Thoughts Out of Season, Part IINietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm
PhilosophyPhilosophy
Thoughts Out of Season, Part II
Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm
History -- Study and teaching; Schopenhauer, Arthur, 1788-1860
of the "fashionable culture," that plays on their selfish side, their
vanities and weaknesses; and the time-spirit ever whispers in their
ears its flattering counsel:--"Follow me and go not thither! There
you are only servants and tools, over-shadowed by higher natures with
no scope for your own, drawn by threads, hung with fetters, slaves
and automatons. With me you may enjoy your true personality, and be
masters, your talents may shine with their own light, and yourselves
stand in the front ranks with an immense following round you; and the
acclamation of public opinion will rejoice you more than a wandering
breath of approval sent down from the cold ethereal heights of
genius." Even the best men are snared by such allurements, and the
ultimate difference comes not so much from the rarity and power of
their talent, as the influence of a certain heroic disposition at the
base of them, and an inner feeling of kinship with genius. For there
are men who feel it as their own misery when they see the genius in
painful toil and struggle, in danger of self-destruction, or
neglected by the short-sighted selfishness of the state, the
superficiality of the business men, and the cold arrogance of the
professors; and I hope there may be some to understand what I mean by
my sketch of Schopenhauer's destiny, and to what end Schopenhauer can
really educate.
VII.
But setting aside all thoughts of any educational revolution in the
distant future;--what provision is required _now_, that our future
philosopher may have the best chance of opening his eyes to a life
like Schopenhauer's--hard as it is, yet still livable? What, further,
must be discovered that may make his influence on his contemporaries
more certain? And what obstacles must be removed before his example
can have its full effect and the philosopher train another
philosopher? Here we descend to be practical.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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