `
` the expression of the eyes MUST therefore be imagined by me. `
` Probably the person put on quite a different expression, or none `
` at all. `
` `
` 193. Quidquid luce fuit, tenebris agit: but also contrariwise. `
` What we experience in dreams, provided we experience it often, `
` pertains at last just as much to the general belongings of our `
` soul as anything "actually" experienced; by virtue thereof we are `
` richer or poorer, we have a requirement more or less, and `
` finally, in broad daylight, and even in the brightest moments of `
` our waking life, we are ruled to some extent by the nature of our `
` dreams. Supposing that someone has often flown in his dreams, and `
` that at last, as soon as he dreams, he is conscious of the power `
` and art of flying as his privilege and his peculiarly enviable `
` happiness; such a person, who believes that on the slightest `
` impulse, he can actualize all sorts of curves and angles, who `
` knows the sensation of a certain divine levity, an "upwards" `
` without effort or constraint, a "downwards" without descending or `
` lowering--without TROUBLE!--how could the man with such dream- `
` experiences and dream-habits fail to find "happiness" differently `
` coloured and defined, even in his waking hours! How could he `
` fail--to long DIFFERENTLY for happiness? "Flight," such as is `
` described by poets, must, when compared with his own "flying," be `
` far too earthly, muscular, violent, far too "troublesome" for `
` him. `
` `
` 194. The difference among men does not manifest itself only in `
` the difference of their lists of desirable things--in their `
` regarding different good things as worth striving for, and being `
` disagreed as to the greater or less value, the order of rank, of `
` the commonly recognized desirable things:--it manifests itself `
` much more in what they regard as actually HAVING and POSSESSING a `
` desirable thing. As regards a woman, for instance, the control `
` over her body and her sexual gratification serves as an amply `
` sufficient sign of ownership and possession to the more modest `
` man; another with a more suspicious and ambitious thirst for `
` possession, sees the "questionableness," the mere apparentness of `
` such ownership, and wishes to have finer tests in order to know `
` especially whether the woman not only gives herself to him, but `
` also gives up for his sake what she has or would like to have-- `
` only THEN does he look upon her as "possessed." A third, however, `
` has not even here got to the limit of his distrust and his desire `
` for possession: he asks himself whether the woman, when she gives `
` up everything for him, does not perhaps do so for a phantom of `
` him; he wishes first to be thoroughly, indeed, profoundly well `
` known; in order to be loved at all he ventures to let himself be `
` found out. Only then does he feel the beloved one fully in his `
` possession, when she no longer deceives herself about him, when `
` she loves him just as much for the sake of his devilry and `
` concealed insatiability, as for his goodness, patience, and `
` spirituality. One man would like to possess a nation, and he `
` finds all the higher arts of Cagliostro and Catalina suitable for `
` his purpose. Another, with a more refined thirst for possession, `
` says to himself: "One may not deceive where one desires to `
` possess"--he is irritated and impatient at the idea that a mask `
` of him should rule in the hearts of the people: "I must, `
` therefore, MAKE myself known, and first of all learn to know `
` myself!" Among helpful and charitable people, one almost always `
` finds the awkward craftiness which first gets up suitably him who `
` has to be helped, as though, for instance, he should "merit" `
` help, seek just THEIR help, and would show himself deeply `
` grateful, attached, and subservient to them for all help. With `
` these conceits, they take control of the needy as a property, `
` just as in general they are charitable and helpful out of a `
` desire for property. One finds them jealous when they are crossed `
` or forestalled in their charity. Parents involuntarily make `
` something like themselves out of their children--they call that `
` "education"; no mother doubts at the bottom of her heart that the `
` child she has borne is thereby her property, no father hesitates `
` about his right to HIS OWN ideas and notions of worth. Indeed, in `
` former times fathers deemed it right to use their discretion `
` concerning the life or death of the newly born (as among the `
` ancient Germans). And like the father, so also do the teacher, `
` the class, the priest, and the prince still see in every new `
` individual an unobjectionable opportunity for a new possession. `
` The consequence is . . . `
` `
` 195. The Jews--a people "born for slavery," as Tacitus and the `
` whole ancient world say of them; "the chosen people among the `
` nations," as they themselves say and believe--the Jews performed `
` the miracle of the inversion of valuations, by means of which `
` life on earth obtained a new and dangerous charm for a couple of `
` millenniums. Their prophets fused into one the expressions `
` "rich," "godless," "wicked," "violent," "sensual," and for the `
` first time coined the word "world" as a term of reproach. In this `
` inversion of valuations (in which is also included the use of the `
` word "poor" as synonymous with "saint" and "friend") the `
` significance of the Jewish people is to be found; it is with THEM `
` that the SLAVE-INSURRECTION IN MORALS commences. `
` `
` 196. It is to be INFERRED that there are countless dark bodies `
` near the sun--such as we shall never see. Among ourselves, this `
` is an allegory; and the psychologist of morals reads the whole `
` star-writing merely as an allegorical and symbolic language in `
` which much may be unexpressed. `
` `
` 197. The beast of prey and the man of prey (for instance, Caesar `
` Borgia) are fundamentally misunderstood, "nature" is `
` misunderstood, so long as one seeks a "morbidness" in the `
` constitution of these healthiest of all tropical monsters and `
` growths, or even an innate "hell" in them--as almost all `
` moralists have done hitherto. Does it not seem that there is a `
` hatred of the virgin forest and of the tropics among moralists? `
` And that the "tropical man" must be discredited at all costs, `
` whether as disease and deterioration of mankind, or as his own `
` hell and self-torture? And why? In favour of the "temperate `
` zones"? In favour of the temperate men? The "moral"? The `
` mediocre?--This for the chapter: "Morals as Timidity." `
` `
` 198. All the systems of morals which address themselves with a `
` view to their "happiness," as it is called--what else are they `
` but suggestions for behaviour adapted to the degree of DANGER `
` from themselves in which the individuals live; recipes for their `
` passions, their good and bad propensities, insofar as such have `
` the Will to Power and would like to play the master; small and `
` great expediencies and elaborations, permeated with the musty `
` odour of old family medicines and old-wife wisdom; all of them `
` grotesque and absurd in their form--because they address `
` themselves to "all," because they generalize where generalization `
` is not authorized; all of them speaking unconditionally, and `
` taking themselves unconditionally; all of them flavoured not `
` merely with one grain of salt, but rather endurable only, and `
` sometimes even seductive, when they are over-spiced and begin to `
` smell dangerously, especially of "the other world." That is all `
` of little value when estimated intellectually, and is far from `
` being "science," much less "wisdom"; but, repeated once more, and `
` three times repeated, it is expediency, expediency, expediency, `
` mixed with stupidity, stupidity, stupidity--whether it be the `
` indifference and statuesque coldness towards the heated folly of `
` the emotions, which the Stoics advised and fostered; or the no- `
` more-laughing and no-more-weeping of Spinoza, the destruction of `
` the emotions by their analysis and vivisection, which he `
` recommended so naively; or the lowering of the emotions to an `
` innocent mean at which they may be satisfied, the Aristotelianism `
` of morals; or even morality as the enjoyment of the emotions in a `
` voluntary attenuation and spiritualization by the symbolism of `
` art, perhaps as music, or as love of God, and of mankind for `
` God's sake--for in religion the passions are once more `
` enfranchised, provided that . . . ; or, finally, even the complaisant `
` and wanton surrender to the emotions, as has been taught by Hafis `
` and Goethe, the bold letting-go of the reins, the spiritual and `
` corporeal licentia morum in the exceptional cases of wise old `
` codgers and drunkards, with whom it "no longer has much danger." `
` --This also for the chapter: "Morals as Timidity." `
` `
` 199. Inasmuch as in all ages, as long as mankind has existed, `
` there have also been human herds (family alliances, communities, `
` tribes, peoples, states, churches), and always a great number who `
` obey in proportion to the small number who command--in view, `
` therefore, of the fact that obedience has been most practiced and `
` fostered among mankind hitherto, one may reasonably suppose that, `
` generally speaking, the need thereof is now innate in every one, `
` as a kind of FORMAL CONSCIENCE which gives the command "Thou `
` shalt unconditionally do something, unconditionally refrain from `
` something", in short, "Thou shalt". This need tries to satisfy `
` itself and to fill its form with a content, according to its `
` strength, impatience, and eagerness, it at once seizes as an `
` omnivorous appetite with little selection, and accepts whatever `
` is shouted into its ear by all sorts of commanders--parents, `
` teachers, laws, class prejudices, or public opinion. The `
` extraordinary limitation of human development, the hesitation, `
` protractedness, frequent retrogression, and turning thereof, is `
` attributable to the fact that the herd-instinct of obedience is `
` transmitted best, and at the cost of the art of command. If one `
` imagine this instinct increasing to its greatest extent, `
` commanders and independent individuals will finally be lacking `
` altogether, or they will suffer inwardly from a bad conscience, `
` and will have to impose a deception on themselves in the first `
` place in order to be able to command just as if they also were `
` only obeying. This condition of things actually exists in Europe `
` at present--I call it the moral hypocrisy of the commanding `
` class. They know no other way of protecting themselves from their `
` bad conscience than by playing the role of executors of older and `
` higher orders (of predecessors, of the constitution, of justice, `
` of the law, or of God himself), or they even justify themselves `
`
` spoken, we involuntarily attempt to form the sounds into words `
` with which we are more familiar and conversant--it was thus, for `
` example, that the Germans modified the spoken word ARCUBALISTA `
` into ARMBRUST (cross-bow). Our senses are also hostile and averse `
` to the new; and generally, even in the "simplest" processes of `
` sensation, the emotions DOMINATE--such as fear, love, hatred, and `
` the passive emotion of indolence.--As little as a reader nowadays `
` reads all the single words (not to speak of syllables) of a page `
` --he rather takes about five out of every twenty words at random, `
` and "guesses" the probably appropriate sense to them--just as `
` little do we see a tree correctly and completely in respect to `
` its leaves, branches, colour, and shape; we find it so much `
` easier to fancy the chance of a tree. Even in the midst of the `
` most remarkable experiences, we still do just the same; we `
` fabricate the greater part of the experience, and can hardly be `
` made to contemplate any event, EXCEPT as "inventors" thereof. All `
` this goes to prove that from our fundamental nature and from `
` remote ages we have been--ACCUSTOMED TO LYING. Or, to express it `
` more politely and hypocritically, in short, more pleasantly--one `
` is much more of an artist than one is aware of.--In an animated `
` conversation, I often see the face of the person with whom I am `
` speaking so clearly and sharply defined before me, according to `
` the thought he expresses, or which I believe to be evoked in his `
` mind, that the degree of distinctness far exceeds the STRENGTH of `
` my visual faculty--the delicacy of the play of the muscles and of `
` the expression of the eyes MUST therefore be imagined by me. `
` Probably the person put on quite a different expression, or none `
` at all. `
` `
` 193. Quidquid luce fuit, tenebris agit: but also contrariwise. `
` What we experience in dreams, provided we experience it often, `
` pertains at last just as much to the general belongings of our `
` soul as anything "actually" experienced; by virtue thereof we are `
` richer or poorer, we have a requirement more or less, and `
` finally, in broad daylight, and even in the brightest moments of `
` our waking life, we are ruled to some extent by the nature of our `
` dreams. Supposing that someone has often flown in his dreams, and `
` that at last, as soon as he dreams, he is conscious of the power `
` and art of flying as his privilege and his peculiarly enviable `
` happiness; such a person, who believes that on the slightest `
` impulse, he can actualize all sorts of curves and angles, who `
` knows the sensation of a certain divine levity, an "upwards" `
` without effort or constraint, a "downwards" without descending or `
` lowering--without TROUBLE!--how could the man with such dream- `
` experiences and dream-habits fail to find "happiness" differently `
` coloured and defined, even in his waking hours! How could he `
` fail--to long DIFFERENTLY for happiness? "Flight," such as is `
` described by poets, must, when compared with his own "flying," be `
` far too earthly, muscular, violent, far too "troublesome" for `
` him. `
` `
` 194. The difference among men does not manifest itself only in `
` the difference of their lists of desirable things--in their `
` regarding different good things as worth striving for, and being `
` disagreed as to the greater or less value, the order of rank, of `
` the commonly recognized desirable things:--it manifests itself `
` much more in what they regard as actually HAVING and POSSESSING a `
` desirable thing. As regards a woman, for instance, the control `
` over her body and her sexual gratification serves as an amply `
` sufficient sign of ownership and possession to the more modest `
` man; another with a more suspicious and ambitious thirst for `
` possession, sees the "questionableness," the mere apparentness of `
` such ownership, and wishes to have finer tests in order to know `
` especially whether the woman not only gives herself to him, but `
` also gives up for his sake what she has or would like to have-- `
` only THEN does he look upon her as "possessed." A third, however, `
` has not even here got to the limit of his distrust and his desire `
` for possession: he asks himself whether the woman, when she gives `
` up everything for him, does not perhaps do so for a phantom of `
` him; he wishes first to be thoroughly, indeed, profoundly well `
` known; in order to be loved at all he ventures to let himself be `
` found out. Only then does he feel the beloved one fully in his `
` possession, when she no longer deceives herself about him, when `
` she loves him just as much for the sake of his devilry and `
` concealed insatiability, as for his goodness, patience, and `
` spirituality. One man would like to possess a nation, and he `
` finds all the higher arts of Cagliostro and Catalina suitable for `
` his purpose. Another, with a more refined thirst for possession, `
` says to himself: "One may not deceive where one desires to `
` possess"--he is irritated and impatient at the idea that a mask `
` of him should rule in the hearts of the people: "I must, `
` therefore, MAKE myself known, and first of all learn to know `
` myself!" Among helpful and charitable people, one almost always `
` finds the awkward craftiness which first gets up suitably him who `
` has to be helped, as though, for instance, he should "merit" `
` help, seek just THEIR help, and would show himself deeply `
` grateful, attached, and subservient to them for all help. With `
` these conceits, they take control of the needy as a property, `
` just as in general they are charitable and helpful out of a `
` desire for property. One finds them jealous when they are crossed `
` or forestalled in their charity. Parents involuntarily make `
` something like themselves out of their children--they call that `
` "education"; no mother doubts at the bottom of her heart that the `
` child she has borne is thereby her property, no father hesitates `
` about his right to HIS OWN ideas and notions of worth. Indeed, in `
` former times fathers deemed it right to use their discretion `
` concerning the life or death of the newly born (as among the `
` ancient Germans). And like the father, so also do the teacher, `
` the class, the priest, and the prince still see in every new `
` individual an unobjectionable opportunity for a new possession. `
` The consequence is . . . `
` `
` 195. The Jews--a people "born for slavery," as Tacitus and the `
` whole ancient world say of them; "the chosen people among the `
` nations," as they themselves say and believe--the Jews performed `
` the miracle of the inversion of valuations, by means of which `
` life on earth obtained a new and dangerous charm for a couple of `
` millenniums. Their prophets fused into one the expressions `
` "rich," "godless," "wicked," "violent," "sensual," and for the `
` first time coined the word "world" as a term of reproach. In this `
` inversion of valuations (in which is also included the use of the `
` word "poor" as synonymous with "saint" and "friend") the `
` significance of the Jewish people is to be found; it is with THEM `
` that the SLAVE-INSURRECTION IN MORALS commences. `
` `
` 196. It is to be INFERRED that there are countless dark bodies `
` near the sun--such as we shall never see. Among ourselves, this `
` is an allegory; and the psychologist of morals reads the whole `
` star-writing merely as an allegorical and symbolic language in `
` which much may be unexpressed. `
` `
` 197. The beast of prey and the man of prey (for instance, Caesar `
` Borgia) are fundamentally misunderstood, "nature" is `
` misunderstood, so long as one seeks a "morbidness" in the `
` constitution of these healthiest of all tropical monsters and `
` growths, or even an innate "hell" in them--as almost all `
` moralists have done hitherto. Does it not seem that there is a `
` hatred of the virgin forest and of the tropics among moralists? `
` And that the "tropical man" must be discredited at all costs, `
` whether as disease and deterioration of mankind, or as his own `
` hell and self-torture? And why? In favour of the "temperate `
` zones"? In favour of the temperate men? The "moral"? The `
` mediocre?--This for the chapter: "Morals as Timidity." `
` `
` 198. All the systems of morals which address themselves with a `
` view to their "happiness," as it is called--what else are they `
` but suggestions for behaviour adapted to the degree of DANGER `
` from themselves in which the individuals live; recipes for their `
` passions, their good and bad propensities, insofar as such have `
` the Will to Power and would like to play the master; small and `
` great expediencies and elaborations, permeated with the musty `
` odour of old family medicines and old-wife wisdom; all of them `
` grotesque and absurd in their form--because they address `
` themselves to "all," because they generalize where generalization `
` is not authorized; all of them speaking unconditionally, and `
` taking themselves unconditionally; all of them flavoured not `
` merely with one grain of salt, but rather endurable only, and `
` sometimes even seductive, when they are over-spiced and begin to `
` smell dangerously, especially of "the other world." That is all `
` of little value when estimated intellectually, and is far from `
` being "science," much less "wisdom"; but, repeated once more, and `
` three times repeated, it is expediency, expediency, expediency, `
` mixed with stupidity, stupidity, stupidity--whether it be the `
` indifference and statuesque coldness towards the heated folly of `
` the emotions, which the Stoics advised and fostered; or the no- `
` more-laughing and no-more-weeping of Spinoza, the destruction of `
` the emotions by their analysis and vivisection, which he `
` recommended so naively; or the lowering of the emotions to an `
` innocent mean at which they may be satisfied, the Aristotelianism `
` of morals; or even morality as the enjoyment of the emotions in a `
` voluntary attenuation and spiritualization by the symbolism of `
` art, perhaps as music, or as love of God, and of mankind for `
` God's sake--for in religion the passions are once more `
` enfranchised, provided that . . . ; or, finally, even the complaisant `
` and wanton surrender to the emotions, as has been taught by Hafis `
` and Goethe, the bold letting-go of the reins, the spiritual and `
` corporeal licentia morum in the exceptional cases of wise old `
` codgers and drunkards, with whom it "no longer has much danger." `
` --This also for the chapter: "Morals as Timidity." `
` `
` 199. Inasmuch as in all ages, as long as mankind has existed, `
` there have also been human herds (family alliances, communities, `
` tribes, peoples, states, churches), and always a great number who `
` obey in proportion to the small number who command--in view, `
` therefore, of the fact that obedience has been most practiced and `
` fostered among mankind hitherto, one may reasonably suppose that, `
` generally speaking, the need thereof is now innate in every one, `
` as a kind of FORMAL CONSCIENCE which gives the command "Thou `
` shalt unconditionally do something, unconditionally refrain from `
` something", in short, "Thou shalt". This need tries to satisfy `
` itself and to fill its form with a content, according to its `
` strength, impatience, and eagerness, it at once seizes as an `
` omnivorous appetite with little selection, and accepts whatever `
` is shouted into its ear by all sorts of commanders--parents, `
` teachers, laws, class prejudices, or public opinion. The `
` extraordinary limitation of human development, the hesitation, `
` protractedness, frequent retrogression, and turning thereof, is `
` attributable to the fact that the herd-instinct of obedience is `
` transmitted best, and at the cost of the art of command. If one `
` imagine this instinct increasing to its greatest extent, `
` commanders and independent individuals will finally be lacking `
` altogether, or they will suffer inwardly from a bad conscience, `
` and will have to impose a deception on themselves in the first `
` place in order to be able to command just as if they also were `
` only obeying. This condition of things actually exists in Europe `
` at present--I call it the moral hypocrisy of the commanding `
` class. They know no other way of protecting themselves from their `
` bad conscience than by playing the role of executors of older and `
` higher orders (of predecessors, of the constitution, of justice, `
` of the law, or of God himself), or they even justify themselves `
`