In class when discussing Machiavelli's The Prince we mentioned how he says that to be a good king you don't necessarily have to have all these outstanding leadership characteristics, but you have to at least appear to have them. What stuck out to me in this passage is when he says, "that he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived." I could not be anything but amazed at how much truth lies behind this quote. In today's society we get so outraged when we have governors, senators, or presidents that promise to do one thing or appear to be able to be a strong leader and then go against their word or completely fail when they get elected. Who should we be getting mad at though? Should we be mad at a president who deceived us or should we be mad at ourselves for being deceived. The only way a leader can successfully get elected by deceiving people is if people are allowing themselves to be deceived.
In history and even in the epics there are so many people in power such as Hitler or Odysseus that appear to be a good speaker or a good leader and have successfully deceived their people. Hitler convinced his followers to slaughter innocent Jews among millions of other innocent people and also wound up loosing in World War II. Then, Odysseus' crew basically got themselves killed by following Odysseus on all his crazy adventures. Would all of these things have happened if people had not allowed themselves to be deceived. While it is hard to go against a ruler once already in power, there is a way of stopping deceptive politicians from being elected. It is easier said than done but can be accomplished by refusing to fall victim to deception. It is crazy how something written by Machiavelli in 1515 can still hold so much power and truth in today's society.
p.s. commented on Molly Gray's Not Our Forefathers
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