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Single Idea 20112
[filed under theme 23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / f. Compassion
]
Full Idea
The pity that the spectators express consoles the weak and suffering, inasmuch as they see that , despite all their weakness, they still have at least one power: the power to hurt.
Gist of Idea
Pity consoles those who suffer, because they see that they still have the power to hurt
Source
Friedrich Nietzsche (Human, All Too Human [1878], 050)
Book Ref
Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Human, All Too Human', ed/tr. Faber,Marion [Penguin 1994], p.50
A Reaction
This pinpoints how the will to power led to the inversion of values.
The
55 ideas
from 'Human, All Too Human'
20103
|
You are mastered by your own virtues, but you must master them, and turn them into tools
[Nietzsche]
|
20111
|
We could live more naturally, relishing the spectacle, and not thinking we are special
[Nietzsche]
|
14807
|
The history of morality rests on an error called 'responsibility', which rests on an error called 'free will'
[Nietzsche]
|
14808
|
Over huge periods of time human character would change endlessly
[Nietzsche]
|
14809
|
All societies of good men give a priority to gratitude
[Nietzsche]
|
14810
|
Originally it was the rulers who requited good for good and evil for evil who were called 'good'
[Nietzsche]
|
14811
|
In Homer it is the contemptible person, not the harmful person, who is bad
[Nietzsche]
|
20112
|
Pity consoles those who suffer, because they see that they still have the power to hurt
[Nietzsche]
|
14812
|
Intellect is tied to morality, because it requires good memory and powerful imagination
[Nietzsche]
|
14813
|
Science rejecting the teaching of Christianity in favour of Epicurus shows the superiority of the latter
[Nietzsche]
|
14814
|
Execution is worse than murder, because we are using the victim, and really we are the guilty
[Nietzsche]
|
20378
|
Just as skin hides the horrors of the body, vanity conceals the passions of the soul
[Nietzsche]
|
14815
|
We get enormous pleasure from tales of noble actions
[Nietzsche]
|
14816
|
Justice (fairness) originates among roughly equal powers (as the Melian dialogues show)
[Nietzsche]
|
14817
|
The 'good' man does the moral thing as if by nature, easily and gladly, after a long inheritance
[Nietzsche]
|
14818
|
First morality is force, then custom, then acceptance, then instinct, then a pleasure - and finally 'virtue'
[Nietzsche]
|
14819
|
Slavery cannot be judged by our standards, because the sense of justice was then less developed
[Nietzsche]
|
14820
|
People always do what they think is right, according to the degree of their intellect
[Nietzsche]
|
14821
|
Apart from philosophers, most people rightly have a low estimate of pity
[Nietzsche]
|
14822
|
If self-defence is moral, then so are most expressions of 'immoral' egoism
[Nietzsche]
|
14823
|
Ceasing to believe in human responsibility is bitter, if you had based the nobility of humanity on it
[Nietzsche]
|
14824
|
It is absurd to blame nature and necessity; we should no more praise actions than we praise plants or artworks
[Nietzsche]
|
22473
|
Nietzsche said the will doesn't exist, so it can't ground moral responsibility
[Nietzsche, by Foot]
|
14825
|
In religious thought nature is a complex of arbitrary acts by conscious beings
[Nietzsche]
|
14826
|
Modern man wants laws of nature in order to submit to them
[Nietzsche]
|
14827
|
The Greeks saw the gods not as their masters, but as idealised versions of themselves
[Nietzsche]
|
14828
|
Religion is tempting if your life is boring, but you can't therefore impose it on the busy people
[Nietzsche]
|
14830
|
Intuition only recognises what is possible, not what exists or is certain
[Nietzsche]
|
14831
|
No one has ever done anything that was entirely for other people
[Nietzsche]
|
14832
|
The Sermon on the Mount is vanity - praying to one part of oneself, and demonising the rest
[Nietzsche]
|
14833
|
Comedy is a transition from fear to exuberance
[Nietzsche]
|
14834
|
Teachers only gather knowledge for their pupils, and can't be serious about themselves
[Nietzsche]
|
14835
|
Artists are not especially passionate, but they pretend to be
[Nietzsche]
|
14836
|
People will enthusiastically pursue an unwanted war, once sacrifices have been made
[Nietzsche]
|
14838
|
The state aims to protect individuals from one another
[Nietzsche]
|
14837
|
Christ seems warm hearted, and suppressed intellect in favour of the intellectually weak
[Nietzsche]
|
14839
|
Interest in education gains strength when we lose interest in God
[Nietzsche]
|
14841
|
Many people are better at having good friends than being a good friend
[Nietzsche]
|
14842
|
Why are the strong tastes of other people so contagious?
[Nietzsche]
|
14843
|
Women can be friends with men, but only some physical antipathy will maintain it
[Nietzsche]
|
14844
|
People do not experience boredom if they have never learned to work properly
[Nietzsche]
|
14845
|
Don't crush girls with dull Gymnasium education, the way we have crushed boys!
[Nietzsche]
|
14846
|
If we want the good life for the greatest number, we must let them decide on the good life
[Nietzsche]
|
14847
|
Laws that are well thought out, or laws that are easy to understand?
[Nietzsche]
|
14848
|
Education in large states is mediocre, like cooking in large kitchens
[Nietzsche]
|
14849
|
We can only achieve happy moments, not happy eras
[Nietzsche]
|
14850
|
Christ was the noblest human being
[Nietzsche]
|
14852
|
Culture cannot do without passions and vices
[Nietzsche]
|
24075
|
Convictions, more than lies, are the great enemy of truth
[Nietzsche]
|
14853
|
Truth finds fewest champions not when it is dangerous, but when it is boring
[Nietzsche]
|
14854
|
Deep thinkers know that they are always wrong
[Nietzsche]
|
14855
|
Simultaneous love and respect are impossible; love has no separation or rank, but respect admits power
[Nietzsche]
|
14856
|
Our judgment seems to cause our nature, but actually judgment arises from our nature
[Nietzsche]
|
14857
|
The highest wisdom has the guise of simplicity
[Nietzsche]
|
14858
|
Being certain presumes that there are absolute truths, and means of arriving at them
[Nietzsche]
|