This passage is haunting.

Europe of the late 19th century was on the cusp of shattering events.  July 28, 1914 was the inception of WWI, and September 1st, 1939 the Wehrmacht invaded Poland, arguably a continuation of the earlier conflict. Nietzsche wrote in 1886 describing the social and moral dislocations of the modern era. The impact of science, cultural amalgamation due to steam powered transportation – is described as paralyzing the will, a skepticism masking the uncertainty roiling under the surface.  A spike of inflection was coming.

How similar to our own time! That is, the indecisiveness of the so called liberal-left verses the theocratic fascism of the Republican-Trump party.

Kamala Harris is the break through, a coalescence of reason, of a will-to-resist, finding a voice of opposition… We can no longer doubt our freedom to act! Harris, a woman with a voice. Women, singled out, denied “equal treatment under the law” by Red States now raise a voice, a fierce “no” to oppression.

This is how a skeptic comforts himself;
and it is true that he needs some comfort.

Skepticism is the most spiritual expression
of a certain complex physiological condition
which in layman’s terms
is called weak nerves or a sickly constitution.

It originates whenever races or classes
that have been separated for a long time
are suddenly and decisively interbred.

The different standards and values, as it were,
get passed down through the bloodline to the next generation
where everything is in a state of restlessness,
disorder, doubt, experimentation.

The best forces have inhibitory effects,
the virtues themselves do not let each other strengthen and grow,
both body and soul lack a center of balance,
a center of gravity
and the assurance of a pendulum.
But what is most profoundly sick
and degenerate about such hybrids
is the will:

they no longer have
any sense of independence in decision-making,
or the bold feeling of pleasure in willing,
– they doubt whether there is
“freedom of will,”
even in their dreams.

Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche, trans. by Judith Butler, aphorism 208