One must also bear in mind, when reading Nietzsche, that he
feels himself from first to last completely free to make things up.
Particular when reading his forays into the pre-history of
humanity wherein he lays out the pre-history of morality, the age of what he calls “the morality of custom.”
An age when, according to him, all customs, of whatever kind, were categorically obligatory.
An age when the two spheres of mere custom - still perhaps revealingly called "small morals" by Hobbes and governing, for example, table manners or where and when one may pick one's nose - and of moral constraint were not distinct.
Indeed, according to N, in that age, any action not commanded by custom but done for some (any) other reason was branded immoral.
Those who first depart from the reign of custom and recommend a course of action on other grounds - the specific example is sobriety urged upon individuals as being good for them - he says "take a new path" and thereby bring down upon themselves the utmost disapproval of those who represent the morality of custom.
"They sever their connection with the community, as immoralists, and are, in the fullest sense of the word, evil ones."
The Dawn, aphorism 9, Concept of morality of custom.
An age when, according to him, all customs, of whatever kind, were categorically obligatory.
An age when the two spheres of mere custom - still perhaps revealingly called "small morals" by Hobbes and governing, for example, table manners or where and when one may pick one's nose - and of moral constraint were not distinct.
Indeed, according to N, in that age, any action not commanded by custom but done for some (any) other reason was branded immoral.
Those who first depart from the reign of custom and recommend a course of action on other grounds - the specific example is sobriety urged upon individuals as being good for them - he says "take a new path" and thereby bring down upon themselves the utmost disapproval of those who represent the morality of custom.
"They sever their connection with the community, as immoralists, and are, in the fullest sense of the word, evil ones."
The Dawn, aphorism 9, Concept of morality of custom.
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