As a rule, being accused of being pretentious is seen as an attack on one’s personality. Being high-minded is, according to society’s rules of common decency, an undesirable trait. Not so, say I. Pretentiousness, contrary to what others may tell you, is an excellent defence mechanism against the tedious, unimaginative, exceedingly mediocre world. In this era of political correctness and egalitarianism, one has to struggle harder to raise oneself above the grey masses. “Why struggle at all?” you ask. Nietzsche says: “You should build beyond yourself, but first you must be built yourself, square-built in body and soul. You should propagate yourself not only forward, but upward” (95). The poet-philosopher knows that every man has the tendency to slack and take up a comfortable position next to millions of others like him. He is inclined to mediocrity, false modesty, and mendacity. If he does not challenge himself (and others), he will sink into the marsh of insignificance. Prete...