Niccolo Machiavelli was a philosopher who was born and raised in Florence, Italy, in the 1400s. He came from an upper-class home with strong ties to government politics and influence. He quickly developed a passion for pursuing power and began ascending through the political ranks, only to be betrayed and exiled. Following his exile, he turned to writing and produced his most famous work, "The Prince."

"The Prince" revolves around the concept of power and how a ruler can attain and maintain it. Machiavelli believed that rulers should prioritize the stability and security of their states over moral considerations. He suggested that a ruler should be willing to deceive, manipulate, and even adhere to violence if necessary, to achieve their goals—essentially, being willing to do whatever it takes to attain and maintain power.

This concept made me ponder the pursuit of power and whether being willing to obtain it through questionable tactics creates an ultimately self-defeating effect on the goal. Does our lack of consideration for others in the pursuit of our goals mean we are destined to fail or destined to never truly achieve our objectives? I do agree that in order to be a strong leader, one must make decisions that might negatively affect certain aspects of the community, but this must be done with the idea of collective positivity in mind.

Aspects of Machiavelli's logic, reasoning, and ideologies, I believe, are very focused and strong in their belief in attaining our goals with unwavering determination, not allowing any external elements to hinder our ability to achieve those objectives. But at what cost? His concepts and theories are profound in their approach, and I think the idea of complete determination in moving forward has substance. However, if we are required to subject others to disarray, then I think that basis could falter, and universal energy will prevent us from truly obtaining the desired outcome. Conviction in our approach to life and the search for happiness through our own internal dialogue is vital. But in order to obtain this, we must consider the potential harm to others. If that is included in the equation, then is it really worth it? And will we really achieve the end goal that we desire without hindering the essence of it?

“The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves." - Niccolo Machiavelli

Thanks,

Dean