The Undying Beast
229. In these later ages, which may be proud of their humanity, there still remains so much fear, so much SUPERSTITION of the fear, of the “cruel wild beast,” the mastering of which constitutes the very pride of these humaner ages–that even obvious truths, as if by the agreement of centuries, have long remained unuttered, because they have the appearance of helping the finally slain wild beast back to life again…….
One ought to learn anew about cruelty, and open one’s eyes; one ought at last to learn impatience, in order that such immodest fat errors–as, for instance, have been fostered by ancient and modern philosophers with regard to tragedy–may no longer wander about virtuously and saucily. Almost everything that we call “higher culture” is based upon the spiritualising and intensifying of CRUELTY–this is my thesis; the “wild beast” has not been slain at all, it lives, it flourishes, it has merely become—-divine.
Here, to be sure, we must put aside entirely the blundering psychology of former times, which could only teach with regard to cruelty that it originated at the sight of the suffering of OTHERS: there is an abundant, super-abundant enjoyment even in one’s own suffering, in causing one’s own suffering–and wherever man has allowed himself to be persuaded to self-denial in the RELIGIOUS sense.
…..Finally, let us consider that even the seeker of knowledge operates as an artist, in that he compels his spirit to perceive AGAINST its own inclination, and often enough against the wishes of his heart:–he forces it to say Nay, where he would like to affirm, love, and adore; indeed, every instance of taking a thing profoundly and fundamentally, is a violation, an intentional injuring of the fundamental will of the spirit, which instinctively aims at appearance and superficiality,–even in every desire for knowledge there is a drop of cruelty.
—Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche, Our Virtues #229
We live in a time of institutional cruelty. One term for this is endo-colonization. This is the act of exploitation of one’s own people through defunding of critical public institutions such as education, the Environmental Protection Agency. Funds are redirected in the form of more tax cuts for the uber-wealthy, and ever increased spending on the military. The few benefit from the suffering of the many. Of this we are all familiar. Here Nietzsche suggests a alternative form of “cruelty” a form of severity that is self directed. Knowledge has a price, a price paid voluntarily: self mastery.
