198 Nietzschehours or moments and, if possible, transform the mistakes of their lives
and characters into mistakes of the worid's destiny" (2,447; HH Π AOS
§ 169). It is not an overabundance of well-being and health but rather
privation that makes us crave art. Art lovers of this sort are people who
abhor themselves. In Nietzsche's view, it is not "delight in themselves"
but "disgust in themselves" (2,447) that now draws people to art.
Self-disgust on the part of spectators is a fitting counterpart to the
ruthless smugness of many artists. At times, the latter are so passionate
about their artworks that they long for an "overthrow of all circum-
stances" (2,149; HHI § 159) just so that they can heighten the resonance
of their works. Nietzsche was not naming names, but he clearly had
Richard Wagner in mind. Wagner did indeed beome a political revolu-
tionary—for the sake of his art.
The rumors and legends that spring up around great artists, and are
often nourished by them, make a lot of fuss about inspiration and the
anguish of mankind. For Nietzsche, that is one of the mystifications of
art In fact, there is less inspiration involved than is generally believed.
"All of the great people were great workers" (2,147; HH I § 155). As for
the alleged "suffering of genius," caution is advised. Some artists feign
interest not only in people but also in the destiny of mankind, and they
want not merely to create a work but to revitalize an entire culture. They
claim to be met by incomprehension and narrow-mindedness on all
sides, which occasions their great suffering. Nietzsche recommended
that we treat these megalomaniacal self-assessments with a healthy dose
of skepticism. Great artists, he explained, feel rebuffed when they sound
their "pipes" (2,147; HH I § 157) and no one wants to dance. Even if
this sense of rejection is exasperating to an artist, can we really call it
"tragic"? Perhaps we can, Nietzsche cynically remarked, because the suf-
ferings of the artist who considers himself misunderstood are "really
very great, but only because his ambition and his envy are so great"
(2,147).
Nietzsche passed harsh judgment on art and his own passion for it.
Music continued to be the language of the tremendous Dionysian mys-