OCR
necessary, as Plato suspected in his genius way, on the one hand to reinforce identity and on the other to create a basis for oppression. Oppression by whom? The failures. This is the revolution of the herd, of the mediocre (Aufstand der Herde, der »Mittleren«) (KSA 13. p.94.) against all that is great—in comparison to them. Let us think a little further. The person of the herd is driven by instinct and not reason, even by herd instinct, which suggests that being in a herd protects you from having to raise your head to take a risk by thinking, forming an independent opinion, critically looking critically at the world and keeping your face. “The herd feels good in the swamp and muck” — says Nietzsche. (KSA 4. p. 122. TSZ p. 77.) To sit quietly in the swamp. That is where warmth and safety can be found. Outside of that we encounter not only the alien but also the enemy. Failures (Schlechtweggekommene) think this way, at any rate. * How is it that a failed person is taken in? Schopenhauer emphasizes their pride in the same, which is the most important basis for belonging, while (or additionally) Nietzsche points to the hatred of others. In fact, as already mentioned, the two exist together. Schopenhauer writes of the “pride in the same”: On the other hand, the cheapest form of pride is national pride; for the man affected therewith betrays a want of individual qualities of which he might be proud, since he would not otherwise resort to that which he shares with so many millions. The man who possesses outstanding personal qualities will rather see most clearly the faults of his own nation, for he has them constantly before his eyes. But every miserable fool, who has nothing in the world whereof he could be proud, resorts finally to being proud of the very nation to which he belongs. (Schopenhauer 1974. p. 360.) garn, Ruthenen, Serben und Kroaten usw., zwischen allem aber als ewiger Spaltpilz der Menschheit — Juden und wieder Juden.” 51 Nietzsche’s term Schlechtweggekommene = person who went down the wrong path, or person whose life has gone wrong.