"These people abstain, it is true: but the bitch Sensuality glares enviously out of all they do"
- Friedrich Nietzsche
About this Quote
Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher known for his extensive and typically intriguing insights into humanity, deftly captures the complexity and contradictions of moral and ascetic habits in the quote: "These people abstain, it is true: however the bitch Sensuality glares enviously out of all they do." This statement talks to the tension between external expressions of virtue or self-restraint and the underlying, maybe reduced, desires that continue to exert impact over people.
At surface level, the quote acknowledges the observable habits of abstention, recommending an adherence to certain moral or ethical standards. However, Nietzsche quickly subverts this notion by introducing the metaphor of the "bitch Sensuality," a vivid personification of human desires and cravings that decline to be fully repressed. This recommends that regardless of external abstaining, the fundamental nature of desire remains potent and present, casting doubt on the sincerity or efficiency of such self-denial.
Nietzsche's use of the word "bitch" is especially deliberate. It communicates a sense of hostility, persistence, and subversiveness-- attributes that he credits to sensuality. It implies that these desires are not only innate however also resilient, capable of manifesting indirectly through envy or subtle impact on habits. This highlights the philosopher's suspicion towards asceticism, typically considered as a rejection of life's necessary energies and passions.
The phrase "glares enviously" even more recommends that reduced desires do not disappear; rather, they linger in the shadows, watching with jealousy those who indulge freely. This might show Nietzsche's review of moralistic and ascetic ideologies that demand the sacrifice of private desires and impulses, possibly resulting in a state of hypocrisy or internal dispute.
Eventually, Nietzsche's quote serves as a tip of the complexities fundamental in humanity. It motivates a more honest reconciliation with one's desires, advocating for a balance that neither blindly indulges nor strictly reduces, however rather acknowledges and integrates the diverse measurements of human existence.