The Prince - Machiavelli

[dice]

This is one of the most praised books on this forum so today I decided to hit up the library and read the entire thing from front to back, working towards one of my personal development goals for the summer to read as many improvement books as I can. I haven't read an entire book that wasn't a text book in almost five years so I was psyched to read it and in the process become a better person.

Well, I sat down and read it and all I can say is it was a big waste of my afternoon. For a book that gets so much naming on this forum that I can usually trust on recommendations for things like movies and music, I was beyond disappointed with it. After I read the first half I was like.. this is a book about how to run a society and deal with things like "WHAT TO DO IF YOUR NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES GO TO WAR" and describing THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PRINCE HELPED INTO POWER BY HIS PEOPLE AND AIDED INTO POWER BY HIS FAMILY AND BLAH BLAH. So I kept reading on since I saw there was a chapter called "qualities of a prince". The book continued to waste my time and the one chapter I was looking forward to ended up being literally 3 pages long.

I really need someone to explain to me why this book is mentioned on this forum in the same threads with GREAT books like rich dad poor dad and think and grow rich

 

[seabreeze]

Dice,

You're absolutlely right. It's a book about politics and military strategy and should not be applied to general life. Machiavelli himself did not totally believe in the principles that he wrote of in the book, but he had a goal of making Italy into a world power, tantamount to England, and this book describes how he thought it must be done. He was a man of principle and allegiance to his country, not some ego-maniacal revolutionary who advocated "survival of the fittest." People have taken his purpose for this book out of context for centuries! Plus it's been translated and re-translated so many times that even political scholars today wonder what he REALLY said.

Don't look at it as a waste of time because at least you can say that you read some classic literature.

I wouldn't try to use it as a guidebook for landing chicks. Just my opinion.
SB

 

[The Comeback Kid]

I know this one...

The guy (I'm not writing out his whole name lol) says a gerat leader should rather be feared than loved. Both have their pros and cons, but being loved can lead to the downfall for a great leader.

And the bottom line (what it all equates to): "The ends justify the means."

 

[diplomatic_lies]

There's not a lot of differences between basic human psychology in 1400 and 2000.

That's the value of the book.

 

[Alpine]

Hmmm,

If I was in conversation with anyone other than fellow DJ's I would agree.

Do yourself a favour and read it again.

As you get older and wiser the more you will understand it. You don't have to agree with the philosophy, but you really do need to realise it's potential to influence YOU.

Remember, you can't achieve anything in the world without influence, even good things.

 

[Jvesti]

The Prince, 48 laws of power

Read em and learn from em if you are:

a. In the federal gov't
b. part of a mideival court
c. part of a corrupt drug trade
d. dealing with insecure or corrupt people and are forced to (generally "how to win friends and influence people" by Carnegie will work 10x's better in that case)

Otherwise in everything else you are bound to **** yourself over royally and get no where.

Want to succeed in business or in areas where it isn't in an anarchic state. Read "Think and Grow Rich".

Its amazing how this literary Greene guy writes a book to shock and awe. has no power himself. Citin historical stories and everyone eats it up like its the greatest thing ever. Yeah maybe in 15th century europe.

 

[DrMetallica]

You don't need to read books to work for the federal government. You just have to be a big p*ssy.

 

[Iceberg]

Originally posted by The Comeback Kid
I know this one...

The guy (I'm not writing out his whole name lol) says a gerat leader should rather be feared than loved. Both have their pros and cons, but being loved can lead to the downfall for a great leader.

And the bottom line (what it all equates to): "The ends justify the means."

There's more to The Prince than that little quote you heard while watching "A Bronx Tale."