Nietzsche and Runaway Audio Consumption
Came across this today. A lot of posts bring up the issue of "how much is enough?" or "when is audio consumption justified" etc.
Does this Nietzsche aphorism apply to audio buying? You be the judge!
Friedrich Nietzsche: “Danger in riches. — Only he who has spirit ought to have possessions: otherwise possessions are a public danger. For the possessor who does not know how to make use of the free time which his possessions could purchase him will always continue to strive after possessions: this striving will constitute his entertainment, his strategy in his war against boredom.
Thus in the end the moderate possessions that would suffice the man of spirit are transformed into actual riches – riches which are in fact the glittering product of spiritual dependence and poverty. They only appear quite different from what their wretched origin would lead one to expect because they are able to mask themselves with art and culture: for they are, of course, able to purchase masks. By this means they arouse envy in the poorer and the uncultivated – who at bottom are envying culture and fail to recognize the masks as masks – and gradually prepare a social revolution: for gilded vulgarity and histrionic self-inflation in a supposed ‘enjoyment of culture’ instil into the latter the idea ‘it is only a matter of money’ – whereas, while it is to some extent a matter of money, it is much more a matter of spirit.”
Nietzsche, Friedrich. 1996. Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits. Cambridge University Press. (p. 283-4, an aphorism no. 310)
I'm pretty sure @mahgister will want to read this one! (Because they speak so artfully about avoiding the diversion that consumption poses to the quest for true aesthetic and acoustic excellence.)
Yes, you got it. That Darwinian social engineering, attaching primordially necessary emotions to play people like puppets to want more and grind for more. Stoicism teaches us to rationalize this. Best not to study modern day books, but only the ancients where they were less influenced by materialism. |
Spirit is what informs one. Material interests, information, data all emanate from human spirit. One has the freedom to choose what spirits inform. Choose malevolent spirits, anger, complaint consumes, choose good spirit, experience a more measured mind.
Wisdom is good spirit, knowledge only elementary. Having the widest possible perspective is what wisdom seeker after. Having only self perspective is blind man, everything zero sum game. One can only gain wisdom with courage, fear closes doors, courage opens.
And its not enough to merely read the words and digest facts, one must encounter the spirit, in other words be empathetic to those with differing perspectives. Intention then becomes known, spirit drives intention, intention is the spirit.
So much conflict created by misjudging intention. Understanding intention or keeping mindful one may not know another's intent will help mediate one's reaction.
Some say love is greatest lacking in world, I've always thought empathy greatest lacking. |
@hilde45 , that was some great and brilliant animation. All the best, |
