Machiavelli: satire or sincerity?

What was the most outrageous statement/idea that Machiavelli wrote? Was he right? Why or why not? Taking the same statement, would Machiavelli's philosphy apply today? Why or why not?

While I was reading Machiavelli's The Prince, I was struck by the level of satire in the book. From what I had heard of the book, I expected it to be serious in its outrageous claims, but instead I felt like Machiavelli was making all those outrageous claims to support the opposite of what he was saying. I am convinced that the majority of his work was intended to be satirical, not to be taken seriously.

One of the phrases that jumped out at me most was "...it is perfectly possible to be feared and not hated...." (page 46). The phrase was in context of how a people should feel about their Prince, and how crucial it is for a Prince to maintain rule by inspiring fear in the people while still being loved.

This idea was meant to appear completely ridiculous. Love and fear cannot exist in the same place, because the two are totally opposite. There is a way to maintain order and respect without involving fear. True loyalty is always motivated by love rather than fear. This would not have worked efficiently in Machiavelli's day, nor does it work in our day. We can look at a variety of systems of government throughout the world in the last few centuries, and see that the ones that were/are most successful had citizens motivated by a love for their country rather than a fear of government. Oppression, as well as militaristic rule, leaves citizens in fear of their lives and freedom. Countries with governments such as these have most often been toppled from within, by citizens who were so afraid of losing their rights or so tired of not having rights that they rose up and completely disintegrated their leaders, often violently.

parallels in Roman-American society

As a sequel to the previous post about the societal ills of America, the satirical Juvenal's Satire III discusses many of Rome's societal issues, many of which parallel America's issues with alarming accuracy.

• degeneration of the family unit in America -- "Here Numa held his nightly assignations with his mistress;"

There are other examples in the text, but the glorification of the abandonment of traditional family values give evidence for the cultural degeneration of the family in Rome, when fidelity in marriage is no longer valued above having a mistress or succumbing to the generic human drives above one's duty to family.

• consumerism/commercialism in America -- "In Rome, every one dresses smartly, above his means, and sometimes something more than what is enough is taken out of another man's pocket. This failing is universal here: we all live in a state of pretentious poverty."

Juvenal says it so well. We have the cultural tendency to live beyond our means, following a shift in our culture in the 1980s when we believed there would be no tomorrow (due to the cold war and Y2K superstitions) and, following that, the emerging desire to outspend neighbors. The emphasis is on show rather than simplicity and enjoyment of what one has.

• class separation in America -- "And besides, not to flatter ourselves, what value is there in a poor man's serving here in Rome...? Here in Rome the son of free-born parents has to give the wall to some rich man's slave;"

In America, we use the phrase "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer" and this sentiment is adequately captured in Juvenal's statement here. The son of a free man has less opportunity than even the slaves of the rich, so rich is the upper class.

• economic/political unrest -- "Who but the wealthy get sleep in Rome? There lies the root of the disorder."

Juvenal's entire satirical rant indicates a political dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in Rome, and his opinions were likely shared by many. The idea of separation between rich and poor, with the power being in the hands of the rich, is often a precursor to war and anarchy (think the French Revolution when the people revolted). Despite what politicians would have us believe, the middle class is disappearing, and with it the economic and political balance. Our politicians in Washington don't seem to hold the slightest interest in their constituents (think the government shutdown when all politicians continued to receive pay).

• desensitization to violence, immorality through media and cultural standards -- "There's death in every open window as you pass along at night; you may well be deemed a fool, improvident of sudden accident, if you go out to dinner without having made your will."

As society degrades, there is often an accompanying increase in violence and with it, a decreased awareness for the severity of the violence. Those who are desensitized to violence are less likely to hesitate from participating in violence, and the society begins to spiral towards chaos and often war.

What are the five most challenging social problems facing the United States today?

What are the five most challenging social problems facing the United States today?

There are hundreds of millions of people living in the United States, and I have no doubt that each would give a different answer if asked this question, relative to their own age, location and other demographics. However, in my opinion, and in no particular order, the five largest social problems facing American society are --

• desensitization to violence, immorality through media and cultural standards
• degeneration of the family unit
• economic unrest resulting in social and political unrest
• class separation (rich getting richer, poor getting poorer)
• consumerism and commercialism becoming the focus of our culture

the golden age of civilization

What makes a Golden Age? What aspects of Roman society under Augustus would constitute a Golden Age? What time period of American history would constitute its Golden Age?

A "Golden Age" is nearly always named retroactively, for a period of time which, looking back, represents the perceived peak in the culture. In Roman society, the golden age was represented by expansion, unification and civilization. The Romans prided themselves on their art and architecture, and the comparative peace that came with Augustus, compared to the previous unrest and civil bloodbath.

Looking back through American history, there are many periods that could be construed as "golden." And of course, the United States of America have only existed for two hundred years, hardly enough time to set aside ages. However, if I were to pick a period of time to be America's golden age, I would without question choose the 1980's.

The '80s represented a shift in American culture, out of the cold war and into an era where individuals could focus on their own lives and be more independent. There was a dramatic increase in variety everywhere; music, clothing, technology. There was an economic boom and a cultural blast to accompany it. In the 30 years since the 80s, Americans have made huge technological leaps from house lines to car phones to tiny ear-pieces and a worldwide signal range. The 1980s were a time of change, but, like the Roman Golden Age, full of unification and looking to the future with a new hope.

how does the production of Oedipus maintain the elements of original Greek tragedy?

(masks, chorus, music, religious ritual, etc.)

The production of Oedipus the King was well done, if a little odd or awkward in places. The face-paint on Oedipus and a few of the chorus members mimicked the masks of old Greek theater, as well as the idea of a closed theater where no one leaves the stage. That element was the most odd and gave me a good taste of what Greek theater would have been like, given the setting in which greek plays were performed, the ancient amphitheater.

The music and chorus provided an additional element of original Greek tragedy. Most renditions of old plays that I've seen have either removed the chorus entirely or incorporated the chorus into the play as speech, when in all likelihood they were actually sung. The music and dance provided key interludes and helped to explain back story and advance the overall plot.

Oedipus the King: pride and blindness

Ah, Oedipus the King. What a tragedy. It's likely that the very idea of a "tragic hero" or heroine originated with Sophocles' plays Oedipus and Antigone, and there are few examples in literature as perfect as these. King Oedipus, a tyrant but well-loved by his people and his family, the main character and hero of the play, experiences a tragic, swift downfall when he discovers his origins.

I've read Oedipus at least three times now in my lifetime, and every time I read it I become even more convinced that the hamartia of King Oedipus' is his pride. When he learns that the curse on Thebes will only be lifted through finding and exacting justice for the murder of the previous king, Oedipus makes elaborate promises and takes upon himself the responsibility of finding the murderer/s, "I will bring this to light again" (133 emphasis added). He believes that as king, he has both the authority and power to do anything, invoking even the Gods to help him in this righteous endeavor.  "Those who do not obey me, may the Gods grant no crops...nor children...! May a fate like this, or one still worse than this consume them" (269-272)! Oedipus puts a kind of Holy Grail value on his quest, ultimately sealing his fate with his own zeal.

Pride prevents Oedipus from accepting the truth. While at first he respects Teiresias for his wisdom, Oedipus quickly turns on the prophet when he finds himself accused. Angrily, he demands, "And who has taught you this truth?" (357), dares, "Tell me again that I may learn it better" (358), and jumps to conclusions by accusing Creon of "brazen-faced daring that...you tried, openly, highway robbery of my crown" (533-535). Pride causes most of the pain that comes as a result of the truth. Queen Jocasta hangs herself from shame (1256), Oedipus violently blinds himself (1268) and requests his own death and banishment (1410).

While we feel sympathy for the horrible nightmare Oedipus is forced to endure, the audience must also feel a certain disconnect -- Oedipus cannot side-step his fate as willed by the Gods, and his downfall is made all the more dramatic by his own flaw, his pride.

an introduction: four epithets

Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean. (Just kidding)

In response to our first classic civilizations assignment, here are my four "epithets" -- poetic metered descriptions of myself:

Champion of Arrows -- I picked up archery one summer nine years ago after watching The Lord of the Rings and I've never looked back. Because of a great deal of practice and the support of a team and my family, I pursued my dreams to win a state championship and compete in three national tournaments.

Sister-mother -- after ten years as the youngest child in my family, I was blessed with three more siblings. Because of our age gap, I have often felt more like a mother than a sister to them, and I've learned many useful skills that have completely reshaped me.

Soul of a Meon Saor -- Translated from Irish, I have the soul of a free spirit. I'm very connected to my places of ancestry, which include but are not limited to Ireland and Germany. At the risk of sounding like a stereotypical hipster, I've always thought of myself as a free spirit -- appreciative of my heritage but excited to make and follow my own path.

The Missionary -- Missionary work is one of the biggest parts of my life. I have always had the desire to serve a mission, and the recent age change changed many of my plans and none of my desires. I am starting and turning in my papers within a few short months and the gospel of Jesus Christ is what I consider to be the reason that I'm here! It means the world to me and comes before anything else.