Sunday, October 21, 2007

The fortunate vs. unfortunate

Often throughout The Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche discusses two distinctive groups: the fortunate, well-off, nobles, etc... and the unfrotunate, downtroden, the commoners etc... Nietzsche argues that "[priests] are all men of ressentiment, physiologically unfortunate and worm-eaten...inexhaustible and insatiable in outbursts against the fortunate and happy...(124). In this instance, he describes the priest as someone who alters the "food chain". By making the well-off (whatever that means) appear undesirable in some way, he can make the less-well off feel better about themselves. Thus, he makes the well off feel flawed. I agree in society there may be some sort of "food chain" even thought noblity does not exist in our time. Certain wealthy people, attractive people, more athletic people are held in higher esteem than others that have less of one of these desired qualities. But, priests do not downgrade simply one of these qualities, they preach against using these advantages well-off people have in an abusive way. Preists argue that these advantageous qualities are not evil in themselves, but could be used for a greater good to help others.

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