LHP
1. What did Machiavelli say a leader needs to have? Do you agree? Is it important to you for our leaders to be reliably honest, with exceptions only for instances of national security and the nation's best interests?
2. Machiavelli's philosophy is described as being "rooted" in what? Does your own experience confirm his appraisal of human nature and what's "realistic"?
3. The idea that leaders should rule by fear is based on what view of human nature? Do you respond more positively to politicians who appeal to pessimism and fear, or to those who appeal to hope?
4. Life outside society would be what, according to Hobbes? Do you think your neighbors would threaten your survival if they could get away with it?
5. What fear influenced Hobbes' writings? Do any particular fears influence your political opinions?
6. Hobbes did not believe in the existence of what? Do you? Why or why not?
HWT
1. How do eastern and western philosophies differ in their approach to things, and what is ma? Which do you find more appealing?
2. An interest in what is much more developed in eastern thought? Do you share it?
3. What is dukkha?
4. What is Sakura?
5. What takes the place of religion in China? Do you know people here who have found religion-substitutes?
6. Chinese thought does not distinguish between natural and ____, focusing on what?
7. What is the famous story of Zhuangzi? What's your reaction to it?
8. The Japanese fascination with robots reflects what traditional view? Are you similarly fascinated?
FL
1. What was Arthur C. Clarke's 3d law regarding technology, and what's its converse?
2. What was the original "alternative medicine" and what is its "upside"?
3. What national craze of the 1830s relied on a "totally bogus extrapolation"?
4. Who was Mary Baker Eddy and what are her followers misleadingly called?
5. Who was Dr. William A. Rockefeller?
6. What did Mark Twain say about history?
7. How was the California Gold Rush an "inflection point" in how Americans thought about reality?
8. What did de Tocqueville say was "the chief or secondary motive in everything Americans do"?
Niccolo Machiavelli (in From Humanism to Hobbes by Quentin Skinner)
Calvin sounds like (Thomas) Hobbes describing the state of nature. Hobbes (the tiger) behaves like Machiavelli's Prince. (And check out Hobbes, Machiavelli & others in Existential Comics...)
Malcolm Ashley section 3
ReplyDelete4. Life outside society would be what, according to Hobbes? Do you think your neighbors would threaten your survival if they could get away with it?
According to Hobbes, life outside society would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” and a constant war between everyone when there is no laws. I don't think my actual neighbors would threaten my survival, but yes I think people who are close to me would be malicious.
5. What fear influenced Hobbes' writings? Do any particular fears influence your political opinions?
He was deeper fearful of violent death or social collapse in any location he found himself at. I feel like the fear of crime or even loss of freedom influence my political opinions.
6. Hobbes did not believe in the existence of what? Do you? Why or why not? Hobbes did not believe in the existence of a human soul. I do believe in the concept of human souls because of how heavily the mind and body effects each other.
Section #1
ReplyDeleteLHP
1. Machiavelli said a leader needs to have virtù or valor. I don't think a leader needs it to the extent Machiavelli thought but a little is preferable in a leader. I'd prefer my leaders honest and I can see national security reasons for why a leader may not be honest. I think it is easy to abuse such reasoning though and actively lying to one's populous rarely has just means behind it.
2. Rooted in what really happens. My own experience does not reflect his appraisal. I haven't been really screwed over by anyone but I also tend to avoid competitive environments. My parents, who have worked in business jobs where you have everyone trying to climb the ladder, have given me many warnings about bosses and coworkers. I still haven't had many experiences though where someone has negatively impacted me to positively impact themselves.
3. People will be too scared to betray you. Those who appeal to hope, I feel like a large majority of politicians that use fear are just trying to manipulate their citizens for a cause that only really benefits themselves.
I really appreciate your point on #2. I both agree and disagree. Interestingly enough the greatest betrayals I have experienced were related to situations where betrayal was completely unexpected. Additionally, in situation where I expected to be betrayed when the stakes were high, I never was. It could be said that I have for the most part only experienced betrayal regarding menial things. I think it is easier for humanity to betray one another when the amount of harm caused is minimal. Perhaps we are not as bad as we think.
DeleteWhile i do half agree with your ideas in #3 I also have to disagree . I do believe that there are points in time where fear is the main driver for healthy and prosperous relationships. An example that comes to mind is the social contract by Rousseau and its driving factor is that those who would go against the contract would be ostracized or killed for the sake of others.
Delete4) Life outside society would be what, according to Hobbes? Do you think your neighbors would threaten your survival if they could get away with it?
ReplyDeleteHere is a fun question. I have gathered from people I have talked to over the years that mistrust surrounding people that you do not know is fairly common. Even trust amongst those you do know is often limited. However, I would push back against this. It would be a very sad existence if it was spent assuming the whole world was out to get you and harm you. Of course there are bad actors, but assuming humanity will automatically devolve into chaos resembling the Purge is a bit much in my opinion. There are good people who do good without any incentive whatsoever. Who is to say that your neighbors are not such people? Although, my optimism regarding this could come from the fact that I have watched the Walking Dead too many times and would like to think of humanity as better than it is often portrayed. Hobbes would likely feel that I am naive, which I may be, but living life assuming that no one truly has your back and anybody can be an adversary in the blink of an eye sounds miserable to me.
I agree with this take. I think that morality is sort of intertwined with human nature, at least in this stage of our evolution. I believe in doing the right thing and I don't think that's a conditional value. I like to think that I would strive to do good no matter the circumstance, but I guess there's no way to know for sure.
DeleteIt's interesting how everyone's life experiences shapes their own philosiphy. I think that if Machiavelli had an easy, care-free life then his philosiphy would have been very different.
ReplyDeleteSection #1
DeleteAbby, I like your take on this. I think it is a common theme with the philosophers that we have covered, actually. Epictetus was a slave who philosophized on stoicism (not worrying about the things you cannot control), Hobbes lived in political turmoil through much of his life, and Machiavelli was banished at one point by authoritarian figures.
3) The idea that leaders should rule by fear is based on what view of human nature? Do you respond more positively to politicians who appeal to pessimism and fear, or to those who appeal to hope?
ReplyDeleteI have some strong opinions about this. The short answer is absolutely not. Relentless fearmongering only leads to lack of understanding and hate. Pessimism from leaders only leads to lack of hope. Of course, false statements made to give hope where there is none are equally harmful. Some of the most heinous atrocities have been committed out of fear instilled by governments or leaders. "Rule by fear" has been tried again and again, and it does not work. Instead, full transparency with the people should be something governments strive for. When a society is taught to hate and marginalize, and that is paired with complete lack of hope, then that society will suffer at the hands of those within it and those outside of it. How many horrible cases of violence could have been prevented if the emphasis was not on doom and gloom, but instead focused on hope? Society is what we make of it based upon what we know, and we need accurate information for leaders and politicians to inform how we conduct ourselves. People who feel trapped and helpless can perpetrate heinous crimes, there is evidence of that in history. It is the responsibility of leaders to be honest, yet hopeful, for the good of the people.
1. What did Machiavelli say a leader needs to have? Do you agree? Is it important to you for our leaders to be reliably honest, with exceptions only for instances of national security and the nation's best interests?
ReplyDeleteMachiavelli said a leader needs to be feared rather than loved, for being loved by your people/subjects/constituents leaves you susceptible to being abandoned in tough/uncertain times, but being feared by your people/subject/constituents makes them too scared to betray you. I somewhat agree with Machiavelli because I feel like a leader who is too loving/trusting/easily persuaded will be easy to be overtaken/usurped and/or fall into scandal (a la Ulysses Grant), however I feel that a leader who is too feared and/or rules with an iron fist can lead to a sort of Orwellian situation with the fearsome leader’s presence looming overhead. I feel that a proper leader should carry a sort of equal amount of fear/respect and love from their people/subjects/constituents.
I really like your idea of a good leader and would have to agree with you. This actually reminds me of a favorite quote of mine from a Starwars book of all places, that goes “Leadership is a role and a task that should never be aspired to lightly. Neither should loyalty be given without reason.”
DeleteBella York, Section #3
ReplyDeleteHobbes' views on life without society greatly influenced early Americans’ view of indigenous tribes. They believed the tribes were savage, brutal, and lawless. If they had paid more attention however, they would’ve realized that the tribes had chiefs, social structure, gender roles, and societal norms. I can’t help but question if Hobbes' work made the world worse by enabling this view of indigenous peoples.
5. Do any particular fears influence your political opinions?
I tend to fear the growth of political power threatening our freedoms, as well as politicians having no regard for previous legal precedent, trying to challenge everything they can.
Being interested in finance, I’m especially worried about economic precedents which are currently being threatened. Namely, the independence of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Federal Trade Commission by our current president. Losing their independence would have detrimental consequences for our economy, as we’ve seen in Brazil and Argentina.
3.
In the current social climate, attention is everything. What is the easiest and most effective way to get attention? Fear.
However bad, we can’t be surprised that politicians and news outlets are encouraging fear and hopelessness when there is no incentive for hope.
Gracyn Schmidt Section 1
ReplyDelete1. Michiavelli said a leader must have many qualities such as "virtu," strength, cunningness, and an abiliity to act immorally if necessary, among many others. I agree with most of this statement, however, I think a leader should always have good intentions, regardless of the situation, though I believe sometimes withholding the truth for security reasons may be valuable.
3. The idea that leaders should rule by fear is a pessimistic view on human nature. Personally, I respond better to politicians that believe in the betterment of our nation, rather than just appealing to the masses. When you start appealing to the judgement of other, things will never get better.
5. Hobbes was influenced by the fear of war and violence. I am also deeply terrified of anarchy and living in a society where violence is the response to disagreement. I tend to be influenced by those fears.
Antonella Comaschi Section 3
DeleteI agree with your statement on question 1 that a leader should always do everything with good intentions. Sometimes there are reasons leaders have to hide information but it should always be with the best intentions and for the good of all the people.
LHP, #3
ReplyDeleteI definitely respond more to the use of hopeful persuasion rather than fearful persuasion. I find that whenever politicians try to invoke fear amongst the population, it feels very manipulative and it also rarely seems to be in the best interest of the majority of people. I think when leaders point their fingers and spread hateful/fearful rhetoric, it is usually because they have an ulterior motive and they are purposefully covering up their intentions. To me, hope could be described as the bringer of a better world. For this reason, I find hope to be a far better characteristic of leadership than fear.
Section #1
DeleteI definitely agree, Eric. I think about leaders in the past like FDR who led people through crisis by providing for them, and setting up programs to help them. That compared to the authoritative beastliness that Machiavelli described feels more effective, at least in the modern age. Even thinking about our country now, some things that politicians say can scare people a lot. People don't want to worry about what their government is possibly going to do, they ultimately want to live their lives with their families. I don't think fear does anything from a leadership standpoint.
Section #1
ReplyDelete4. Life outside society would be what, according to Hobbes? Do you think your neighbors would threaten your survival if they could get away with it?
According to Hobbes, life outside society would be ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short’. I believe that a world where society does not put restrictions and regulations in place would definitely be more dangerous, and the idea of neighbors threatening your own survival is not far-fetched. In this type of world, there is no authority to stop said neighbor from stealing from you, attacking, or even killing you. If there is some sort of benefit from these actions for the neighbor, then there is nothing to stop them from reaping those benefits.
5. What fear influenced Hobbes' writings? Do any particular fears influence your political opinions?
Hobbs was influenced by many fears, as we can see throughout his writings. I believe that me, as well as most others, definitely have fears that influence or affect our political views. One such fear that I think is widely relatable is the natural tendency to feel safe in numbers. I think that this fear of being alone on things, such as controversial political opinions, has a large effect on many people's viewpoints on various subjects.
6. Hobbes did not believe in the existence of what? Do you? Why or why not?
Hobbes states that he did not believe in the existence of a soul. I have a lot of trouble with this topic, since I want to believe in the idea of having a soul, but it almost seems kind of unrealistic. Even though I emotionally want to believe in a soul, it's like the logical part of my mind won't let me. This, of course, stems from my ambiguity on religion. When someone has a strong belief in a certain religion, it can kind of answer that question for them. So, in conclusion, I am not sure.
Mackenzie Harris, section 2
ReplyDeleteLHP:
1. He believed that leaders need to have virtù which means manliness or valour. In my terms of manliness, I think it is the ability to admit to your wrong doings and accept responsibility. Referred to as "being a man". I think a woman makes a great leader and they don't have to be manly to fulfil that role. I do think it is important to be to have leaders that are honest because in a democracy citizens vote a leader based on political and moral views aligning, so if a political leader is dishonest, they lose all credibility among the people.
2. Machiavelli's philosophy is rooted in what really happens.
3. The idea that leaders should rule by fear is based on the human view of cynicism. I respond more positively to someone who is going to have hope and be kind and only forceful when absolutely necessary, but if I lived in a time where my life was threatened every day I would more than likely comply.
Antonella Comaschi section 3
DeleteI agree that although leading through fear is useful and effective its not necessarily the best option. Especially in a democracy if you lead through fear many people will repent you and you won't be elected. But if its a life or death situation and its your only option it is understandable.
Section 3
DeleteI also believe that I would respond better to a leader or politician who represents hope. I think this is especially important in times when there is a need for unity in a nation. Honesty is the best way to communicate and ultimately provide understanding. I believe these are compelling reasons for a leader to be transparent with their people. However, I do see some of Machiavelli's reasoning for how to treat enemies or at least how to be perceived by them. I do not agree with him fully, but I think the fear that he discussed a leader possessing should be directed towards a leader's enemies rather than their own people. As a leader, it's your duty to protect and provide for your followers. A leader presenting themself as mighty or even brutal can deter enemies and help followers feel protected.
6. Hobbes did not believe in the existence of what? Do you? Why or why not?
ReplyDeleteHobbes did not believe that people had souls. Hobbes instead believed that we are purely mechanical beings and even our thoughts and ambitions were just parts of our mechanism. I personally don't agree with this, I like to believe that we as humans go beyond our physical bodies. I like to believe this mostly due to personal experience but I also am a religious person as well.
Section #1
DeleteJacob, I find it interesting how metaphysics always comes into play in philosophy. Because when I think of soul, all I can think about is a religion that teaches its followers that they do have a soul. I wonder how it came about that these religions (even the ancient ones before Christianity) all came to some conclusion that humans have a soul? I am a religious person, too, and it still amazes me when we can draw parallels between perspectives and beliefs.
1. Machiavelli says a leader needs to have virtu. No, I don’t agree with all his views. I think it’s significant for our leaders to be reliably honest with other exceptions because people trust in leaders and leaders are suppose to work in the welfare of the nation.
ReplyDelete2. His philosophy is deeply rooted in realism, that people are selfish and unreliable. I think he is right to some extent, as people care about themselves more than any other. Every person does anything for their own self benefit to some extent.
3. The idea of ruling by fear is based on the view that humans are naturally selfish, greedy, and untrustworthy. I respond positively to politicians who appeal to hope because I think ruling by fear will only develop anger in people over time and can be a reason for riot. Leaders should be giving hope to people for a better future. It’s better to rule by being loved than by being feared.
Makenzie Collins Section 1
ReplyDelete1. What did Machiavelli say a leader needs to have? Do you agree? Is it important to you for our leaders to be reliably honest, with exceptions only for instances of national security and the nation's best interests?
Machiavelli said that leaders should have virtues like compassion, honesty, and religious beliefs; however, if a situation arises they should be able to react opposite to this. I do not agree with this. I believe that regarding yourself in this way makes you a fraud on both sides, because you are neither genuinely good nor genuinely bad. Conforming yourself to whatever crowd you're around creates a confusion of identity and authenticity. For example, Jesus was able to reach both sinners and believers, but his character, message, and beliefs remained the same. I believe that our world leaders should be honest and have integrity. I believe that no matter what situation or room theyre in. they should show up as themselves authentically.
Hey Jack, I agree with you that ruling by fear is a sad way to run a collection of people. I think that when leaders rely on fear it perpetuates the state of 'kill or be killed' which leads to very unnecessary acts of violence and hatred. I do think you have a higher view of human nature than Machiavelli did but I don't know if that is necessarily how I view human nature. I think a balance, like LHP talks about, is the right way to rule but even then it would be so difficult to establish firm rules and guidelines for how to perfectly lead. Nobody has gotten it right yet!
ReplyDeleteI found the LHP chapter about Machiavelli to be very educational for me just because I've only experienced that name in a negative connotation. To be "machiavellian" has always meant cruel for absolutely no reason, so naturally my perception of Machiavelli as a leader was negative. Finding out he wasn't even a big time leader but just a writer of political commentary is news to me! I think it's disheartening when writers' or philosophers' works are misconstrued and their reputation is something misaligned with their true intentions. Not saying he was correct about everything he wrote but I don't think he should be painted as this evil overlord that we seem to remember him as.
ReplyDeleteI am noticing that a lot of Thomas Hobbes's ideas were translated into the structure of the United States government. The idea of a social contract and remaining within the structure of a sovereign, altruistic government are what the founding fathers wrote about in the constitution. I believe i remember from government class in high school that Hobbes and John Locke lent a lot of inspiration to the founding fathers.
ReplyDeleteCorbin Medley - Section 3
DeleteI think the fact that Hobbes' paranoid and extremist (but not entirely unfounded) values being so influential in the construction of the United States may explain why people are often times exactly what Hobbes claimed. A self-fulfilling prophecy, as a society that functions off greed will only serve to create more of it. Thankfully, the found fathers also found inspiration in the concept of Democracy and individuality rather than authoritarian control.
Machiavelli said that a leader needs to be smart, practical, and willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power, even if that means lying. I agree with this statement up to a certain point, I think that stating to do whatever it takes to stay in power is a way too broad statement, there are many things political leaders have done in the past that are certainly not morally correct.
ReplyDeleteAustin Clark section 1
DeleteDaxton McNeely Section 1
ReplyDeleteMachiavelli's philosophy had a pessimistic view on human nature and had a very realistic idea on the world. He believed that people were selfish and were motivated by things like desire, fear, or passion rather than morals doing good for others. This lead him to believe that leaders must use things like manipulation and fear to hold their power. In my own experience, I do see truth in his perspective that many people act for their own self interest especially when there is something for them to have or being taken on the table but I believe that his views are too strong because I believe that there is good people with empathy in this world. I believe I have empathy and I think Everyone else has at least a little which is why leaders who ignore empathy do not have great human relationships and are not viewed the same by everyone.
Corbin Medley - Section 3
DeleteI like that you take a perspective that both understands the origin of Machiavelli's sentimentality while also disputing it as overly extreme. I personally believe the pessimistic perspective that human nature is one of greed is fundamentally wrong. I believe that humans who behave in self-absorbed ways are more often than not victims of their environments. This does not free them of accountability but, it explains why their values are the way they are; people raised in a society that places those who are most greedy at the top as the most successful, then people are going to propagate the idea that being selfish is good.
Corbin Medley - Section 3
ReplyDelete1. What did Machiavelli say a leader needs to have? Do you agree? Is it important to you for our leaders to be reliably honest, with exceptions only for instances of national security and the nation's best interests?
Machiavelli believed leaders needed to portray themselves as honest and righteous, but in reality had to have "Valour" (virtù) and be dishonest and do whatever it took to maintain their power. This entire morality is absolutely ridiculous, and its clear that not much has changed in that mentality in the past four centuries; and the "bad luck" that he emphasizes plays such a significant role in our lives must have been karma or some kind.
2. Machiavelli's philosophy is described as being "rooted" in what? Does your own experience confirm his appraisal of human nature and what's "realistic"?
His view is rooted in violent cynicism, believing that human nature is greedy, dishonest, and unreliable. His perspective of "the ends justify the means" only serves to emphasize this cynical value on life. My own experiences do not confirm or even remotely support his appraisal of human nature. Many people I have met are humanitarian in nature and are largely self-less in nature. Those who are self-absorbed and greedy are often victims of their environment; a society that promotes success off greed will of course manifest a society that only cares about itself and not one another. This is not human nature, rather, a fault of apathetic capitalist rhetoric and propagation of this ideology through social structures.
4. Life outside society would be what, according to Hobbes? Do you think your neighbors would threaten your survival if they could get away with it?
It would be a "state of nature" in which you and everyone else would pillage and slaughter whenever necessary. I don't think my neighbors, or most reasonable people would take the opportunity to threaten my survival if they had the chance - nor do I believe in the idea that they would steal given the chance and my door is often left unlocked.
5. What fear influenced Hobbes' writings? Do any particular fears influence your political opinions?
He feared that England would fall into anarchy during a time of war and instability; as a result, he emphasizes the necessity and praises unequal hierarchies. While this fear is somewhat understandable, the rationality that comes out of it is so extreme that it led to this pessimistic/cynical perspective on humanity.
Section 2
ReplyDelete1. What did Machiavelli say a leader needs to have? Do you agree? Is it important to you for our leaders to be reliably honest, with exceptions only for instances of national security and the nation's best interests?
Machiavelli believed that a good leader must have virtu, or “manliness”, which is to say the power to make yourself feared and revered, namely to establish yourself as a force not to be deceived or challenged. I find the matter of how a leader should go about their leading to be a highly opinionated matter, but from my personal position as a “subject” or one under the authority of others, I would definitely oppose or at least dislike a leader ruling under many Machiavellian principles due to the nature of the philosophy (be apathetic to your subjects to maintain power, putting my life and security on the line). I do not believe people to be so severely untrustworthy as Machiavelli would seem to think; though deceit is always a risk, I believe humans work best together, given our species’ social biology, and that despite the risk, it is likely in our survival’s best interest to have some trust. That being said, I do understand why Machiavelli and others would be drawn to his position because of the safety it seems to provide. However, I also would argue that one of machiavelli’s own principles is a reasonable counterpoint to his stance; that being his belief that luck is a large (or the largest) component of success in life. I resonate with this to an extent, just in so much that many things occur in our lives that which we have little influence over, such as natural disasters or the circumstances of our upbringing, and I would say that this luck also prevails in the matter of maintaining power, regardless of your approach. There have been countless leaders throughout human history, almost none of them have governed the same way, and in many cases, those who ruled with fear have both seen long and successful reigns and incredibly short ones (especially those ending in brutal revolts) and, likewise, those ruling with compassion have met a variety of fates and held power to varying degrees of success. What I mean by this, is that it seems that Machiavelli’s obsession with avoiding risk is, though relatable to me on that basic level, not one I believe is realistic, effective, or wanted. Is it important to me for leaders to be honest, yes. Again, reiterating on the perspective I hold as a “subject”, it is in my best interest and the interests of those I care about that transparency is prioritized more or less whenever possible. I also believe that, if I were born into a position of power or perhaps obtained one and became indoctrinated into the practices of powerful people, I may not be so inclined to act transparently if it put my power on the line. Though Machiavelli preaches a message most unfavorable sounding to most, myself included, I can definitely see the allure it provides leaders by way of its proposed safety nets to maintaining power.
Addison Section 2
ReplyDelete1.Is it important to you for our leaders to be reliably honest, with exceptions only for instances of national security and the nation's best interests?
I agree that leaders should tend to be honest. While Machiavelli may disagree, I believe that leaders should be for the nation's interest, not for the interest of the leader staying in power. While it may be in the best interest for the nation for the leader to lie (such as national security), the more honest about policy, political issues, etc, in the world, the better. People tend to not like their leaders lying, which may ironically help them stay in power if leaders are truthful.
3. The idea that leaders should rule by fear is based on what view of human nature? Do you respond more positively to politicians who appeal to pessimism and fear, or to those who appeal to hope?
I think it is a interesting play between fear and hope. While I believe that ruling by fear is a horrible way to lead that stunts progress and turns people against each other, leading through fear is also the most responsive way to lead. People are more likely to react when they are scared. Not a good reaction, mind you. Leading through fear can lead to an increase in hate to those around you. People would respond much better to a person who leads with hope, however, they are less likely to see it amidst the fear in the world now.
Kaitlyn Young Section #2
ReplyDeleteI though learning about Machiavelli was really interesting. I wouldn't go as far to say he was evil, but rather power hungry and often gave into temptation and selfish desires;however, i believe that he gave some good insight and while I don't agree with him it was interesting seeing his perspective and how that relates to the politicians of our time today as well.
Philopateer Iskandar #3
ReplyDelete1.A leader needs virtu, i think how he puts it is okay so a leader does need to be prepared, i think politicians do need to be honest about what they do.
2.He believes that people want to keep power, i think there is truth to this people do get over come by their greed and sometimes they only consider what is best for themselves.
3.It is view of that leader should be strong like lions but as cunning as a fox, i feel like a politician who talks about hope is more liked.
Machiavelli's beliefs are rooted in realist philosophy, or the idea that people are fundamentally selfish. I think Machiavelli's beliefs carry much more weight once you look past the initial connotations of a "selfish" person. Selfish does not mean inherently evil or deceitful, but rather that humans are always looking out for their own survival, consciously or not. It is only natural for people to not only want to survive but to live a "good" life; in this case, selfishness is merely a means to an end.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that leaders should rule by fear is based on the view that humans are selfish, driven by fear of death and hope for personal gain. Machiavelli's opinion on ruling with fear was less about winning the favor of the people and more about success; people won't resist you if they're afraid of you. I personally respond more positively to politicians that appeal to hope and a brighter future. Until this previous presidential election I believed this was something universal among the majority of Americans, but perhaps I was wrong. Maybe there's some intrinsic American value that calls for strongarm and fearsome rulers.
According to Hobbes, life outside society would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." It's not that I don't trust my neighbors, I do, I just think current society is very individualistic- so us versus them- and that lack of community would certainly make it "easier" for my neighbors to threaten my survival, should society fall in the future.
1. Machiavelli said a leader needs to have virtu or valor. However, I don’t completely agree with everything that Machiavelli said a leader should do. Personally, I like politicians and just people in general who are honest and kind. They don’t try to stab you in the back, but instead, are trying to help you in any way they can. However, I do believe that politicians may sometimes have to be deceitful. For example, national security and technological developments. Even though we should be honest, you shouldn’t tell your enemy where your weak spot is. Besides those extremes, I think our leaders need to be honest with their people, because we are the people who put them in power.
ReplyDelete2. Machiavelli’s philosophy was rooted in reality. I feel like he is both right and wrong, because it depends on the situation. For example, if you have been friends with someone for many years, and you know each other extremely well and get along amazingly, why would you fear that they might betray you? At some point, I’d say it is reasonable to say that you know someone won’t betray you. However, in an extreme case like a murderer, what's to say they won’t betray you? Clearly, they have no regard for life, so it makes sense that you wouldn’t give them a chance to hurt you. There is definitely a reason to be cautious in life, but there is no reason to assume that everyone you meet is trying to harm you in some way.
3. The idea that leaders should rule by fear is based on a view of human nature that suggests that people are motivated by self-interest. In order to combat that idea, Machiavelli says that leaders should strike fear into their nation in order to keep them in line. I don’t think that is what a leader should do to their own people. I prefer leaders who appeal to hope and love. However, I also think that leaders should strike fear into the hearts of our enemies. If you make yourself look weak, your enemies might try and attack your nation. Therefore, it is reasonable for a leader to take certain actions to deter enemies. It’s a difficult balance, but I think that is the best option.
Forgot to put my name again, Jeremiah Frizzell - Section 3
Delete3. The idea that leaders should rule by fear is based on what view of human nature? Do you respond more positively to politicians who appeal to pessimism and fear, or to those who appeal to hope?
ReplyDeleteCynicism. I am more drawn to politicians who express hope and realistic solutions to global issues. I would never want to live in a place like North Korea – fearing for my life every day and having little to no freedom. One mistake and I could be killed.
4. Life outside society would be what, according to Hobbes? Do you think your neighbors would threaten your survival if they could get away with it?
“Solitary, Poor, Nasty, Brutish, and Short.” I’m not sure if my neighbors would threaten my life since we have helped each other for as long as we’ve all lived in the neighborhood. But, as I’m reading, I’m not sure if I can really trust them…
5. What fear influenced Hobbes' writings? Do any particular fears influence your political opinions?
DeleteHe had many fears including death, social collapse, war, and others. The fear of my rights being taken away as a woman haunt me. As I watch our government and their choices and decisions, it makes me worry of what might come of our country even just a few years from now. I am baffled by the fact that I am feeling this great fear of losing my rights just because of my biological sex. Women fought for our rights years ago. Why does it seem our government is going backwards????