They steal the works of the inventors and the treasures of the wise. Culture, they call their theft, and everything becometh sickness and trouble unto them!
– Friedrich Nietzsche: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Of the New Idol
Our Interpretation:
In this quote, Nietzsche is criticizing how society often takes the creations and ideas of truly original thinkers (“inventors” and “the wise”) and adopts them as part of mainstream culture. By doing this, society strips these ideas of their true value, treating them as if they are commonplace or using them without fully understanding their depth. Nietzsche suggests that this process leads to a kind of decay or sickness, as the original brilliance is lost or corrupted when absorbed by the masses.
Context:
This quote comes from Nietzsche’s book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, specifically the section called “Of the New Idol.” In this part, Nietzsche speaks through the character Zarathustra, who critiques the concept of the state and organized society. He argues that society, represented by “the New Idol,” often stifles individual greatness and creativity. Nietzsche believed that true culture should be about fostering individual brilliance, not diluting it through mass acceptance or conformity.