Friedrich_Nietzsche - Untimely_Meditations_(Cambridge_Texts_in_the_History_of_Philosophy__1997)

Untimely Meditations5But I have undertaken to exhibit my experience ofSchopenhauer asan educator , and it is thus not nearly sufficient for me to paint, and topaint imperfectly, that ideal man who, as his Platonic ideal as it were,holds sway in and around him. The hardest task still remains: to sayhow a new circle of duties may be derived from this ideal and howone can proceed towards so extravagant a goal through a practicalactivity - in short, to demonstrate that this ideal educates. One mightotherwise think it nothing but an intoxicating vision granted us onlyfor moments at a time, and then leaving us all the more painfully inthe lurch and prey to an even deeper dissatisfaction. It is also indisputablethat that is how we begin our association with this ideal - witha sudden contrast of light and darkness, intoxication and nausea -and that this is a repetition of an experience which is as old as idealsthemselves. But we ought not to stand long in the doorway , we oughtsoon to get through the beginning. And so we have seriously to askthe definite question: is it possible to bringOthat incredibly lofty goalso close to us that it educates us while it draws us aloft? - thatGoethe's mighty words may not be fulfilled in us: 'Man is born to alimited situation; he is able to understand simple, accessible,definite goals, and he accustoms himself to employing the meansthat happen to lie close at hand; but as soon as he oversteps his limitshe knows neither what he wants nor what he ought to do, and it is allone whether he is distracted by the multiplicity of the things heencounters or whether his head is turned by their loftiness anddignity. It is always a misfortune when he is induced to strive aftersomething which he cannot proceed towards through self-initiatedand regulated activity. '* The Schopenhauerean man appearsto be singularly open to this objection: his dignity and loftinesscan only turn our heads and thereby exclude us from any participationin the world of action; coherent duties, the even flow oflife are gone. One man perhaps at last accustoms himself to livingdiscontentedly according to two different rules of conduct, that isto say in conflict with himself, uncertain of how to act and thereforedaily more feeble and unfruitful : while another may evenrenounce all action on principle and almost cease to pay anyattention to the actions of others. The dangers are always greatwhen things are made too difficult for a man and when he is in-From Wilhelm. Meisters Leltrjahre, Book 6, 'Confession of a Beautiful Soul'.156