Thus Spoke Zarathustra

purpose either. The Church — at least preserves the mood from which it wants to be seen and re-established. Only genius knew this purpose; it was genius because it lived according to this purpose, or better: it lived according to this purpose because it was genius.

More and more urgently, Nietzsche asks: What is this expenditure of power for, this enormous apparatus of human culture? Where lies the goal of humanity?

Eduard von Hartmann, who had likewise posed this question to himself, answers: The goal of humanity, "the completed victory of the logical over the illogical," must coincide with the temporal end of the world process, the Last Judgment. (That is to say: the later and with the more exhausted forces a generation lives, the more it may boast of being closer to the goal of humanity! — this goal is the withering, dying-out man, the downfall of humanity, the "world-redemption.")

If this were the goal of humanity, then any incentive to strive for it would be missing: rather, humanity could do nothing better than to prevent its attainment by all means. Only the sick and the elderly would still endure the prospect of such a "goal": for the weaker the life-force, the deeper the fear of perishing, the deeper the greed to continue their weak existence; — and the more powerful and bold the will, the smaller the dread of danger and death, the greater the hatred for all that is weak and cowardly. If believed to be true, Hartmann's "goal" of the world process could drive all the strong into disgust with life, into suicide, and deliver the earth to the dregs of humanity.

Indeed, it often appears as if we are on this path, and as if there were no longer any hearts in which Nietzsche’s call resounded.

"The goal of humanity — cries Nietzsche — does not lie at its end: — but in its highest specimens! That the great man may arise again and again and live among you: — this be the meaning of your earthly striving! That there may always be people who lift you up to their height, who take away your feeling of being orphaned, who pull you into their goals and tasks, who bring a new life, a new impulse into your heads and hearts: — this be the