Joel Alvarado

LEH 355

2/6/2015

                                               

Quote: Blind pupils. -- As long as a man knows very well the strength and weaknesses of his teaching, his art, his religion, its power is still slight. The pupil and apostle who, blinded by the authority of the master and by the piety he feels toward him, pays no attention to the weaknesses of a teaching, a religion, and soon usually has for that reason more power than the master. The influence of a man has never yet grown great without his blind pupils. To help a perception to achieve victory often means merely to unite it with stupidity so intimately that the weight of the latter also enforces the victory of the former.

From Nietzsche's Human, all too Human, s.122, R.J. Hollingdale transl.

This amazing quote from Nietzsche delivers various subliminal messages; the apparent subject that the author talks about is a teacher and a learner. Firstly, he talks about how a teacher of any sort (religious, academic, ect.) has to posses the knowledge of what they are trying to portray to the learner, in other words, the teacher has to believe in what he/she does in order to be more credible and have others acknowledge his/her teachings, that includes recognizing the strengths and flaws that they posses in their teachings. Nietzsche also talks about the importance of establishing a positive relationship with the learner in order to establish trust and confidence. He emphasized that when there is a link between both parties, strengthened by trust and respect, only then will the learner actually acquire the knowledge he/she is looking to posses. The author talks about “blind pupils” as a reference of unconditional trust and loyalty to the teachings of the educator.

            This method of thinking is still being practiced today in our current society. We see it in places like churches, school systems and even our government. In order for educators or political figures to implement their wisdoms, they must first earn at a reasonable amount of trust, which is then used to express their teachings or political ways. Another place where this method is used is in religious practices where the people look up and trust the higher authority in the pursuit of a higher power. One of the negative aspects of trusting and believing in someone to the upmost is that some individuals will use that in their advantage to obtain their ways,