Nietzsche and Runaway Audio Consumption


Came across this today. A lot of posts bring up the issue of "how much is enough?" or "when is audio consumption justified" etc.

Does this Nietzsche aphorism apply to audio buying? You be the judge! 

Friedrich Nietzsche“Danger in riches. — Only he who has spirit ought to have possessions: otherwise possessions are a public danger. For the possessor who does not know how to make use of the free time which his possessions could purchase him will always continue to strive after possessions: this striving will constitute his entertainment, his strategy in his war against boredom. 

Thus in the end the moderate possessions that would suffice the man of spirit are transformed into actual riches – riches which are in fact the glittering product of spiritual dependence and poverty. They only appear quite different from what their wretched origin would lead one to expect because they are able to mask themselves with art and culture: for they are, of course, able to purchase masks. By this means they arouse envy in the poorer and the uncultivated – who at bottom are envying culture and fail to recognize the masks as masks – and gradually prepare a social revolution: for gilded vulgarity and histrionic self-inflation in a supposed ‘enjoyment of culture’ instil into the latter the idea ‘it is only a matter of money’ – whereas, while it is to some extent a matter of money, it is much more a matter of spirit.” 

Nietzsche, Friedrich. 1996. Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits. Cambridge University Press. (p. 283-4, an aphorism no. 310)

I'm pretty sure @mahgister will want to read this one! (Because they speak so artfully about avoiding the diversion that consumption poses to the quest for true aesthetic and acoustic excellence.)

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@mahgister please relax. i simply choose to keep it light and silly when i go to the hifi forum and leave the high effort philosophy posts to others. the fundamental absurdity of this hobby and "gear acquisition syndrome" is obvious to me, but i still enjoy it. like everyone else here. 

You are right and wiser than me .... Humor is necessary...I misread your post...

I apologize and sincerely wish you the best and thank you for reminding me to be less serious...

@mahgister please relax. i simply choose to keep it light and silly when i go to the hifi forum and leave the high effort philosophy posts to others. the fundamental absurdity of this hobby and "gear acquisition syndrome" is obvious to me, but i still enjoy it. like everyone else here.

@mahgister you're a class act for this and i do always enjoy reading your stuff on here. be well 🍻

Aside from the validity of the points of manifested here, I am most impressed by the positive tone and humble yet brash investigation being made to uncover what is closest to the truth. Also the carefully weighed use of the language is commendable. Such environment is refreshing, soothing and ever harder to find these days. Thank you from Rapallo (Italia)

I like to remember Nietzsche's description of the world's happiest creature: the cow in her pasture, chewing her cud, totally devoid of any lasting memories. Our memory of auditory experiences is notoriously poor and may partially explain a tendency to feel satisfaction with the current state of our systems--since we can't really remember the sound of our system in any of its earlier configurations. True test for tube rollers!