DiscerningCatholic Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Okay, so I have an 1800-word essay to write and the question is: "[size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color=#000000][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]Is it true that [acquring power] is [a leader's] first duty? If so, why? If not, why not? If not, what is the primary duty of a ruler? What are the consequences of making the maintenance and acquisition of power the primary principle of ruling?" ' [/background][/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color=#000000][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]This question is difficult because not only are there many various kinds of leadership - democracy, monarchy, communism, etc, but also, I just finished reading Machiavelli's "The Prince." [/background][/color][/font][/size] I'm leaning towards, "No, acquiring power should not be the first thing a leader should do, unless the country is in anarchy. The first thing leader should do is gain trust with his people and to address main issues. If all a leader focuses on is power, the leader could forget to care about the needs of the people and could become more of a tyrant than a good leader." Thoughts?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i<3franciscans Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I like your idea. Funny, that was the essay Q on my SAT. I got an 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscerningCatholic Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Isn't the highest score on the SAT essay a 5? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKolbe Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 the SAT has essays now? sheesh! or do you mean ACT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscerningCatholic Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Oh, my bad; the SAT scores from 1 through 5 with two scores. And yes, MIkolbe, the SAT now requires an essay, which they grade mostly on length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r2Dtoo Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) [quote name='DiscerningCatholic' timestamp='1350999152' post='2496280'] "No, acquiring power should not be the first thing a leader should do, unless the country is in anarchy. The first thing leader should do is gain trust with his people and to address main issues. If all a leader focuses on is power, the leader could forget to care about the needs of the people and could become more of a tyrant than a good leader." Thoughts?? [/quote] The first thought that comes to mind is that the statement is total hogwash. Power clearly shold be first and foremost in a leader's mind, after all how else is he supposed to to effectively rule without power? Trust nice, and sweet, and democratic and all, but power is what matters. Edited October 23, 2012 by r2Dtoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 The people who seek power for its own sake are the same psychopaths who become politicians. Working great so far, is it not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r2Dtoo Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1351014251' post='2496359'] The people who seek power for its own sake are the same psychopaths who become politicians. Working great so far, is it not? [/quote] The simplest way to achieve anything is to keep one's goal in the front of one's mind. If a boy wants to become a championship boxer he'll hang Muhammed Ali posters on his wall, and train. Distractions such as television, video games, and even school work mean nothing to him and get put on the backburner. Of course school work may be required if he wants to continue in his school's althetic program, but then it gets put into context and he becomes a C student. My point? If you want to achieve anything you have to set priorities. Putting the public trust before power is not appropiate goal setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='r2Dtoo' timestamp='1351014989' post='2496364'] The simplest way to achieve anything is to keep one's goal in the front of one's mind. If a boy wants to become a championship boxer he'll hang Muhammed Ali posters on his wall, and train. Distractions such as television, video games, and even school work mean nothing to him and get put on the backburner. Of course school work may be required if he wants to continue in his school's althetic program, but then it gets put into context and he becomes a C student. My point? If you want to achieve anything you have to set priorities. Putting the public trust before power is not appropiate goal setting. [/quote] Right, exactly. So if someone wants to become a psychopathic murdering thief, then he has to put power before everything else. That is how the game works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r2Dtoo Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1351017062' post='2496382'] Right, exactly. So if someone wants to become a psychopathic murdering thief, then he has to put power before everything else. That is how the game works. [/quote] But with politicians what other choice to they have? I mean, society has no need for psychopathic murdering thieves, but don't we need politicians? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='r2Dtoo' timestamp='1351026117' post='2496459'] But with politicians what other choice to they have? I mean, society has no need for psychopathic murdering thieves, but don't we need politicians? [/quote] Do we really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r2Dtoo Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1351026276' post='2496461'] Do we really? [/quote] Politicians are inevitable in any society. Even anarchism supports the development leaders because they know it's impossible to have a leaderless society. When you have a position of power anywhere you're playing politics, that's just how it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i<3franciscans Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='DiscerningCatholic' timestamp='1351013878' post='2496357'] Oh, my bad; the SAT scores from 1 through 5 with two scores. And yes, MIkolbe, the SAT now requires an essay, which they grade mostly on length. [/quote] 1 to 6. The highest essay score is a 12 and the lowest is a 2.You are graded by two ppl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='r2Dtoo' timestamp='1351026870' post='2496471'] Politicians are inevitable in any society. Even anarchism supports the development leaders because they know it's impossible to have a leaderless society. When you have a position of power anywhere you're playing politics, that's just how it is. [/quote] Well in that case we should distinguish between 'politicians' in a voluntary system, and politicians in the current highly violent system based on theft and threats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r2Dtoo Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1351030397' post='2496521'] Well in that case we should distinguish between 'politicians' in a voluntary system, and politicians in the current highly violent system based on theft and threats. [/quote] That is totally irrelevant. The point of all politics anywhere, in any system is power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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