[257] Every elevation of man until now has been the product of an aristocratic society - one that believes in a scale of rank, distinctions of worth, and necessitating slavory. Without the pathos of distance [the ruling castes observation of subordinate instruments] the longing for something greater might never have emerged. One should not be under humanitarian illusions as to the origins of such a society. Barbaric men threw themselves upon other weaker men or societies where the flicker of life was almost gone. The noble caste was from the start those barbic yet more complete men.
[258] Corruption, the threat of anarchy breaking out among the instincts, is something distinct from the organisation in which it manifests. When at the beginning of the French revolution aristocracy threw away their privilege in tribute to their moral sentiment, it was the last act of corruption that had existed for centuries. Step by step the aristocracy lowered itself to a function of royalty. It is a mistake for aristocracy to lower itself to a function of kingship or commonwealth, when it is the significance thereof. Its fundamental belief being that society is not permitted to exist for its own sake, but as scaffolding for the elevation of some to a higher existence.
[259] The mutual agreement to refrain from injury seems sensible at first, but is fundamentally a denial of the will to life. Life itself essentially is appropriation, injury, conquest of the weak,suppression and exploitation. But why use such disparaging terms to describe the situation? Even organisation purporting to help individuals, treating others equally, must do likewise if they are to remain healthy. Because life is precisely will to power. The Utopic idea that a form of life is possible that will do otherwise, is to suggest a form of life is possible that will refrain from organic functions. Exploitation is not the hallmark of the depraved but belongs to the nature of the living. As a theory such an idea is novel as a reality it is the fundamental fact of history.
[260] In his examination of morality Nietzsche has identified two distinct types namely master and slave. In some civilisations there is also often a mixture of the two. The origin of master-morality is either the pleasurable realisation by the ruling caste, that they are distinct, or in the dependency of the slave class. For the masters the conception of good / bad are practically equivalent to noble / despicable. Moral value judgements historically were first applied to men [we truthful you liars] and later derivatively applied to actions. The noble man knows it is only he that determines such values, he is a creator of values, honouring what he recognises in himself. He subjects himself to a harsh severity and yet precisely because of this he knows how to honour what he sees in himself. One only has responsibility towards one's equals and consequencently may treat others as they see fit.
Nietzsche explains with slave-morality the situation is distinct. The slave in his subjugation abhors the human condition, and all that the ruling class consider noble. He has a refined distrust for all the ruling class indicate is desirable, and signals such things are not genuinely satisfying. Instead that which alleviates suffering; sympathy, mercy, and humility are the only means of lessening the burden of existence. Essentially it is a morality of utility, the seat of good and evil. Finally it also includes the desire for freedom; the instinct for happiness and a refined sense of liberty.
[261] Nietzsche explains that vanity is a difficult thing for the noble mind to grasp. Where an accusation of vanity arrives, from one that maintains the master is vain, for the pure noble it seems in bad taste. He may overestimate his value, or rejoice in the joy of others in him, strengthening his own good opinion of himself, yet this is not vanity. It is the right of master to create values; yet as the races and classes mix so the need for the master to think "well of himself" increases. The real risk of vanity for the master is then how much of the slave is in his blood, that he might be seduced by slave morality and the need to think good of himself.
[262] Nietzsche asserts that a species is established and made strong by means of enduring unfavourable conditions. He also asserts that it is known an abundance of nourishment and care produces fertile and exceptional individuals of great variety. Considering aristocratic societies for a moment; in such contexts men are reliant upon their own resources or face extermination. Despite the lack of variation it's experiences teach it exactly what man needs to survive. Intolerance then is virtuous for the aristocrat in as far as he struggles with uniform unfavourable conditions [which are themselves intolerant of him] to the end of an established stable type. There is risk however that peace and luxury relax this discipline and he degenerates. At such a point other saplings rise up towards the light seeking to overtake him. This is the dangerous pinnacle at which man becomes reliant on his ability to live beyond the old morality; reliant upon his self-preservation, elevation and deliverance. He is at risk of becoming the mediocre man; one that preaches moderation and brotherly love.
[263] Nietzsche asserts that within humans there is an instinct for rank which is evidence itself of something higher. There is a delight in the nuance of reverence which suggests there are those of noble origin. This is no more evident than in the demonstrable change in behaviour exhibited by those lofty souls that experience something of higher rank whilst unprepared. In the same way that which is vulgar is demonstrated to be so whilst in proximity to that which is sacred. It is a matter of instinct. It takes thousands of years to unriddle such things; they cannot touch everything, some things are holy. Those of so called progressive ideas do not keep hands clean, touching everything they should not. It is possible there is more relative nobility of taste among the lower classes, than among the cultured class.
[264] Nietzsche asserts the actions of his ancestors cannot be erased from him. It is quite impossible for an individual not to maintain the qualities and preferences of his parents and ancestors. This Nietzsche asserts is the problem of race. That any involuntarily act, any jealousy or vanity passes to the child as surely as bad blood from parents. Education and culture will only succeed in deceiving others with regard to heredity; it conceals our origins.
[265] Egoism, that fundamental belief that other beings naturally exist in subjection, belongs to the essence of a noble soul. He accepts this without self criticism acknowledging that is is part of the Natural order of things and justice. He recognises there are others also privileged and, first settling the issue of rank, treats others with the same modesty and respect he affords himself by some instinctual mechanism. This is an extension or addition to his egoism; he honours himself in them, and the rights he concedes to them. This exchange of rights and honours is the essence of all intercourse. He is conscious of the heights he currently occupys.
[256] Nietzsche asserts one can only truly esteem one who does not look out for himself. Perhaps because what is Noble is not esteemed by the lesser classes.
[257] Nietzsche invokes the Chinese proverb "make your heart small". He explains the Greeks would object to this self-dwarfing or negation of the self common in the European man of today.
[258] Nietzsche enquires as to the definition of ignobleness. He begins with a description of words as vocal symbols for ideas. Ideas in turn for Nietzsche are recurrent experiences for collections of sensations. As such it is insufficient to share words there must be some common ground [common experiences]. As such those that spawn from the same point have a unique understanding of each other,thus birthing a nation that understands each other. For Nietzsche a history of recurrent experiences that are more common, and less common, form the basis of mutual understanding. This need to understand one another quickly is proportional to the level of danger; consensus about what is necessary is required quickly in dangerous circumstances. Nothing continues where it is established those using the same langue maintain very different opinions. Whichever group of sensations wake first to command determines that individuals value structure, betraying something of the structure of his soul. Supposing by necessity that nature draws individuals together as (a) have such common experiences, and (b) therefore have a common basis from which to communicate need. Therefore the more similar, the more average the more in common with others. Being refined, then presents a risk of "accident". Individuals are required then, to appeal to great opposing forces to overcome this natural process; the evolution of man to the average, the similar the ignoble.
[269] Nietzsche asserts that the Psychologist is at risk of being suffocated by sympathy. He needs sterness and cheerfulness more than any other man. Given the ruination of higher men is the rule and not the exception. What a challenge to be consistently confronted by the rule. This psychologist is to face the repeated torment of the inner desperateness of higher men. He is at risk of ruination himself. Within every psychologist lives the desire to converse with well ordered men, that reveals a need to flee what his "business" has laid upon his conscience. He is easily swayed by the opinion of others where they have experienced he has only perceived. Perhaps the paradox of his situation has overtaken him his great sympathy and great contempt. The herd have learned great reverence for great men: they worship a "God" and yet he was only a poor sacrificed animal. Success is the greatest liar; the discover is concealed in their discovery, reputed to have created it. But these great men are nothing more than poor little fictions, an afterthought, the false currency of historical values
Those great poets now appear to us as men for a time past. Childish and usually with some concealed defect to be discovered. Pretending to be stars whilst struggling with disbelief in themselves and robbing faith and praise from the mouths of their proponents. What a torment these men are to themselves and others yet having learned sympathy from women [who are deceived in the belief that love can do everything] love conquers all. Yet anyone that knows the heart cannot but see how helpless and blundering love truly is. The life of jesus is one such example; one who could demanded nothing but love and offered outbursts against those who refused. Insatiated and insatiable and so enlightened about man's love that he create a hell for those who would not love him and a god that is the capacity for love. He who knows this about love looks for death! But why deal with such things of you are not obliged to do so.
[270] Nietzsche asserts that a person is utterly coloured by the depth of suffering he has experienced. His encounters with worlds you can never know sets him above the wise and shrewd; "You know nothing" echos the proud words of the almost sacrificed. He protects himself from all sympathy. Profound suffering makes Noble: it sets appart, it separates. One of the most refined versions of such pride is sensualism. It gives the appearance of superficiality a mask. Yet it would be follish to not recognise that under this mask such individuals are truly broken. Irreverence for the mask is the hallmark of an over assured knowledge.
[271] Nietzsche asserts that what separates men is their sense of purity; The spiritualisation of the instinct. The pity of the Saint is pitty for the filth of the human. There are grades and ranks to which pitty is regarded as filth by him.
[272] Nietzsche asserts that a sure sign of nobility is the unwillingness to renounce or share responsibility or duties. That we might lower our duties to the point others might be able to undertaken them.
[273] Nietzsche explains that a man aiming for great things will likely treat others as a means to attain that goal, a delay, or a resting place. His bounty is only possible when he attains domination. Impatience and consciousness is only comedy. Such a man is acquainted with solitude and what is most poisonous in it.
[274] There are incalculable chance elements at play in the possible emergence of a man in whom the solution remains dormant. It simply does not happen. All around the world there are individuals waiting, unaware that such a wait is in vain. The wake up call comes too late when it is no longer possible to take action, and forevermore was useless. Perhaps in regards to genius the artist without hands is not the exception but the rule. Genius might not be rare but requires the 500 hands in order to tyrannise over the right time.
[275] One who doesn't wish to see what man can become looks below himself and therefore betrays himself.
[276] Unlike the common man, the noble spirit has much more to loose and is less likely to recover from the wounds that are inflicted by the diverse dangers he faces.
[277] The melancholic element of man's existence is that all too late he realises he should have known something important from the very beginning.
[278] Nietzsche indicates the allurement of sympathy and the resting place to the weary noble. For such individuals the only solution is a second mask.
[279] Nietzsche advocates that happiness is fleeting and that men of profound sadness know it will flee all too quickly.
[280] Moral judgments might cause man to take a step backwards but only that he might leap further and far beyond.
[281] For the Noble spirit it is sufficient to insist that others believe in the self knowledge discovered within me. Whilst the belief in the validity of such self knowledge might be a sort of repugnance it is nonetheless sufficient to me and perhaps betrays the species to which I belong.
[282] Nietzsche asserts for all who aspire to the noble path there are times in which we must face the danger of taking sustinece from those whom we feel idignent, or find it unpalatable to share a meal with. This is the Natural order of things and the cause of after dinner naseau.
[283] It is a skill only to praise where one does not agree; an excellent opportunity for misunderstanding. "He praises me therefore he asserts I am right." is an foolish line of thought that brings asses into friendships.
[284] Nietzsche asserts that to live in accordance with ones choices, to lower oneself to sit upon such asses, one must know how to use such asses stupidity as well as their fire. To do so one must not reveal himself and remain master of his "virtues" most of all solitude as a sublime bias to purity, given all societal contact makes one "commonplace".
[285] Nietzsche asserts that the greatest thoughts are events not experienced by ones contemporarys, who live past it. Nietzsche enquires "How many centuries does a mind require to be understood?".
[286] Whilst the herd accept the free prospect of the mind exalted, the noble spirit has a free prospect but looks down.
[287] Nietzsche enquires what is Noble? Noting that both works and actions might deceive, and may instead betray a longing for nobleness rather than nobleness itself. It is rather the clear indication of a lack of nobleness. Nobleness is a fundamental certainty a noble soul has about itself, which cannot be lost nor found. Such a soul has reverence for itself.
[288] Nietzsche notes that there are some who conceal their intellect yet this always is revealed at the end. Such a thing is desirable these days and to conceal it is to show enthusiasm; after all enthusiasm is virtue.
[289] There is something of wildness and solitude in the words of the recluse. He who sits alone with his soul over time will discover a goldmine of ideas distinctly coloured like fungus. Something repulsive for the eyes of every passer by. The recluse does not believe philosophers have ever expressed themselves clearly in books. There is something suspicious and arbitrary to him that a philosopher once stood here, looked around, laid his spade down and dug no further. Every opinion is a lurking place, every word a mask.
[290] Every deep thinker is more concerned about being understood than misunderstood. Whilst the latter offends his vanity the former indicates he is not truly great.
[291] Man is a complex entity and has created good conscience to enjoy the soul as something simple. Morality is the falsification by which the soul becomes palatable.
[292] The true philosopher exists as one who experiences the universe as though he were the first ever to do so. Struck be his own thoughts as though they were unique to him. Pregnant with potential. One who is afraid of himself but whose curiosity always brings him back to self examination.
[293] Nietzsche asserts that throughout Europe there is an irrational movement against the existence of pain, that seeks to make itself something superior. Recognisable by its unmanlyness against which one must wear the gay science.
[294] Nietzsche notes that the English sought to bring laughter into disrepute as a character fault. Yet he would rank philosophers in order of their laughter up to those capable of golden laughter. Supposing that God's philosophise and are capable of laughter. This will be at the expense of all serious things and in a superhuman way. God's are fond of ridicule: they cannot refrain from laughter even in holy matters.
[295] The tempter-God is well equipped to capture the conscience and command ever closer obedience. From whose encounter one leaves richer and newer than before. This is noneother than the God Dionysius one of whom Nietzsche asserts he is the last disciple offering a taste of this philosophy in hushed tones. Perhaps Nietzsche is too late, given man's tendency is now to reject God and God's. Traditionally one would extol the God with attributes and awards of merit but Dionysius demans I keep my pomp and gestures. He once said that he loved man and sought out ways to make him stronger more evil and more profound to achieve a greater beauty. To be more human.
[296] Nietzsche comments on the ways in which we grasp flavoursome ideas like birds and immortalise them on paper. Yet they are only for a time and none may grasp how they once truly appeared in the moment they were relevant truth to us.
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