The Philosophy of Friedrich NietzscheMencken, H. L. (Henry Louis)
Philosophy
The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche
Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis)
Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900; Philosophy, German -- 19th century
Hence, Nietzsche believed that, in his dealings with women, man should
be wary and cautious. "Let men fear women when she loveth: for she
sacrificeth all for love and nothing else hath value to her.... Man
is for woman a means: the end is always the child.... Two things are
wanted by the true man: danger and play. Therefore he seeketh woman as
the most dangerous toy within his reach.... Thou goest to women? _Don't
forget thy whip!_"[9] This last sentence has helped to make Nietzsche
a stench in the nostrils of the orthodox, but the context makes his
argument far more than a mere effort at sensational epigram. He is
pointing out the utter unscrupulousness which lies at the foundation of
the maternal instinct: an unscrupulousness familiar to every observer
of humanity.[10] Indeed, it is so potent a factor in the affairs of the
world that we have, by our ancient device of labelling the inevitable
the good, exalted it to the dignity and estate of a virtue. But all
the same, we are instinctively conscious of its inherent opposition
to truth and justice, and so our law books provide that a woman who
commits a crime in her husband's presence is presumed to have been led
to it by her desire to work what she regards as his good, which means
her desire to retain his protection and good will. "Man's happiness
is: 'I will.' Woman's happiness is: 'He will.'"[11]
Maternity, thought Nietzsche, was a thing even more sublime
than paternity, because it produced a more keen sense of race
responsibility. "Is there a state more blessed," he asked, "than that
of a woman with child?... Even worldly justice does not allow the
judge and hangman to lay hold on her."[12] He saw, too, that woman's
insincere masochism[13] spurred man to heroic efforts and gave vigor
and direction to his work by the very fact that it bore the outward
aspect of helplessness. He saw that the resultant stimulation of the
will to power was responsible for many of the world's great deeds,
and that, if woman served no other purpose, she would still take an
honorable place as the most splendid reward--greater than honors or
treasures--that humanity could bestow upon its victors. The winning
of a beautiful and much-sought woman, indeed, will remain as great an
incentive to endeavor as the conquest of a principality so long as
humanity remains substantially as it is today.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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