A prince is also respected when he is a true friend and a true enemy. – Niccolò Machiavelli
Despite being bitter rivals, and despite being knocked out of medal contention for the first time in Olympic Hockey history, the Russians respect their Canadian rivals.
What does that mean?
In this passage, he is talking about how a Prince should conduct himself in a manner to gain renown, or a good kind of fame. He urges the Prince to set a fine example, to be great in fame and glory, and do extraordinary deeds. I believe that this can be applied, with a bit less drama, to our daily lives.
He also mentions that, while there are many advantages to remaining neutral in an event not directly impacting you, a new Prince can easily make a name for themselves by taking a bold stand with one side or another. The logic is that win or lose, everyone knows where you stand, and that you can be trusted in the darkest hours.
If you are victorious, the winner will laud you for your assistance, and if not, the other side will know what a true friend looks like, even though you be a true enemy of theirs. While this advice is more for a new Prince than a well established one, it applies to all of us today.
Why is certainty important?
How many of you have had wishy-washy friends? People you didn’t know if they were really on your side, or just saying so while the path was easy? How comforting was that? And how often have you made a new friend when they came to your aid when the going was tough, and the other ‘friends’ fell away?
It could be that it’s moving day, and everyone else was suddenly busy, too stiff, or too hung over to help. It could be a project at work, and suddenly everyone who promised to help suddenly has to run home early for some reason or another. Those who stay behind are true and fast friends, even if they were merely acquaintances the day before, right?
In sports, who do you respect more, the fans of your rival who stay to the bitter end, urging their team to make one final stand, or those who walk out as soon as the tide turns against their team? With the shoe on the other foot, do you respect more the fans of your team who stay to the bitter end, even in a losing game (or season), or the ones who leave as soon as victory slips past them?
Where can I apply this in my life?
Besides the obvious analogies listed above, nearly any endeavor where your willingness to be true to a cause in which you strongly believe. Personally I would rather know where you stood, even if it was against me, than wonder where you stood, what you stood for, and why. How about you, do you care?
That said, this can also be taken too far, where a person becomes a martyr to a cause. I have seen it frequently in politics, where a person would rather lose than make a compromise. While this has a place (and certainly earns them some respect among some of their constituents), in most countries politics is a team sport, and you cannot advance the ball if you don’t have anyone on the field.
To whom are you a true friend or a true enemy? To what causes are you a true friend or a true enemy? Have you given it much thought, or do you live in a less black-and-white world? Some people live in a shades-of-gray world, where they don’t really take a stand for much, and just go along to get along. That’s not me, but if it works for you, I guess that’s you.
My point is (other than a hot-button issue or two) most people haven’t given much thought to what they truly stand for or against. That is what I ask you to consider at this point. As an example, as an engineer, I have a strong respect for the scientific method, and am a true enemy to those who practice sloppy science.
Note that I don’t deny science or facts, but I do oppose those who hide behind white lab coats and claim “science” when it is anything but science. Whether it is a fake cloning experiment or a claim of faster than light motion, I call it as I see science demanding it. Science demands independent verification of all the data, and if the data is hidden, it’s not science. End of discussion.
Have you come up with any thoughts regarding to what you are a true friend or a true enemy? I prefer to do my thinking in advance, so that I don’t make a hasty decision later and have to correct a mistake, or live forever trapped by a sloppy decision. Yes, it’s possible for a person to ‘evolve’ their position, but only the desperate see this as a new “true friend.”
Chose your cause or causes and take a stand. Do your research and find the groups (or found your own) that is truly aligned with your beliefs, and not just one that has a good PR department. Even if you align yourself opposite me, I prefer a true enemy to a wishy-washy friend.
From: Twitter, @smafirm
confirmed at : http://www.constitution.org/mac/prince21.htm (Chapter 21 of The Prince)
Photo by s.yume
