Reflections on Nietzsche’s First Essay of ‘On the Genealogy of Morals’

This is a response I wrote on the run while reading Nietzsche's 'On the Genealogy of Morals'. The format of the piece mirrors that of Nietzsche's and is a direct reply to his words.

PREFACE

1

What many find in the search for themselves is nothing but confirmation; what a foolish base upon which to build a foundation for discovery. In the realm of discovery, it is of much benefit to keep in mind that man, being closest to everyone, is ‘furthest away from himself.’

2

What drive are you,

but the recognition of it?

Everything is indeed,

me.

3

Theology is the science of hope, and of solution. Evil stems from the divine man but praise is due to he who resists his divinity until such time that it means nothing to him. Here is the location of man’s secret little garden…

4

How is it Independent Man,

that your voice is filled with another’s?

5

Success itself is its own victory which itself has no desire beyond its own flavour.

6

If man is to migrate to newer, fresher ranges, a seed would have to be hidden, deep inside the earth, to one day blossom itself upon a world corrupted by comfort and security.

7

They will look to what was, once what is eventuates. For this not to occur, there needs to be a recognition of the issue in question but at this distance, that issue for many is like a piranha feeding among toothless sharks.

8

It is an uphill battle when the rules of engagement are against you. In this environment, the value of a sniper can never be underestimated and so bearing this in mind, then with what follows, they will literally not know what hit them!

FIRST ESSAY

1/1

Some do not trust the vitality of life; others know nothing else. What are we to make of those who labour away at conviction only to never find that conviction has laboured away at them? Picture then, if you will, the perfect rock. The paleontologists are the closest to understanding. Or is it the geologist? Rocks! What a fascinating study, and if we work hard enough, if we dig just that little bit deeper, just that little bit harder, well then, who knows? Perhaps we will strike oil…

1/2

‘Egoistic’ and ‘unegoistic’ are observations from the platform of self-consciousness. Both observations are in fact one and the same. How could they be otherwise given their source? Recognition (in this case, judgement) is all. By recognising the physiological authority of success, self-consciousness observers were able to believe that they could bypass that authority. This is how consciousness competes with the brute fact of physical power. Given the appropriate conditions, consciousness easily comes away with a victory (consider the charging bull ) but never with a knockout (much to the dismay of the victor).

1/3

The success of power is its own justification, though now the violence of that success is something that needs to be denied, if not ignored. Living under the shade of success cools the collective will �" and it is collective, as man �" as a species �" has yet to affirm his identity as himself. Rather, he refers to himself through the tension generated by competing demands on his person. At times, he dreams himself leader of the pack. At other times he acquiesces to the fear of what being a pack leader entails.

1/4

The leveling out of knowledge, that is, of memorising, reduces the standard (quality) of judgement. Judgement, of course, is the basic function (right?) of an independently-minded consciousness but for those who rely upon public transportation, this train of thought encounters too many pot holes. Watch them look towards the Ministry of Roads & Traffic to re-tar the highways for them.

1/5

When man discovered himself in the guise of God, he styled himself as such and guaranteed that the Devil would always live in the next village. How fortuitous it was that it was his own village that housed heaven’s representative!

1/6

Willingness to expend oneself in the way of security is the special talent of consciousness. As the mind perceives its confirmation of itself, so the difficulty of disbelief grows. And yet, as they say, forewarned is forearmed so while disbelief may be the truest of visions, it is just as true that the mind must still move within man’s sphere �" remember the Victorious Hallaj…

1/7

The most fanatic of fears is dissolution. There exists also, the guilt of not having taken a stand. Man lives to affirm his self but there lives a distance between herd and hunter that is often never crossed except upon the demise of one (though usually the other). Consider the fear then, the confusion inherent in one trapped between variations; on the verge of a new species… and yet slipping and sliding between the herd’s sanctuary and the hunter’s authority. Is there anything more slippery than the fear of disappearing?

1/8

The sacrifice of the herd and the instinct to hunt have been merged. Now, one hunts through mass support and the myth of independence. With this myth, the victory of consciousness is guaranteed (beware of the chameleon!).

There was a time when the reptiles ruled the earth but they too (consider this a premonition) fell to the wrath of their heaven. How ironic that these kings for a million dynasties, who ruled the earth with their bulk, who relied upon the sun divinity for their life and their will to motion, were defeated by the absence of that very same divinity. How arrogant then that man’s history is thought to begin with him!

1/9

It is a fact of man that he will always defend his mind first, before anything else. Through this fact, one comes to understand the extent to which god is dependent upon his servants. There is also the rule that man’s mind is his body and that his body is his mind. It may seem that Descartes succeeded in thinking to separate the two but in actuality, he was doing nothing more than following a new tradition.

1/10

Consider the anthropology of success and how, in knowing this �" life’s purpose, we know its scope of action. The anthropology of defeat is the same though it takes courage to recognise opponents as brothers. When forced to look out, the vision of the defeated expands to meet the physical threat to itself. Remember that consciousness always finds a way to save itself.

(BEGIN INTERLUDE)

…A way of life has now been instituted that guarantees that the dream for independence is believable (and attainable). Through this way of life, the mentality of the herd is merged with the natural desire for some form of affirmation of the self…

(END INTERLUDE)

Consider the necessity of prey for a hunter. With this knowledge, it is easy to predict the next conflict. Shots are always fired over space so consider how the relationship between hunter and prey is one of, ‘we are here and they, they are there.’

Ultimately, to hide is an act of observation. To understand observation is to allow an independent consciousness to survive, something that was formerly the province of the violent progenitor.

1/11

Success in affirmation controls the definition of ‘good.’ But what is often forgotten is that herd and hunter both seek the good. One searches for exultation, the other for confirmation. The hunter attacks what is outside of him as an expression of his self. The herd seeks protection from losing itself. The vehemence of the individual member in a herd is a remnant of his necessity to affirm himself; how frustrating it must be when the vehicle proves inadequate for its passenger.

The lion’s roar is exultant;

Lord, you have made me thus,

What is this thing, defeat?

1/12

The terrible power of a divinity has always contended with the immediate power of the terrible man. How easy it has been then, to call upon divine wrath! To stop those who dared call upon it, a new power source was envisioned and the terrible man restrained himself, transforming himself under the authority of a collective amnesia that denied the original terror. Now, man struggles to reconcile the first memory with his sleep induced awakening.

1/13

In the shadow prior to action,

spiritual space is available.

Man moves through his nature: nothing more, nothing less. And yet for him who waits, who sees himself bereft of chance, his success is measured by his reality; life must go on! (And how is that possible without a progenitor?)

1/14

Survival, if not perpetuation, at any cost. The herd has discovered that there is only one hunter, and how they outnumber him! But there is always the possibility that it could be me… some live within that very fear.

1/15

There must be something more! is the cry of the desperate. Is this all there is, a rabid scramble for bragging rights? Forgoing their inheritance, the victors are no longer carnivorous and are now shedding the last vestiges of their omnivorous nature. But the carnivores, they too can live forever.

1/16

Viruses are not much, but they know how to claim victory. Scavengers too, are well versed in the arts of satiation. The real danger therefore, is the lack of leftovers as any real predator will naturally understand the necessity of leaving enough for the scavengers if he is to avoid them from turning on him. A predator who does not do this has in fact become worse than any scavenger and his fate will depend entirely upon the extent of their hunger.

1/17

there is a time for all

…beyond inheritance…

a timeline that waits

for a payment of dues.

Author's Note

I'm interested in your reactions to the words.

Reviews

[KWP]

this reminds me of the book Essay's in Idleness :)

[Sleiman Azizi]

A treasure.

[Rene Salinas]

This one would be a tough proposition for anyone. If one would be so foolish to attempt going through the section of Philosophical admiration, which would be one way to look at this. Not only one would claim arrogance and a slight tinge of idiocy, but to say the least - that this work is often regarded highly, and there are summaries of th summary of the writing, written in order for people to establish his/her own connection, so as such I will leave that aspect of it there. Then there could be the literary side of it and I think it would suffer from not having the right concept found here at the Cafe. The writer decided to put it under a poem but really I would think that if given some other category more suitable for the writing he would have gone for it. Then the writing itself which cannot be taken apart from the original as the original is the template for the making of this one. It is an interesting sequence of thoughts. Just like the original however it offers a historical point of view through the world of morality which is a strict, environment based, disciplined guided of behavioural intention. Lastly my emotional take which is of course I enjoyed it immensly as I went down the reasoning of the writer. Seems imbued with more recognition towrads the divinity than the original was, if I remember correctly, and pity that there isn't a button in the Cafe to post "streams of thought" as this would have suited the term.

Thoroughly enjoyed

Thankyou

[Sleiman Azizi]

What was it that made you 'thoroughly enjoyed' it?

[Rene Salinas]

I have read nietzsche the genealogy of morals. It was as if you read it and transposed to to your way of looking at it. Sieved it? Filteredt it? Poetical liscence? You know what I mean?

[Sleiman Azizi]

I understand that without reading the original words of Nietzsche, then this response may be difficult to come to terms with. But like Nietzsche, I think this style lends itself to a more free association with the words. Essentially the reader is welcome to come to whatever interpretations he or she ends up with. From that perspective, the work may have some merit.

[Rene Salinas]

Sure but then you need to take into acount that Nieztche was and still is considered someone who offer great debates. And there is an element of "matter of fact" in his writings which are not poetical at all! Yet you offered that. That right there is not some minor change. That is if anything an abrupt change of meaning! I enjoyed it anyhow....

[Sleiman Azizi]

I get the impression that Nietszche was an artist trapped in a philosopher's body.