BF2S Forums You know what really grinds my gears?

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Flaming_Maniac wrote:

Pochsy wrote:

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I think one of the things you misunderstand is that Machiavelli is not assuming the benevolence of a prince, he is merely writing a road map to how one becomes a prince. What is important is not the prince's motivation, but what the people think the prince's motivation is. The country stays together based on where the people think the country is going, not necessarily where the country is actually going.

The point of the book is not how to build a culture to hold a country together as the prince, but how to hold on to a country through (primarily) culture as the prince.

I agree with everything you have stated, but you fail to dig up the roots of why the people are united under a perception- and why they allow a ruler to have dominion over them at all. It is a utilitarian relationship in that the ruler needs subjects, and the subjects (knowing they cannot do it themselves) need a ruler. So I think you are indeed right in calling the work a motion for aristocracy- but you fail to see that the crucial aspect of this aristocracy is the republic (this is the culture of the mind you talk about in your last sentence) on which it is based. This is, to make things simple, an aristocratic-republic. The people do have say in what occurs because of their movement from a pacific nature (founded in the belief of a rightful ruler, one where god, or bloodline, or some other force decides) to one where meritocracy reigns supreme. The meritocracy, as you have stated, is your ability to understand the rules of the game- the merits of the mind, and ones ability to be virtuous (Machiavelli's virtue, where this is no fortune or chance). The formerly existentialist aristocracy is, then, replaced with one based entirely in the temporal world.

Perhaps the greatest irony of all is the system he describes is entirely only that of the Spartans. A republic, with a lower class with set input to matters (republicanism), with an aristocracy based on merit in battle (their version of temporal virtue). It does not make the system entirely non-republican in the employment of a leading class- in fact we still have this today- egalitarian practice in democracy would promote pacifism in that lottery is used (if we are all equal how else do you decide?), so we have a sort of aristocracy where the President and his cabinet have some power the people do not. We are not equal- but we are not left out. Aristocratic-republicanism.

Im leaving bf2s threads


please ban me from bf2s member requests

Wow this thread, I remember posting somewhere here I oughta check.

Anyway, stupid people grind my gears.

When War Man "isn't in the mood"

The fuck is this bullshit, thanks Amazon!

Ordered a new video card all the way back in August for a good price. A week or so later they say, "Well it's on back-order, but you're in line and will get it some time!" Then a month later they say, "Ok, we got some more! Yours will be arriving some time at the end of September or beginning of October." Here I am, patiently waiting, thinking the lower price was worth it. Then just now I get an e-mail saying something to the effect of, "Wow, so many people want this but we don't have enough. We'll just play it off like we mis-priced it and then cancel everyone's orders! Ok, sounds like a great plan!"

WANKERS.

Back to newegg it is. Don't care if it's way more and I get rammed in the ass with shipping charges and taxes. At least I'll fucking get it!

elderly or handicap drivers

RTHKI wrote:

elderly or handicap drivers

fucking handicapped people. driving to school today, fucking lady in a wheelchair being pushed through the exact middle of the row in the parking lot, no way around her.

haaaaahaha troyskygrad pro @ having a stroke

Women. Fuck women.

Finray wrote:

When fucking postmen don't fucking bother to fucking ring your fucking doorbell and just fucking write out one of those fucking cards that fucking say they fucking rang the fucking doorbell and nobody fucking answered.

CUNTS. DO YOUR FUCKING JOB.

You should live in Vienna. I regularly order stuff online cause I´m a lazy bum and I had to pick up 4 outta 5 packets myself. And I´m practically home all the time due to being a student and a lazy bum.

It got better since I moved, a bit at least, cause now, they try to stuff as much of the stuff into my mailbox as possible and then just bring the rest to the nearest office for me to pick up, without ringing my bell to see whether I´m home.

Fucken pidgeons in Uganda do a better job than these fucks here