If I Were a Machiavellian

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700px-portrait_of_niccolo_machiavelli_by_santi_di_tito

I’ve tried to read Niccolò Machiavelli’s THE PRINCE several times throughout my reading existence but thus far I haven’t been able to finish it.

But I did watch that risqué/raunchy TV show about that bad, Bad Pope called “Borgia” (not “The Borgias” mind you; still haven’t seen that one yet), so I have a pretty good TV idea about the dude on whom Machiavelli based his “prince.”

Anyway, for some reason I’ve been thinking about Machiavellianism lately.

Not sure why, but according to that informational cyberwonderland called Wikipedia, it appears I’m pretty much a “Low Mach” kind of guy. However, just the fact that I am a guy, a typical one at that, pretty much guarantees that I’m a of a higher Mach than the typical kind of gal.

Here are some interesting quotes regarding Machiavelianism:

Machiavellianism is “the employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct”.

Machiavellianism is also a term that some social, forensic and personality psychologists use to describe a person’s tendency to be unemotional, and therefore able to detach him or herself from conventional morality and hence to deceive and manipulate others.

Machiavellianism is one of the three personality traits referred to as the dark triad, along with narcissism and psychopathy.

People scoring high on the scale (high Machs) tend to endorse statements such as, “Never tell anyone the real reason you did something unless it is useful to do so…”

Hmm… it seems that I know someone who might possess one or all of those of the “dark triad.”

Yes, I’m sure I do know someone who is Machiavellian, narcissistic, and psychopathic.

The name’s not coming it me right now but I’m pretty sure I know someone Just. Like. That.

Anyway…

Sometimes it seems that life would be much easier if I were to be more Machiavellian; if I were to only worry about myself and my needs; to see others only as either obstacles or opportunities to satisfy my needs.

Yeah…

Hey! If you’re interested in knowing whether you’re a High or Low Mach kind of human, you can take the test here.

Post your score in the comments for us…

If you feel it would be to your benefit to do so, that is.

 
 

In Honor of the Far Too Many Legendary Rockers We Lost This Year…

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guitar-and-amp

…many of whom came to us from that Rock Empire across the pond affectionately known as Britain, I celebrate this Holiday* Season Weekend with a contemporary British rock band called BRING ME THE HORIZON.

Finding their fame as a screamo band, with the screamo genre being a derivative of the once popular emo genre, BMTH is transitioning into more of a popular rock vibe, similar to that of a Linkin Park.

While they are youthful lads, BMTH’s music and especially their poetically powerful lyrics, which often put interesting twists on clichés and figures of speech, speak/sing well beyond their years.

You can get a taste of what they have to say in one of the more creative lyric videos >> TRUE FRIENDS (All you grammar nerds, forgive their subjunctive mood faux pas. Even the most intellectual of rockers, Jim Morrison, made the same error).

They also have one of the most creative and socially smart videos I’ve seen in a long time with >> FOLLOW YOU. However, I will warn you in the most strongest terms… It is very graphic and potentially disturbing to those who disturb easily; and maybe to even those who disturb hardly. Be careful.

And in case you were wondering, IMLTHO the best lyric video of all time is courtesy of my main man and living legend >> MR. TOM WAITS.

Time will tell if BMTH reaches the legendary status of the far too many rockers we lost this year. You’ll have to check back with me here in fifty years or so to find out.

Okay, then…

ROCK ON &
MERRY SATURNALIA DAY!
 

 
*See this.

WAR IS OVER

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I’m a BIG Yoko Ono fan and I really dig her WAR IS OVER campaign. I especially dig all the free WAR IS OVER downloads she offers in a multitude of languages at http://imaginepeace.com/warisover/.

And I especially especially dig this WAR IS OVER message written in flag-speak!
war-is-over-flags

#itsanavything
#youwouldntunderstand

BELIEVE IN LEAVE

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So, I was thinking (yes, I understand the risks)…

But, I was thinking, just imagine if each of the 25,109 and growing followers of this humble site were to donate just $1.00 to help me fund my film LEAVE…

Just imagine how much that would be!

Keep in mind that I am a product of the United States public school system, and that, by design, my higher level degrees have absolutely nothing to do with math, so my calculations may be a bit suspect…

But I believe that if every one of the 25,109 followers were to donate $1.00 to help me fund my film, that would come to the heavenly financial figure of… [finger cipher]…

$25,109.00!

Now that there would be a whole lotta of cheeze and it would help me in a whole lotta ways in realizing my cinematic dream called LEAVE.

Now, I’m a practical man (not!), and I know all 25,109 of you donating $1.00 each to support my dream is an impossible expectation…

But, let’s consider what you get here for free 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365-days a year non-stop and in perpetuity for as long as our pretty yet petulant planet revolves around the sun that may help motivate you towards donating that $1.00…

You get to publish your work to the RELATING TO HUMANS feature…

You get the IABS&R…

You get occasional “PRO-TIPS”…

You get LITERARY ZEN…

You get ARTWORK?…

You get HUMOR…

You get HEALTH advice…

You get MOTIVATIONAL ADVICE…

And you get so much more.

But, even with all this free stuff created just for you forever floating around here, I understand that my hope of everyone donating even just $1.00 is an impossible expectation.

But then again…

SO WAS THE CAVS COMING BACK FROM BEING DOWN 3-1 IN THE FINALS!

AND SO IS THE TRIBE WINNING THE WORLD SERIES!

BUT IT’S THE YEAR OF “BELIEVELAND” BABY!

THIS YEAR, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

WHICH MEANS, WITH YOUR HELP

LEAVE IS POSSIBLE!

…

Uhm…

Too much, right?

Yeah.

Sorry ’bout that…

Anyway…

Please donate what you can, if you can, my friends >> BELIEVE IN LEAVE.

Thank you.
 

BELIEVE IN LEAVE

 
 

Kaepernick

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Unjust laws exist; shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once? Men generally, under such a government as this, think that they ought to wait until they have persuaded the majority to alter them. They think that, if they should resist, the remedy would be worse than the evil. But it is the fault of the government itself that the remedy is worse than the evil. It makes it worse. Why is it not more apt to anticipate and provide for reform? Why does it not cherish its wise minority? Why does it cry and resist before it is hurt? Why does it not encourage its citizens to be on the alert to point out its faults, and do better than it would have them?  Why does it always crucify Christ, and excommunicate Copernicus and Luther, and pronounce Washington and Franklin rebels?

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

 
#blacklivesmatter
#protestsmatter