Machiavelli's Prince in the White House?

We're discussing Machiavelli's "The Prince" in my World History class. It is not the first time I have endured this work of philosophy, which is probably the reason that my brain is off in left-field wondering: did Bush ever read it? has Obama? I am pretty sure the later would have sometime on his way to or passing through Harvard, not quite sure about the former though.

This actually seems fitting, Bush just never got that he had to appear to the world as a (virtuous) man and yet actually be the beast. But it is a thin line as Machiavelli explains, the prince cannot be cruel to the point of fear or hatred (the point Bush eventually reached with US action in Afghanistan or Iraq, if you were wondering), instead one must use cruelty to derive absolute respect instead through complimenting it with humanity and prudence. At his post-September 11th height, Bush was seen with absolute respect because he was able to not only look cruelly upon those who served to do the country harm, but still act with humanity towards the people of the state and our allies in the world.

Machiavelli also speaks about generosity on the part of the prince, which for some reason made me think of taxes. The thing Bush forgot, and most republicans too, is that if one is too overly generous, then the subject loses all appreciation and will turn to greed. "Lower Taxes! Lower Taxes! the populous will keep demanding. In being overly generous the prince exhausts resources which in the long run not only makes taxes be raised in the long term (national debt ringing a bell?), but causes grief which leads to hatred and hatred is the one thing that Machiavelli says the prince should stay clear from. That would seem to explain why Bush has an approximately 20% approval rating, even though he lowered taxes. Wise princes should be more willing to be labeled as ungenerous, then to be hated for trying to be too generous argued Machiavelli. I know that Obama had to propose tax cuts to beat McCain, but it makes me wonder what more people will demand in 2012.

Unlike Aristotle who saw virtue as derivative of the highest good, Machiavelli attacks the argument that virtuous action be in all behaviors. For this metaphysical approach to politics is inconsistent with reality. Virtue, Machiavelli argues, is abstract and does not concern itself with consequences. An Machiavellian virtue is one that is only a virtue in so far that it is praised by man as being virtuous. Understanding this, Machiavelli's view becomes a little more realistic.

But this is where I break with Machiavelli's argument. His view of human nature is that man is "ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, and covetous." Further, by nature men are deceitful and untrustworthy, they break promises, and are impressed only by appearances and results. So while man may respect and even praise virtue most men, however, do not possess it themselves. This view of human nature is important because it underlies all of Machiavelli's suggestions for princely actions. For if the populace were intelligent (I like to think I am, after all here I am blogging about Machiavelli and modern day politics) well-educated, and aware of history, the prince would be unable to affect public opinion, which is integral to the prince's successful leadership. For Machiavelli's suggestions about princely behavior to be beneficial the prince must be smarter than all the people.

Which in a round about way gets me back to modern day politics. Bush just wasn't smart enough to be president. Really the Bush-Palin SNL skit said it when it satired Bush saying "the office of vice-president is the most important office in the land...the president can do nothing without checking with the vice-president first." The skit was funny because it was true. In Machiavelli's terms Cheney was Bush's beast, ironically the prince was afraid of him because he had no control over said beast (UN Security council & Iraq anyone?). Obama on the other hand is smart, I think he is probably a lot smarter than most people give him credit for and that says a lot, because he is probably one of the most brilliant minds of his generation. We have seen him as the man, the consummate politician but the question comes does he have the beast inside him? And surely he will need that beast to accomplish anything in this town. Yet with 24 hour cable news as the mind of the populous, I don't know whether Obama would surpass. For what the media lacks in intelligence they make up for with tenacity, catchy phases, spiffy graphics. talking heads, and hologram technology.

It's the little things...

"If we don't get to all the lectures this semester we'll blame it on Barney." This quote comes curtosey of Professor Wall following powerpoint going absolutely nuts after he tried to play a clip of the purple dinosaur singing Ring Around the Rosie during today's lecture on the Black Plague.

Yet another Sunday...

Well a whole week has passed and I assure you that I will share some of the stories from this week, because really I don't want you to think I am too dull when you read what I say next. But I one again spent Sunday night in the library, slowly as the hours have passed in the blury realm between Sunday and Monday the library has slowly emptied. It is now on the verge of being Monday morning, and seven of us remain in our little corner or the library. I have my fingers crossed that I will have time for a nap before my classes start in a couple hours, we'll see if it happens.

The Most Excitting Sunday Night Ever!

Where else would a college student spend a Sunday night, but at the library studying? I'm a couple days behind in my blog posting hopefully I will have some time this week to catch up. Hope you all had a good weekend.

Random Images from the Day!

Below are random images taken whenever I pulled my camera out today. The first is my lunch today, a nice cold glass of milk which they ran out of at dinner on Monday night! A turkey bbq wrap with a side of Mac-n-cheese and califlower - a favorite in my family, but these were dry and there was no vinegar :(

Half of the new mural in the upstairs portion of the dining hall, I meant to take a picture of the other half but I started talking with someone and forgot.

The line outside the cafeteria, I think there were more people outside than in.

On my way to my Chinese Domestic Political Priorities course in Walsh. These are at the bottom of the Lauinger steps with N St. in front. I am looking forward to the class material, but not the work. There is 30-35 pages of writing per semester and 200-250 pages of reading a week! Yikes!

After class, I walked down to Georgetown Cupcake. I've had a hard couple days, but a full nights sleep last night and a cupcake today and I am feeling a bit better. I didn't look at the display and just snapped the picture so it didn't turn out that well...

Last but not least a picture of my cupcake. It was a Chocolate-Vanilla cupcake and was mighty delicious. They asked if I wanted it in a bag to go and I said are you nuts I'm going to eat it now! It was very good and didn't even last half the walk back to the dorm even though I tried to savor it. The best part is a cupcake is only $3.03, which is cheaper than a latte.

Other events of the day included Drill Section for Chinese, a meeting at The Hoya (more later, but something might be in the works), a quick hello with Carol and Luke neither of which attend Georgetown anymore, and I enjoyed the smores on Copley lawn curtosey of GUTV. Oh yeah, I finally felt compelled to get up this morning after the fire alarm in Copley kept going off for about 10 seconds at random intervals. We didn't have to evacuate the building, but it had me out of bed. For some reason the bell is louder in the bathroom than the hallway. I had to pee and just about jumped off the toliet when the alarm randomly went off.

Back on the Hilltop!

I am no longer in China, no longer in Seattle, but find myself already back at Georgetown. Although the last three months of adventures were amazing and they did pass in the blink of an eye, I found that return to campus was very normal. Almost as if I never left. I am slowly settling in, reconnecting with friends, attending the welcome back barbecue and buying books. I am living back on campus this year, on the 5th floor of Copley Hall. The first official dorm built of campus and it is filled with nooks and crannies characteristic of the old Gothic style of architecture. The floor I am on is all double rooms and it is a girls only floor, though the building is co-ed, this should make for some interesting times this year.

I ate in the cafeteria for dinner tonight, which has received a complete make-over especially the menu. Hopefully this will make eating there much more interesting with more options, in previous years my main complaint has been that it gets boring pretty quickly. There is now a stir-fry area, home-cooking and carvery, deli & salad bar with fruit (on both floors), a make your own pasta station, in addition to the pasta and pizza bistro down stairs, there is also a diner with burgers fries and the like, and finally a dessert station with Hershey's ice cream and fro-yo. The decor has also changed and they painted a huge Georgetown mural on the top floor. They also switched out the big 14 person tables for table that hold approx 6 people so it is a much more laid back and intimate atmosphere, there is even a bar counter to sit at and booths and pub tables downstairs. The other big change has been to eliminate trays, they say it is for environmental reasons, but I also see it as decreasing the quantity of food taken (even though it is all you can eat-buffet style).

So that is the big news, well that and classes start tomorrow, it should be a laid back week seeing as I have only two classes and I am sure that not much more than receiving syllabi will occur. But it should be fun, plus I have already taken classes with 3 out of my 4 professors so I know a bit of what to expect and the final class is Chinese and that is pretty by the book. It should be an easier paced semester. Mondays I have 1 class, Tuesdays thru Thursday 2 classes, and Friday no class. On top of that I have my first class of the week at 2:15 in the afternoon and my last class ends on Thursday at 2:30. Oh the life of an upper classman! I am really looking forward to this semester.