Acceleration—of any kind; the mechanical increase of technical "speeds," and these only a consequence of this acceleration, which means not-being-able-to-bear the stillness of hidden growth and awaiting; the mania for what is surprising, for what immediately sweeps [us] away and impresses [us], again and again and in different ways; fleetingness as the basic law of "constancy." It is necessary to forget rapidly and to lose oneself in what comes next. From this point of view, then, the false idea of what is high and "highest" in the dis-figuring [Mißgestalt] of maximum accomplishment; purely quantitative enhancement, blindness to what is truly momentary, which is not fleeting but opens up eternity. But from the point of view of acceleration the eternal is the mere lasting of the same, the empty "and-so-forth." The genuine restlessness of the struggle remains hidden. Its place is taken by the restlessness of the always inventive operation, which is driven by the anxiety of boredom.
2. Speed—of every sort; the mechanical increase in technical "velocities,"
and such increase altogether only a consequence of this
speed; the latter the inability to withstand in the stillness of concealed
growth and of waiting; mania for the surprising, for what
is again and again immediately and differently "striking" and enthralling;
transience as the basic law of "constancy." Necessary:
prompt forgetting and losing oneself in what comes next. On this
basis, then, the erroneous representation of the high and the
"highest" in the monstrous form of record-breaking performances;
purely quantitative increase, blindness to the truly momentary,
which is not the transient, but is what opens up eternity. With
respect to speed, however, the eternal is the mere endurance of
the same, the empty "and so on and on"; the genuine unrest of the
battle remains concealed, and in its place has stepped the restlessness
of constantly more ingenious activity, which is pushed forward
by the dread of becoming bored with oneself.
