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.)

hilde45

Showing 3 responses by onhwy61

For some people it always ends up with god, not just any god, but their GOD.  God seems to be an answer, but maybe it's just an endless series of questions...

I think therefore I think I think.

There's a theory that Prof. Moriarty wasn't real, but a product of Holmes' cocaine addled mind.  A highly intelligent individual with an inquiring mind connected the dots of seemingly random events and concluded that it was all part of a masterful plan.  However, if science has taught us anything, sometimes it really is just mindless, purposeless random events.

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.

There is more knowledge about humanity to be found in art than philosophy.

The more that the universe seems comprehensible, the more it also seems pointless.

If you can't acknowledge that this may be true, then is your mind really inquiring?