Friedrich Nietzsche
Will and Willingness
Some one brought a youth to a wise man, and said, " See, this is one who is being corrupted by women!" The wise man shook his head and smiled. " It is men," he called out, "who corrupt women; and everything that women lack should be atoned for and improved in men for man creates for himself the ideal of woman, and woman moulds herself according to this ideal." "You are too tender hearted towards women," said one of the bystanders, "you do not know them! " The wise man answered : "Man's attribute is will, woman's attribute is willingness such is the law of the sexes, indeed! a hard law for woman! All human beings are innocent of their existence, women, however, are doubly innocent ; who could have enough of oil and gentleness for them! ""What about oil! What about gentleness! " called out another person in the crowd, "we must educate women better! "We must educate men better," said the wise man, and made a sign to the youth to follow him. The youth, however, did not follow him.