Would you want your leaders (parents, teachers, principal, governor, representatives, president, etc.) to act according to Machiavellian principles? Why or why not? You MUST reference at least 1 of Machiavelli's quotes in your response (see Materials - Unit 1 for documents and quotes from class). Be sure to explain and justify your response.
1 paragraph. Make sure to sign your post (first name, last initial, block)
Anthony K A5
ReplyDeleteI would definatley want the president, not specifically Obama, to act with the Machiavellian principles. But, to be able to use the principles, I would want our president to be smart and have a plan in mind, otherwise using Machiavellian ideas would be useless. If he used Machiavelli's ideas and made people fear him more than they like him, the president would get many more things done by avoiding debates and people questioning his actions. "The ends justify the means", although this quote is not directly from Machiavelli,it represents his ideas. It says that it does not matter what you do to get there , your overall goal will justify it. If our president had his own plan that he could change and follow to get to an overall goal, the confilct on whether we should intervene in Syria would not be happening because the president would follow his plan, make a quick decision and get it done. Also, being able to break promises is a good quality because he can change his mind for what is best at the time."To understand the people on the valley, you have to be on the mountain" is a quote by Machiavelli that would be useful to the president so he could take perspective on what the people want and no just what he wants.
I would want my leaders to act according to Machiavelli's principals because they make him a strong leader. Machiavelli states, "The prince must make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved at least he escapes being hated." This means that because it is so difficult to have everyone love and admire you it is better to make people fear you. He has control over his people because they fear punishment.
ReplyDeleteI want my leaders to act according to Machiavellians principals. This is because in the quote “It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both…For love is secured by a bond of gratitude which men, wretched creatures that they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened by a dread of punishment which is always effective. The prince must none the less make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated,” it shows that hatred is a more powerful emotion. With love there can be disloyalty and dishonestly. When the leader is feared they can be trusted more. The person at head has more of a set postion where with love the lower level may feel powerful. I feel that the leaders are more powerful and that I should fear them, because it simply is just the way it is. They were once in my position ansd some day i will be in there's, the person feared.
ReplyDeleteAustin C, 5A
I would not want my president to act according to Machiavellian’s principles. One quote Machiavellian says is, “A prince need not necessarily have all the good qualities I mentioned above, but he should certainly appear to have them.” Basically, Machiavellian is telling people it does not matter what type of person you are. All that matters is whether or not the public thinks you are great. I personally would not want Obama saying one thing to us, and doing another. Furthermore, as citizens of the United States, I believe we need to know what actions the President will be taking. One present example is the conflict in Syria with chemical weapons. Obama told the United States that he will not be taking military action until approval from the United Nations. Imagine if he did not honor his word and decided to take military action against Syria. This would probably increase the conflict and endanger US citizens.
ReplyDeleteNeha T.
A5
I feel that I wouldn’t want my teachers, parents, and president to be following the Machiavellian principles because just as Machiavelli feels that, “A prince should have no other object or thought, nor acquire skill in anything, except war and its organization.” This statement I do not agree with at all. I say this because war isn’t everything; war is just fighting others, which doesn’t help us all the time. Sometimes yes, war does help but not all the time. Once again I feel like my superiors should not act with the Machiavellian principles because this word is defined as someone who is sinful and two-faced. These types of people never make it far and I especially don’t like these types of people. Therefore, I would not like to have everyone act with the Machiavellian principles.
ReplyDeleteCourtney L. 5A
I think that our leaders, such as parents, teachers, principals, governors, representatives, president, etc. should follow some of Niccolò Machiavelli's political views, but not all of them. For example, Machiavelli once said, “Politics have no relation to morals.” I disagree with this quote, because politics are what puts the leaders that make our society function properly into office. If morality was not a factor in this, our laws would be drastically different for the worse. Saying the murder is wrong is part of our country's morals, so if those morals weren't there, does that mean it doesn't matter if I murder someone? Most of our laws are based on morality. On the other hand, he also believes that religion specifically should not be involved in politics. I believe this statement, as do most people, because it is in our laws today that separate Church and state, (or any religion and state), because in America we have freedom of religion, and the government cannot force a religious view onto us.
ReplyDeleteIf today's teachers, parents, representatives, and officials acted according to Machiavellian's principles I would support it. This is because Machiavellian's values are flexible yet strong at the same time. For instance, the quote showing the comparison between the fox and the lion is an example of how Machiavelli encourages a strong yet cunning leader. Machiavelli says, "The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves,” in The Prince. This means that one that aspires to be a leader should be smart and cunning like a fox and strong like a lion in order to protect himself and his people. This is only one of Machiavelli's principles that I think should be used in today's society to a healthy extent. For instance, a ruler mustn't be too harsh or wicked because that defeats the purpose of being a ruler. By following some of Machiavelli's principles such as the "fox and lion", today's leaders will be much stronger and loyal to their countries and governments.
ReplyDeleteVidisha N. A5
"It is better to be feared than loved".
ReplyDeleteI am honestly on the fence. If every president, teacher, parent, or any other authority figure acted according to Machiavellian principles, the country would get things done, but I also feel like there has to be a better way to do things. If you fear somebody, of course you are going to do what they say because you are afraid of what my happen if you do not. But, if you genuinely love someone, you are more likely to do something for them because you want to, not because you have to. There has to be a sense of balance. You must have a backbone as a leader, but you also need patience and compassion if you want to lead effectively. People do not want a dictator commanding their every move, they want somebody that can listen to their problems and actually do something about it.
Kaleb B. 5A
I would want my teachers parents, representatives to act according to Machiavelli's principles. From my point of view, I believe that Machiavelli's point of view is correct where he believed that the country's government wasn't strong enough. Machiavelli once said, "Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experiences show what you really are." I believe this quote is totally true because people never give others a chance to prove themselves. If our representatives gave people a chance to prove themselves to civilization, then our government can differently improve, in which we will work better as a nation.
ReplyDeleteChris H. B2
In some ways I would like my leaders to be like Machiavelli, because he seemed to know the correct path to success. That goals cannot be achieved without work, as stated in this quote. "Never was anything great achieved without danger." This is true and some people need to realize that with hard work comes responsibility. So yes, I would like my leaders to be like him. He knows how to show power and achievement, which I also think some people have a difficult time doing. Some are cowardly, which is something a leader shouldn't be...EVER! That's my answer, some people really should act a bit more like him.
ReplyDeleteJulia S. 2B
Catherine Leckie B4
ReplyDeleteIn some respects, yes, I would like my leaders to follow some of Machiavelli's principles. However, not in all ways. I, like most, don't prefer my leaders to be cruel or ruthless. I rather enjoy when they have a caring heart and actually listen to what I have to say. If my parents were cruel and ruthless people, I think I would probably rebel against them. I am also a firm believer that honesty is the best policy and therefore would rather dislike if my rulers were deceitful. One of Machiavell's principle quotes is "A prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honor his woud when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promise no longer exist." This is a quote that I completely disagree with. Men and women alike should honor their word no matter what the circumstances. Promises are not something to be toyed with or broken and by instituting such ideas in a rulers mind, he makes them believe it is okay to be deceitful or unfaithful. However, I do believe that sometimes we must do bad things to accomplish good overall, and "Our ends can justify our means" If a president must kill or cheat or lie to achieve the greater good, it is okay. I also know that rulers should be both a lion and a fox. They should be strong and courageous, but at times sly and cunning. A ruler should be versatile, and with this, I am on Machievelli's side.
I would want my leaders to follow Machiavelli's way of life and all of his principles. In doing so, it will help make a good leader. For example, President Barack Obama would be better off following Machiavelli's rules and if he does it will show signs that Obama does indeed have some brains. A cunning mind is needed when someone is a leader, a person who can think on their toes. Although being sneaky isn't the best trait to have for a good leader it is needed as well as a leader who might break a promise for the well being of everyone. Most importantly President Obama should present himself in such a manner that it strikes fear into the heart of people. Machiavelli would have said something like the following "The prince must make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated." A leader doesn't want to be so feared that it develops into hatred because then that may start a revolt against them. In addition, a good leader shouldn't be soft and let people walk over him. Like Machiavelli says a leader should be feared, but in a manner that does not propose any hatred towards him. A leader with these qualities should have quite a future.
ReplyDeleteYoshi A. A5
I would like my leaders to act as Machiavelli’s principles stated. Even though most politicians are not trusted because they have a reputation of lying and not keeping their word, it is important for them to be able to change their mind and be dishonest when it benefits their country. I feel safer knowing that my leader will do anything in his or her power to make sure that he protects his country. Under some circumstances, they have to do what is best for the county, not just do what they said because it is considered the “right” thing to do, since they will end up putting everybody in danger. Machiavelli stated, “So it follows that a prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honor his word when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promise no longer exist.” However, it is only acceptable for the ruler to do so when the situation has changed and actually has a valid reason to.
ReplyDeleteKara K. 5A
I do not think leaders should act in accordance to Machiavelli's philosophy. Leaders should be honest with their people at all times, no matter what. The quote "Because men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need not keep your word to them" explains his opinion that leaders don't always have to be nice to people. Although they need to make a good impression on people, you also need to actually be as kind as you appear to be or else their true selves would show through sooner or later, especially in the present where information can spread so quickly through the internet and little can be done to stop it once it gets out.
ReplyDeleteVeronica H 5A
Taylor R. B2
ReplyDeleteI would want my leaders to act some what accordingly to Niccolo Machiavelli's principles. Although I do not agree with everything he lives by, I believe he has strong leadership qualities that are needed in our leaders today. Machiavelli seems to know exactly what he wants and is set in his ways, this is very good because now everybody is not all over the place and unorganized. Machiavelli once said, " For the lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves." Just like a fox, our leaders must be sly, crafty, and devious. In the same way our leaders must be like a lion, ruthless, strong, and determined. If our leaders went by Machiavelli's principles, things would be must easier, and people would be much more organized and less frantic. Machiavelli also believed in free will and choice, he wanted to make the country strong. Therefore, I would want my leaders to act accordingly to Machiavelli's principles because they would be strong, smart, and organized.
I wouldn't want my leaders to act according to Machiavelli's principles, because even though my leaders would have more power in this country, I, personally, wouldn't want to fear my own president or mother.One of Machiavelli's quotes said, "It is better to feared than loved," and I don't agree with this statement. First of all, I don't want to fear my own parents for my whole life, since they did give birth to me, and I would want to ask them for advice or assistance if I'm having trouble with something. Secondly, If we were to fear our own president, our "leader", it would create a lot of problems within our own country. For example, when electing our president, the citizens would have difficulty choosing the president because they would know that the new guy would act the same way, careless and mad. So with that in mind, I would safely say that no...I wouldn't want my leaders to follow the machiavellian way.
ReplyDeleteAditya O. 5A
Sumaarg Pandya 2B
ReplyDeleteAlthough Machiavelli's principals could have been justified in the Renaissance Era, I believe that this time period cannot sustain with his beliefs. "War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans." Because Machiavelli was surrounded by war in his lifetime, his works are greatly influenced by it. In today's society, a leader must also have social skills, be financially savvy, have persuasive methods, and a well-rounded education. If the leader only has tunnel vision for war, the country will be in ruins. In this day, we must consider the possibility of greater repercussions from the "leader's only study" because of harsher weapons, a complicated ally system, and fragile relationships. If the only focus is war in the current age, then destruction is soon to follow.
Personally, I do like our leaders to rule using Machiavelli’s rules. Machiavelli’s rules include lying to citizens, as well as always thinking about the negative things (war, etc.). For example, if our country was ruled this way, and citizens found out that the leader was lying to them, there would be a huge problem about to occur, however I believe that lying to citizens is a good decision if it is necessary to use. “A prince should have no other object or thought, nor acquire skill in anything, except war and its organization…As for intellectual training, the prince must read history, studying the actions of eminent men to see how they conducted themselves during war, and to discover the reason for their victories or defeats, so that he can avoid the latter and imitate the former.” If a leader of some sort made a promise to do something, and later that affected the safety or went against something later, lying would be necessary in order for the situation to have a good outcome. To add, at times we don’t always want to think about negative affects, however, if we always keep the bad side in mind, our decision are less likely to backfire! This would prevent negative things from occurring if we think ahead of time how to avoid the bad situation. Overall, I believe that Machivelli’s rules should be used everywhere!
ReplyDeleteMarc Anthony M.
World History
Block 5A
I agree that if teachers, parents, representatives, and officials followed the rules made by Machiavelli. The traits Machiavelli came up with are very good traits; that is if used correctly. A good leader does need to be able to have the traits Machiavelli stated but used correctly. If these traits are used incorrectly than there will be problems with the government and the people. Like in the quote, “It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot do both…” The leader himself/herself will have control over his people by having people fear him. If these people fear him, he will then use the traits of a Machiavellian to make his power even stronger.
ReplyDeleteDanielle C. 2B
No, I would not want my leaders to act on Machiavellian principles. Some of Machiavelli’s main principles were to be cunning, sly, and to lie to the voters. As he states “Because men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need not keep your word to them.” If the politicians the people are to elect cannot be trusted, then who can be? What is it stop the three branches of government from turning on each other as well? The Machiavellian principals only work for a dictatorship. For the government to work successfully there has to be trust between the people running it and the voters. If the voters know that it does not matter who they elect, or who should they elect, then they will no longer show up to vote, prompting the government to fall to pieces.
ReplyDeleteCori C 5A
I believe that in Machiavelli's opinions. Many are harsh but, are harsh for a reason (to protect and control kingdom/people). I would want my leaders to act according to Machiavellian principles because, they are strong beliefs and have meaningful backgrounds. One example is his quote, "To comprehend fully the nature of people, one must be a prince, and to comprehend fully the nature of the princes, one must be an ordinary citizen", - The Prince. In this quote, Machiavelli is saying that to understand the people and how they are represented, you must be their leader; looking over their actions and seeing what they translate. To understand the prince and his decision's, you have to be a random citizen who watches his actions from below. I agree with this quote heavily because, in order for a prince or leader to understand his opinions, he must first understand the reactions and opinions of the people he is leading. Another quote,"It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.", speaks in a way that if people love you then they won't respect you or listen to you as much if they were deathly afraid of you. I don't mean that Obama should start a dictatorship or anything just that if the leader wants progress and/or people listening to him it's better to have progress and listeners by striking fear, then no progress or listeners by just being loved. Machiavelli created many smart and bold reasons on how to lead people in The Prince and would become effective in the modern world.
ReplyDelete-Brett Boon 5A
I believe that in Machiavelli's opinions. Many are harsh but, are harsh for a reason (to protect and control kingdom/people). I would want my leaders to act according to Machiavellian principles because, they are strong beliefs and have meaningful backgrounds. One example is his quote, "To comprehend fully the nature of people, one must be a prince, and to comprehend fully the nature of the princes, one must be an ordinary citizen", - The Prince. In this quote, Machiavelli is saying that to understand the people and how they are represented, you must be their leader; looking over their actions and seeing what they translate. To understand the prince and his decision's, you have to be a random citizen who watches his actions from below. I agree with this quote heavily because, in order for a prince or leader to understand his opinions, he must first understand the reactions and opinions of the people he is leading. Another quote,"It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.", speaks in a way that if people love you then they won't respect you or listen to you as much if they were deathly afraid of you. I don't mean that Obama should start a dictatorship or anything just that if the leader wants progress and/or people listening to him it's better to have progress and listeners by striking fear, then no progress or listeners by just being loved. Machiavelli created many smart and bold reasons on how to lead people in The Prince and would become effective in the modern world.
ReplyDelete-Brett Boon 5A
Yes, I would want parents, teachers, and the president to abide by Machiavellian principles because his rules seem logical. Machiavelli once said, “A prince…need not necessarily have good qualities… but he should certainly appear to have them. To those seeing and hearing him, he should appear a man of compassion, a man of good faith, a man of integrity, a kind and religious man." Machiavelli is saying that someone important without good qualities, should then pretend they have them. He has to be compassionate, faithful, a man of integrity, and kind and religious, while not really having those qualities. Even if you don't have those qualities, you still need to act like you have them. You don't want to act like a fool. You have to make yourself feel like you are a person with those qualities. Make yourself feel strong.
ReplyDeleteI believe that a leader should have some Machiavellian traits like being calculating and crafty. Although I believe that a leader shouldn't be cruel, deceptive, shroud, or cunning. To my perspective I see a Machiavellian leader as a parent on some tv shows, they are usually not caring about what the child does. “A prince…need not necessarily have good qualities… but he should certainly appear to have them. To those seeing and hearing him, he should appear a man of compassion, a man of good faith, a man of integrity, a kind and religious man…Men in general judge by their eyes rather than their hands; because everyone is in a position to watch, few are in a position to come in close touch with you. Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.” I believe this could be ok in some way because, usually you see others around you act different around different people. This may seem a bit off topic but when I went to middle school i was more of a silent, not much friends, and usually in the corner, but once I got into high school I acted different. I pretended to be someone else, i was acting as a prince would in Machiavelli's quote. This is one trait I don't want to see in a leader because at one point (lets say he's running for president) the person acts nice and friendly, getting peoples votes then once he's a president he acts mean and no one wants him. If someone has this trait I wouldn't like him/her, they would have different view points every time they change.I believe that a leader should have some Machiavellian traits like being calculating and crafty. Although I believe that a leader shouldn't be cruel, deceptive, shroud, or cunning. To my perspective I see a Machiavellian leader as a parent on some tv shows, they are usually not caring about what the child does. “A prince…need not necessarily have good qualities… but he should certainly appear to have them. To those seeing and hearing him, he should appear a man of compassion, a man of good faith, a man of integrity, a kind and religious man…Men in general judge by their eyes rather than their hands; because everyone is in a position to watch, few are in a position to come in close touch with you. Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.” I believe this could be ok in some way because, usually you see others around you act different around different people. This may seem a bit off topic but when I went to middle school i was more of a silent, not much friends, and usually in the corner, but once I got into high school I acted different. I pretended to be someone else, i was acting as a prince would in Machiavelli's quote. This is one trait I don't want to see in a leader because at one point (lets say he's running for president) the person acts nice and friendly, getting peoples votes then once he's a president he acts mean and no one wants him. If someone has this trait I wouldn't like him/her, they would have different view points every time they change.
DeleteDerek D 4B
Personally, I would want my leaders to be like Machiavellian. His principles are short, sweet, and to the point. Machiavellian once said, "The ends justify the means". With his method he gets things done the right way and quick. A good leader cares about themselves and others, knows how to act in public, and knows what is right for the poeple following them. Machiavellian has all of these qualities and more. His book "The Prince" shows us how a leader should act and think. With his own personal touch he is still helping politicions today. I would definitly want my leaders to think and be like Machiavellian! -Kristin Biamonte 2B
ReplyDeleteI think that our leaders such as parents, teachers, and principals, and so on, shouldn’t follow the Machiavellian principles. Machiavelli did have some interesting ideas about how a leader should act, and he showed good leadership, but he also was dishonest and devious. Although he brought up some good points, I don’t agree with all of them. Machiavelli says “It’s better to be feared than loved”. I definitely disagree with this quote. I believe that it is better to be loved because when you are loved people tend to be nicer to you, and show respect, and have a good/close relationship with you. If you are hated or feared, why would people want to be nice or respect you? Also, I wouldn’t want my leaders to make me feel fearful, I would want them to make me feel happy and relaxed. If President Obama had made people fearful and worried, do you think he would have became president? No. Also, I would not like if I feared my parents or teachers, I would much rather feel comfortable and relaxed around them.
ReplyDeleteNicole D. 4B
I would hate my leaders and educators to follow Machiavellian rules. "It is better to be feared than loved" is a Machiavellian teaching that would ruin a family, classroom, or government. To inflict fear upon someone would make the person more rebellious. Another teaching implies that everyone lies as a way to gain advantages. Imagine your parent shoplifting your favorite candy. Imagine your teacher slyly gives you a horrible grade simply for mocking her favorite song. Would you feel good about that? I wouldn't imagine so. So a Machiavellian system of anything would be horrible.
ReplyDeleteAditya Ambole 4B
Vidhi M. Block - 2B
ReplyDeleteYes, I personally would want officials and the president to follow the Machiavellian principles because they would make them stronger leaders. As Machiavelli once said, "The main foundations of every state are good laws and good arms. You cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good arms, good laws inevitably follow." This quote means that in order to have a strong country or state, you need good laws and you need a good leader. I agree with this quote because having a good leader is so important. Without a good leader who knows what they're doing, there is no way to have a strong foundation to a state. Also, as Machiavelli said, where ever there is a good leader, there will be good laws. Good laws are also very important because without good laws, the citizens of the country or state will have nothing to abide by. I believe that if our leader's follow Machiavelli's principles, they will become stronger making us a stronger country.
Yes and no, I would like a ruler who has some of the qualities of a Machiavellian. Qualities such as cunning, crafty, and shroud. In the quote “It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both…For love is secured by a bond of gratitude which men, wretched creatures that they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened by a dread of punishment which is always effective. The prince must none the less make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated.” he is saying it is better to be feared than loved. I think a leader should be a balance of both feared and loved by his people.
ReplyDeleteJohn w. 4B
Anna S 2B
ReplyDeleteI would not want my leaders, including the president, my parents, and teachers, to have be Machiavellian. Machiavellian traits include being ruthless, manipulative, and devious. These traits should not be in higher authority because they are what influence the common people and shape who they will become. Personally, if I were to have a manipulative parent then I would never know when to trust them. Additionally, the same topic goes for rulers. You want to like them and not feel fearful under their power. “Love is secured by a bond of gratitude which men, wretched creatures that they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened by a dread of punishment which is always effective”. You should not have a person who is feared rather than being loved. Love to me is stronger than fear. As a person I am glad most rulers are not Machiavellian. You shouldn't tear those down so you feel stronger.
Jamie T. B4
ReplyDeleteI would not like any of my authority figures to have the same principles at Machiavelli because it would not be beneficial for any side. Even teachers that are strict and make sure that the students do their work, can have a good time every once in a while. The principles also have some faults because they do not teach the recipients self-discipline. Students need to be able to complete their work, learn the material, study, and teach themselves time management. By being an extremely strong enforcer of laws and scaring people into following you, they don't learn how to do things for themselves and they are living their life in fear. This might stir more rebellion then obedience in the minds of the citizens. A person can have control over your charges but still care, love, respect, and help them, while teaching them discipline. A good leader needs to be a positive influence on their recipients and encourage them to make the community the best it can be. A teacher, especially, should be a moral role model for his/her students and help them, not scare them. I would not want any of my teachers to have principles like Machiavelli and enforce them in class everyday.
I think that Machiavelli had some good and some bad ideas that for being a good leader. If leaders of today followed all of Machiavelli's principles there would be so many problems. For example the quote "Politics have nothing to do with morals" gives horrible leadership advise and would cause mass dictatorship uprisings. On the other hand, if today's leaders followed Machiavelli's principles of no mercinaries, and keeping a stable population, and many others, than today's leaders would be much better. So, yes, I would like the leaders of today to be machiavellian to an extent.
ReplyDeleteSteven V. 4B
Marshall R. 2B
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I would not like my leaders to act according to Machiavellian principles because Machiavellian himself seems like he may be wise and may know what some people want, but some people want leaders that are more understanding and in control. Although he does understand, one quote proves that he goes by “what goes around comes around” because of what he said “Because men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need not keep your word to them.” From what the quote says, I am quite disturbed since he mentions “men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you,” but he thinks since they are “wretched creatures” and would not keep a promise, it automatically means, we don’t have to either. He does not understand that if someone thinks that another will break a promise, then they will do it before the other one does and it is really just going to become a huge paradox. I would prefer not to have leaders that would break my promises just because they think I will. I also highly prefer not to have leaders like that because I would be considered a “wretched creature” and so would everyone else; even though we are not all “wretched creatures”.
I wouldn’t want my leaders (parents, teachers, principle, governor, representatives, president, etc.) to act according to Machiavellians principles. I do not agree with Machiavellians quote, “It is far better to be feared than loved.” I believe that it is better to be loved instead of feared. I had a teacher in the past who was very unpleasant and feared by the students. No one wanted to go to her class and when they did, their minds weren’t focused on the subject they were learning, they were thinking about how much they did not like her and wanted to leave. When teachers are friendly and welcoming, it is more enjoyable for the students to go to class everyday. I feel like when teachers are nice, students do better in class and when a teacher is mean, the student doesn’t care about their grades or the class. If my leaders were to follow Machiavellians principles, I don’t think it would benefit anyone because no one should have to live in fear and they should always feel welcome and safe.
ReplyDeleteSydnie D. 4B
This question is a tough question personally because I have conflicting opinions about whether or not I would want my leaders to act accordingly to Machiavelli's principles. On one hand I would want my leaders to do so and the reason is behind my favorite quote by Machiavelli. “Everyone sees what you appear to be, but few experience who you really are.” This quote is spot on a because it is true ad relates to every human being, therefor this quote would entice me to want my leaders to oblige by Machiavelli's principles. On the other hand another one of Machiavelli's quotes “the ends justify the mean” is saying that it doesn't matter how you reach your goal, do whatever you have to because it's okay as long as you have good intentions. I wouldn't want my leaders to take this quote and apply it to our lives because the trail you left to reach your goal will have repercussions that may back fire on you. Also, doing whatever is necessary to do in order to reach a goal is ironic, if you are trying to make the world a peaceful place, killing every bad soul isn't going to solve it even though your end goal is positive. At the same time I would want my leaders to act accordingly to Machiavelli's principles but at the same time I wouldn't. If my leaders were to oblige to Machiavelli's thinking and beliefs the outcome we both positive and negative.
ReplyDeleteClaudia Trionfo 2B
I would not want a ruler that followed in Machavellian’s footsteps. “The prince must make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated”. A price/leader should nit be feared it should be trusted, responsible, and confident. Machavellian is a sly, cruel, and a manipulative person.Leaders should always be honest with their people, this way they will gain more trust and problems won't occur.
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn H 4B
I do not want my leaders to be a Machiavellian because of this quote, “A prince need not necessarily have all the good qualities I mentioned above, but he should certainly appear to have them.” This quote means that despite who you truly are, good or bad, you have to present yourself as being good. A good leader has good intentions, even when off camera.
ReplyDeleteAmber A
Block 2B
Vandana V.
ReplyDeleteBlock: B2
Personally, I believe leaders should be Machiavellian. Even though Machiavellian might mean cunning and scheming, it also means ruthless and crafty. Being a Machiavellian seems like something bad to most people but it really isn’t. One of his quotes is, “It is better to be feared than loved.” If people fear the leader they will work better. For example, if a student fears a teacher the student will definitely finish their homework on time. On the other hand, if the student does not fear the teacher the student will probably be cool about it and do extremely bad on their homework. Therefore, a leader, such as a teacher, should be Machiavellian.
I would want my leaders to act accordingly to Machiavellian principles. In Niccolò Machiavelli's quote, “It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both…For love is secured by a bond of gratitude which men, wretched creatures that they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened by a dread of punishment which is always effective. The prince must none the less make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated,” he shows that fear is more powerful and dependable than love. He states that if you could either be loved or feared, feared would be a much better choice because a person’s love towards someone can always change, while fear is always present. I agree with his quote due to the reason that people usually honor and respect those who show such a quality. While it is important to love, being feared by others will make one more superior, which will result in an attentive audience.
ReplyDeleteJane U. 4B
I would not want my parents, principles, and teachers etc. to follow Machiavelli’s principles. I wouldn’t want them following these principals because some of Machiavelli’s principles I completely disagree with. One of Machiavelli’s quotes that I disagree with is “It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both…For love is secured by a bond of gratitude which men, wretched creatures that they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthen by a dread of a punishment which is always effective. The prince must none the less make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated.” I disagree with his quote because if my parents or leaders followed this quote instead of showing their love or kindness towards me they would try to make me fear them and I believe it is not worth living in the world where I would have to fear everything. Also, I also disagree with man being a wretched creature because not everybody is wicked and evil, even though some people unfortunately are. In brief, I would not want any my leaders to follow Machiavelli’s principles.
ReplyDeleteCaroline O B2
I wouldn’t necessarily want a leader to act completely by Machiavellian beliefs, but I wouldn’t want them to not to go by any of them, either. I have many contradicting thoughts on Machiavellian theories. For instance, I believe that a leader doesn’t only need to have knowledge on one subject, as he claims. Of course, during Machiavelli’s time, this may have been logical. Though, in most modern systems, a leader should never be so ignorant on topics other than warfare and war history.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I believe that quite a few of Machiavelli’s other ideal qualities and theories should contrive a good leader. For instance, this quote by Machiavelli seems to be mostly accurate: “The prince must make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated.”
Sarah C 2B
Jules B. 2B
ReplyDelete"Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are." This quote means to me, that a person may act however makes them look good around others. But the person can act like a completely different and machiavellian person inside and when they are alone. In my opinion, I would not want a leader like Machiavelli. With characteristics like manipulative, shrewd, deceptive, and devious, all truths may not be told by Machiavelli. Although, a machiavellian leader is crafty and sly, which may come in handy with political issues, that leader could just be that for appearance purposes. As his quotes states, machiavellian leaders can basically be two-faced, one way around the public and then a completely different way when by himself. Machiavellian leader's could make the country strong, but their devious plans could also backfire.
It depends. I'd want my president to follow Machiavellian principles, sure. But not my parents. That would really suck. "It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both." I don't really fear my parents that much, to be honest. I'm pretty sure they love me, and I love them back. But, if they were to follow those principles, I'd have a pretty crappy time. Rather than being kind to me, they'd try to be really strict, and act unfairly. Although I'm sure they would have power over me, and that they would be happy, I wouldn't be. As aforementioned, I'd want my president to follow Machiavellian principles though. "There are two ways of fighting. By law, or by force." The President should be a strong force, both in physical strength, and to know his laws. Although it might be a slightly more cold country with a president like that, it would overall be better. The country would be stronger. It might not last too long, cause people in the U.S. are really big on human rights, and they'd probably rebel before long.
ReplyDeleteAlexander M, 4B
I would want my leaders to act accordingly to Machiavellian principles. In Niccolò Machiavelli's quote, “It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both…For love is secured by a bond of gratitude which men, wretched creatures that they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened by a dread of punishment which is always effective. The prince must none the less make himself feared in such a way that, if he is not loved, at least he escapes being hated,” he shows that fear is more powerful and dependable than love. He states that if you could either be loved or feared, feared would be a much better choice because a person’s love towards someone can always change, while fear is always present. I agree with his quote due to the reason that people usually honor and respect those who show such a quality. While it is important to love, being feared by others will make one more superior, which will result in an attentive audience.
ReplyDeleteJane U. 4B
One of Machiavelli's quotes talks about how its better to feared than loved. I disagree depending on who it is. I want to love my parents, my teachers, and my principal. But people should both fear and love their governor, representatives, and president. I think that because I think people should like their president because nobody want a leader they don't like, but also feared them because then it intimidates other countries not to attack. In conclusion, it depends on who should be feared and who should be loved.
ReplyDeleteIsaiah Rodriguez 2B
I would want my leader to act on Machiavelli's principles. Machiavelli can be a little confusing but for the most part, what he DOES say is true. For instance when he says "It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both". I'd rather my ruler be feared by everyone else to keep me, personally, and my country safe. But if my leader is both loved and feared that gives an added bonus. I also feel like in general, people are afraid to love, which brings them to the fear aspect. If my leader can be feared, while ruling my country with resources, a good army, and no violence. Then Fear will conquer the love.
ReplyDeleteValerie A. 4B
Janelle Giovenco Block 4B
ReplyDeleteMachiavelli once said, "it is better to be feared than loved." I agree with this and I also agree with some of the aspects of a Machiavellian ruler. I don't think that a ruler should sacrifice anybody to anything no matter how good the end goal is, but I do believe that my coaches, teachers and government leaders should be like Machiavelli. For example, I had a math teacher one year who was strict and feared by his students.Kids went around talking about how much they hated this teacher and couldn't wait to get out of his class. Well, that teacher taught them more than any other teacher had. After everyone was out of his class, they began to realize how much of a good teacher he really was. All of the kids, including myself, now look back on it and say that that teacher was the best teacher we ever had. We visit him every once and a while and now we love him. So it might be better to be feared than loved, but it's not impossible to be both. Also, Machiavelli had some characteristics such as being sly and astute. I would love for my leaders to be intelligent and also have smooth ideas. People might see Machiavelli for a ruthless and conniving person (which he is) but if you look at the aspects that he had, he possessed some good qualities for a smart, respected leader.
Yes, I would like my elders to be Machialevellian. Qualities of being Machiavelllian inculde being sly, crafty, witty, etc. These traits can be presumed as bad, but they can, and should be used for useful purposes. Though if needed, the name of Machiavellian can be used for fear. A famous quote stated "It's better to be feared, then loved." That proves that being Machiavellian has its perks.
ReplyDelete-Dennis S 2B
“A prince should have no other object or thought, nor acquire skill in anything, except war and its organization…” I don’t agree with this quote at all. A leader should not focus on one particular thing, but an abundance of things for the better of the community. These words would not suit well for our leaders today, especially for the president of the U.S.. If Obama were to only focus on war we would be in a worse debt than ever and more lives would have been lost. Leaders should focus on the people of their community and leading them in the correct direction. I don’t believe Machiavelli would make a good leader in today’s world.
ReplyDeleteFaith Hoos :) 2B
I would certainly not want my leaders to act according to Machiavellian principles because they are not in my best interest. The principles have more of a focus on staying in power, rather than being a legitimately good leader. One of Machiavelli’s quotes is about how it is more important to appear to be a good leader than it is to actually be one. While this is true if you are the leader, those under the leader will suffer from Machiavelli’s focus on his own on power instead of how to effectively lead. In order to stay in power, a leader that follows Machiavellian principles would be willing to lie to me and sacrifice the happiness of those under him for the sake of himself. Machiavelli has flaws in many of his principles, including his idea that it is better to be feared than loved. In the modern world, this does not work, as proven by al-Assad, who is trying to be feared to keep the citizens under control. That doesn’t work too well for him, which could mean that some of his ideas are outdated or just not true.
ReplyDeleteAbhijit B. 2B
Tess F. 2B
ReplyDeleteI would not want parents, teachers, governors, the president, et cetera to be machiavellian. This is because although it can be used as a compliment, I still view it as a negative adjective. In addition, there are two quotes Machiavelli once said that I disagree with. First, he said, "The ends justify the means." Basically, as long as a person gets to their destination, it doesn't matter what happened during their journey. So, in his mind, it's okay that America went to war with Iraq, killing millions of soldiers and innocent people because in the end they managed to take out the president. There's a popular quote, "It's not the destination but the journey that matters." Modern people aren't inspired by where, say, celebrities are right now. They're inspired by their idol's journey, where they came from, how they got to where they are today. Secondly, Machiavelli also once said, "It is better to be feared than loved." Being only feared and not loved is an awfully sad and lonely life. While one does want to intimidate certain others so that they listen to the said individual, they also want to have fun and relax and hang around others. And usually, when one is only feared, their friends are only around them so their reputations don't get shattered like glass. All in all, I see machiavellian as a bad trait for people in power to have as Machiavelli's morals were wrongly placed and gave the word synonyms such as ruthless or devious.
In my opinion, the even though the Machiavelli principles work and get things done, they can be harsh. They encourage crime, murder, and fear, and I don't believe a good president or leader is described by being feared and harsh. Take President Kennedy, for example; everybody loved him, and many things got done, but he didn't get them done by being cruel and encouraging people to be bad. On the other hand, Machiavelli did accomplish things by doing it this way, and it sometimes did work. Niccolo Machiavelli once said, "It is better to be feared than loved, you cannot be both." Although he got things done by believing this, I disagree with this quote. You can have a strong power over people without completely terrorizing them. It also goes the other way; just because you are a loving and loved person doesn't mean people do not obey you. Overall, I would not not want my president or leader to live by Machiavelli's principles.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Edore, Block 4B
I do believe my leaders should follow some of Machiavelli’s rules, but not all. I believe that a few of his rules would help create a strong leader, like the quote, “If a prince wants to maintain his rule he must be prepared not to be virtuous…” This means that a person must not always do the right thing to be a strong leader. For example, if someone always does the right thing and is nice, people would walk all over them, like the saying “nice guys finish last”. Basically, a strong leader must be able to do anything to maintain his rule. Nevertheless, some of the Machiavelli’s rules should not be followed, like the rule, “A prince…need not necessarily have good qualities… but he should certainly appear to have them.” I believe that a leader should have good qualities, because if they didn’t they could end up ruining their followers, or setting them up on the wrong path in life. Therefore, some of Machiavelli’s rules should be followed by my leaders, but not all of them.
ReplyDeleteArcenia P 4B
I think having a leader that is a Machiavellian is a good thing. For one thing, they won't be afraid of anything and be smart and sly in order to help people. Machiavelli once said, "A prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honor his word when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promises not longer exist." It's great if a leader could think this way. Maybe not to the people they rule, but to enemies. This way if they made, let's say, some sort of agreement that put you in jeopardy and it no longer applied, the agreement would be broken and you would be safe. Also, if your ruler is a bit sly, like a Machiavellian, nobody would get passed them or try trick them.
ReplyDeleteEmily C
Block A5
I would not want Machiavellian as my leader in any way. Machiavellian is to extreme, and I do not agree with his beliefs. He does not appreciate being a human, and thinks that humans should not be accepted of much. “Because men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need not keep your word to them.” Humans were not made to be bad people, and just because they think for themselves does not make them bad. \
ReplyDeletejesse V 4b
I would not want my leader to act according to Machiavelli's plans. In Machiavelli's quote he states "A prince need not all the necessarily have all the good qualities I mentioned above, but he should certainly appear to have them." Machiavelli is saying that it doesn't matter if you really are the person you say you are or not, it only matters if you appear that way. I would not want my leader coming off a certain way, and turning out to be different.
ReplyDeleteGriffin H 4B
I think having a leader that is Machiavellian is a bad thing, He is somewhat anti-human. for he said "Because men are wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need not keep your word to them" This insures that if our leader that everyone looked up to was like this, then we would many doubts in our mind! If a leader did actually follow these rules, many things would not be completed or fixed because a Machiavellian thinks you do not have to keep your word if the consequences are not how you expect them.
ReplyDelete-Ian Figueroa
Block 5A
I would want my leader to be a Machiavellian type leader due to the fact the Machiavellian is cunning even though the traits of what a leader should be to Machiavelli have bad traits to others it is only for the greater good of the people of the country. Also the Machiavellian leader would insert fear to their opposing countries in war and just in general. So yes to me President Obama should be a Machiavellian leader regardless of what the people may think because with votes it only matters of the house of representatives think.
ReplyDeleteMiguel Quiroz Block 4B
i would want my mom, and everyone i interact with to go by Machiavelli's rules.... Then it would be better for everyone, because then everyone would have there human rights.... For sure... He believed in them a lot. So there wouldn't be any real problems. Everyone would treat each other with respect, and wouldn't do all the horrible things that go on. Also there would be laws, that wouldn't be so harsh, so people wouldn't mind following them.
ReplyDelete"The main foundation of a state...are the laws and arms."