The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book III and IVNietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm
PhilosophyPhilosophy
The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book III and IV
Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm
Nihilism (Philosophy); Power (Philosophy); Values
867.
The recognition of the _increase of collective power:_ we should
calculate to what extent the ruin of individuals, of castes, of ages,
and of peoples, is included in this general increase.
The transposition of the _ballast_ of a culture. The _cost_ of every
vast growth: who bears it? _Why must it be enormous at the present
time?_
868.
General aspect of the future European: the latter regarded as the most
intelligent servile animal, very industrious, at bottom very modest,
inquisitive to excess, multifarious, pampered, weak of will,--a chaos
of cosmopolitan passions and intelligences. How would it be possible
for a stronger race to be bred from him?--Such a race as would have a
classical taste? The classical taste: this is the will to simplicity,
to accentuation, and to happiness made visible, the will to the
terrible, and the courage for psychological _nakedness_ (simplification
is the outcome of the will to accentuate; allowing happiness as well
as nakedness to become visible is a consequence of the will to the
terrible ...). In order to fight one's way out of that chaos, and up
to this form, a certain _disciplinary constraint_ is necessary: a man
should have to choose between either going to the dogs or _prevailing._
A ruling race can only arise amid terrible and violent conditions.
Problem: where are the _barbarians_ of the twentieth century? Obviously
they will only show themselves and consolidate themselves after
enormous socialistic crises. They will consist of those elements which
are capable of the _greatest hardness towards themselves,_ and which
can guarantee the _most enduring will-power._
869.
The mightiest and most dangerous passions of man, by means of which he
most easily goes to rack and ruin, have been so fundamentally banned
that mighty men themselves have either become impossible or else must
regard themselves as _evil,_ "harmful and prohibited." The losses are
heavy, but up to the present they have been necessary. Now, however,
that a whole host of counter-forces has been reared, by means of the
temporary suppression of these passions (the passion for dominion, the
love of change and deception), their liberation has once more become
possible: they will no longer possess their old savagery. We can now
allow ourselves this tame sort of barbarism: look at our artists and
our statesmen!
870.
_The root of all evil:_ that the slave morality of modesty, chastity,
selflessness, and absolute obedience should have triumphed. Dominating
natures were thus condemned (1) to hypocrisy, (2) to qualms of
conscience,--creative natures regarded themselves as rebels against
God, uncertain and hemmed in by eternal values.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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