NIETZSCHE INSPIRED HERMITAGE
Walter Kaufmann describes Nietzsche as having developed “the theme of the antipolitical individual who seeks self-perfection far from the modern world.”
In philosophy, I often stumble upon phrases that prove useful in justifying my preferred style of living, which is to say I enjoy being far away from people, secluded and surrounded by silence. And as much as I am intrigued by the political realm, I cannot feign much vivaciousness for it. I am interested, but almost just as quickly disinterested in what amounts to a bizarre game of attention on the present. I suppose this qualifies as antipolitical. Politics is fine, but I am not altogether wowed by it, and will not likely be so over and over again, unceasingly in the future.
I like the idea of every person bettering themselves. Of resting when they want to or need to. Learning about things that interest them and learning about things that do not interest them. The thing I dislike most in people is a lack of curiosity. Or faux-curiosity. It is difficult to describe, but so few people are genuinely interested in learning new things. Or interested in the fact that other people are learning new things. A lack of curiosity breeds small-mindedness. The human mind is complex and amazing. Merging in with the throng of mass society is a waste. And true, there are few new ideas in the world, but the lack of intrigue depresses the hell out of me - to commandeer a phrase from Holden Caulfield. It really does. There is very little acknowledgment of what is trivial or wholly normative. Which, I find troubling. So, it is better that I create some space between myself and others. If there is no space, I feel congested and oppressed for no particular reason other than the fact that I am in close proximity to other people.
And true, I love certain things about certain cities, but in cities, I mostly like being somewhere cozy and inside that is not too cramped, with food. I do wonder if this global pandemic will change people’s general willingness to be in cramped spaces. Anyway, I like wearing comfortable, soft clothes. I do not enjoy dressing up much. I mostly like wearing sneakers. Ankle socks provoke in me a fit of tremendous anger. I like looking at muted colors. I have lived in the modern world, and I have now lived very much not in my previous perspective of the modern world and what I know I like is to be apart, although not completely disconnected, from others. I like silence. I do not like the sounds of children or cars or motorbikes or other loud human utterances. The acceptable loud human utterances are as follows: the Italian language and Italian opera.
Why do I enjoy philosophical thought? Simply put, I can find a sentence or two, every now and again, that profoundly justifies my unpopular opinions and disdain for the uncurious mob.
