CHAPTER X
GENERAL OUTLOOK, AND ULTIMATE VIEW OF THE WORLD
I
I consider first Nietzsche's general outlook. The tragic background of existence still remains for him; I forbear to quote fresh and varied statements to that effect.[1] His views of the older Greek life as somber, apart from the influence of the myths, is also continued; only through art did man's lot become enjoyable.[2] Nietzsche is now, however, in an unhappy state of mind about art. He has had a disillusioning experience, and art is under a shadow—to this extent, an easement and consolation is gone. It is not that he expressly abandons his former view, but it ceases to have relevance to the existing situation.[3] For the moment he does not know but that the days of art are over.[4] In answer to the question, why it continues in its customary forms—music, theaters, picture-galleries, novels, poetry—he says in a matter-of-fact and somewhat cynical way that idle people find it hard to pass their time without it. He adds that if the needs of these people were not met, either they would not strive so zealously for leisure, and envy of the rich would become rarer—which itself would be a great gain—or else they would employ their leisure in thinking a little—something one can learn and unlearn—thinking, for example, about the sort of lives they are leading, their social relations, their pleasures; in either case, everybody, with the exception of the artists, would be better off.[5] He has more or less satire on artists themselves, or at least criticism of them. Men of science
- ↑ Cf., for example, Human, etc., §§ 33, 71, 591; Mixed Opinions etc., § 22.
- ↑ Cf. Human, etc., §§ 261, 154, 222.
- ↑ Cf. Mixed Opinions etc., §§ 99, 174; Human, etc., § 276; also a passage relating to Wagner quoted by Drews (op. cit., p. 163) which I cannot locate.
- ↑ Cf. Human, etc., §§ 222, 223, 236.
- ↑ Mixed Opinions etc., § 175.
