Pascal said:
Somebody once said to Napoleon, who gave medals to his soldiers : "You reward men's bravery with toys and trinkets."
He replied : "The world is ruled with toys and trinkets."
It certainly works when people are fully satisfied just by receiving them!
It is amazing what one can learn about humanity from nasty dictators. It makes sense though, to rule a lot of humans, you have to understand them, unless you have a galactic fleet. And even then, how would you rule the fleet?
The first half of the 20th in particular saw some of the most spectacular mind-domination by PR, from Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini.
Some will say we still have this, but I disagree. The democratization of communication media has ruined that power. Just in the sixties, very popular movies appeared which portrayed politicians and police men as potential bad guys, something hardly anybody imagined earlier. And the Internet of course has clinched this big time. Even China is buckling under this.
5 comments:
"Even China is buckling under this."
Please to Buddha that you be right!
Napoleon Bonaparte is often labeled "a great man", because he was a great military strategist and a successful conqueror, which is flattering to French pride. But anybody who crowns himself emperor after a dire revolution that overthrew royalty, to then go about conquering the known world, defines as a nasty dictator. I'm part French, so I'm free to talk.
As Rodney Dangerfield could've put it: "Napoleon was upset all his life of being a short guy. So he went and conquered all of Europe, and still his mamma wouldn't stop nagging him like he was still a kid. Talk about wasted effort!" ;-)
Josef Stalin's home town in Georgia still worships him as the greatest hero who ever lived. It's amazing how efficiently ego will render people stupid.
"Napoleon Bonaparte is often labeled "a great man", because he was a great military strategist and a successful conqueror"
Yes, this is lampooned in the excellent satire SF book Mission Earth.
"Josef Stalin's home town in Georgia still worships him as the greatest hero who ever lived."
You're kidding?
Georgia where?
... OK, I looked it up now. It seems there's a country by that name by the Black Sea. I'm gonna sue my old school. :)
"You reward men's bravery with toys and trinkets."
He replied : "The world is ruled with toys and trinkets."
Sad, but true. It's like getting a watch after retiring from a company or something. 20, 30 years and they give you a watch? wow. not.
i'd say show me the money and throw me a party with dancing strippers! now there's a send off! ;)
I hope you're right about the internet, Eolake. I have a friend who thinks the boys-in-power will manage to clamp down on it someday. Me, I'm a bit more optimistic, but I still think we need to keep a close eye on the politicians.
As for "great men", I have a crazy theory we should name at least as many streets after scientists and artists as we do politicians and generals.
Paul,
You're right, this IS crazy.
Where do I sign in? :-)
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