Yeah, to your first question. I think the people who can maintain an interest in it are more interested in the particularities, whereas to me it is just one set of ideas. Writing has a lot more going for it in general, though. It's not just 'data' + 'theoretical filter'.

I'm not sure it is the point. If vengefulness as self-destructive were self-consciously the point, I'd probably thing it was worthwhile in the same way The Genealogy of Morality is worthwhile. Hmm...perhaps I lack that kind of imagination.