Beyond Good and Evil · Chapter
On the Value of Sympathy and the Master's Nature explained
The chapter contrasts the valuable, active sympathy of a natural master—a man of resolution, protection, and strength to whom the weak willingly submit—with the modern, effeminate cult of suffering and complaint.
What happens
The chapter contrasts the valuable, active sympathy of a natural master—a man of resolution, protection, and strength to whom the weak willingly submit—with the modern, effeminate cult of suffering and complaint. It condemns the widespread European sensitivity to pain and the 'unmanliness' of the sympathy preached by visionaries, advocating instead for the protective amulet of 'gay science' (gai saber).
Themes in this chapter
Master vs. Slave Morality
Contrasts the active, guarding, protective sympathy of the 'master by nature' with the passive, complaining, effeminate sympathy of the suffering and those who preach it.
Critique of Modernity
Attacks the modern European 'irrestrainableness in complaining' and 'effeminizing' disguised as superiority, advocating for a return to strength and 'gay science.'
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Delivers the critique of modern sympathy and prescribes 'gai saber' as an antidote.
- Europeans
Described as exhibiting a 'sickly irritability and sensitiveness towards pain' and a 'cult of suffering.'
Key passages
“A man who is a master by nature—when such a man has sympathy, well! that sympathy has value! But of what account is the sympathy of those who suffer! Or of those even who preach sympathy!”
Sympathy is only valuable when it comes from a natural master; the sympathy of the suffering or of those who advocate for it is worthless.
Establishes a hierarchy of value based on the type of person expressing sympathy.
“There is nowadays, throughout almost the whole of Europe, a sickly irritability and sensitiveness towards pain... there is a regular cult of suffering.”
Modern Europe is characterized by an unhealthy oversensitivity to pain and an actual worship of suffering.
Diagnoses a cultural sickness.
“One must resolutely and radically taboo this latest form of bad taste; and finally I wish people to put the good amulet, gai saber ('gay science')... on heart and neck, as a protection against it.”
This modern sensibility must be forbidden; people should adopt 'gay science' as a protective charm against it.
Prescribes an antidote to the diagnosed cultural malady.