The meaning of genius according to Nietzsche

Bronze Age Pervert(BAP), an anonymous internet personality, is one of the most influential Nietzscheans alive. At the time of his account suspension, he had more than 78k+ twitter followers. In his podcast, BAP discusses Nietzsche's distinction between "male and female genius."👇

Genius commonly means an exceptional individual. But by genius, Nietzsche means fertility. In Beyond Good And Evil, he says a genius is "a being that either begets or gives birth." Beget or birth not just kids, but "new orders of life."

The female genius is interested in the "problem of pregnancy and the secret task of forming, ripening, and bringing to completion." The male genius is "tortured and delighted by unknown fevers" and has a strong urge to impregnate.

BAP says Nietzsche didn't believe one form of genius is better than the other. Nietzsche believed the Greeks and the French, of whom he spoke admirably, possessed the female genius. The Germans, whom he often criticized harshly, possessed the male genius.

Actors. The female genius, whether in a person or a whole civilization, is receptive. Like an actor, those who possess the female genius can absorb scripts from outside and make it their own. Like an actor, they can play different roles.

Architects. In contrast, the male genius is imposing. Those possessing the male genius are akin to architects. They seek "victory over weight and gravity." They possess a strong "will to power" that seeks to reshape and transform physical space.

In democratic ages, people turn away from predetermined roles and think "they can manage any role." They become actors. Nietzsche writes this happened in ancient Greece, and is happening now. When female genius predominates, it creates "interesting ages." But there are downsides.

Great architects are "made impossible" as the will to build is paralyzed. To build means to impose a plan not just on space but on time - on the future. One needs "to calculate, to promise, to anticipate" - and this requires people solid as stone, not fluid like stage-actors.

Nietzsche asks, "Who would still dare to undertake projects that would require thousands of years for their completion?" In an age that favors the shapeshifting genius of actors, "a mighty act of will" in a sustained direction for long periods of time becomes rare.

Bottom line. Nietzsche writes: "These two types of genius look for each other like men and women; but they also misunderstand each other – like men and women." Both forms of genius are necessary. The future may depend on how well the architects and actors understand each other.