/ horsespt / horses.ig ... Sources: The Prince The Prince, Translated by Tim Parks: apeiron.iulm.it/retrieve/hand... Machiavelli by Michael Sugrue: • Machiavelli
@MutinyVT it doesn't matter if it's from a TV show. Many people should feel that way and there are people who do. I'd say Donald Trump and Michael Jackson are 2 highly influential people that at one point or another people were afraid of how much they loved them if anything media is afraid of how much these 2 people are loved.
How is it not evil to choose to do things he himself thought we’re not admirable or just. I think he is kind of a coward because he sees the way people are unjust and has no hope to change it, he instead chooses to be really good at being evil
@@grantbrewer3270 It's about living in reality rather than fantasy. The reality is people are unjust, and always will be regardless of what people teach or train. It's human nature. He rejected Christianity or religion as it failed to convince people enough to be just and righteous. In the end, if everyone is going to be unjust, understand it and do it strategically.
@@blissseeker4719 Yes, it does. Existence is a war of all against all; everything competes for supremacy, even the most infinitesimal organisms. The law of strong forces subjugating weak forces is a fundamental aspect of reality, and will always express itself in some way, shape or form. The Iron Law of Oligarchy should be a great starting point of research for you to come to terms with how unavoidable this aspect of the world is.
@@KevinJohnson-cv2noThis is true... but the definition of supremacy is subjective. One society may hold family values supreme while another may hold economic superiority as supreme.
Just so you know, there are high school teachers using this video in their classrooms to talk about Machiavelli. You're doing AMAZING work for it to have reached the classroom :)
Completely agree. I wouldn’t use the book, but I’d refer to various ideas that young people might seek to emulate the bad behavior and then discuss the possibilities of off-setting evil in the world. Students need to UNDERSTAND human nature. . . the good, bad, ugly and most importantly the beauty of human nature. Books like this, with regard to young people, should be read one-on-one, (parent/child) or in small groups so they can truly understand the repercussions.. . and not just to themselves but how these behaviors affects the whole world.
@@MrRahibzz Fuck no, the boat may well be halfway under water and im the guy with the bucket, but reading Machiavelli made me have a lot more empathy for tyrants and bad people in general... The worse you are the worse you have to be, its a vicious cycle they cant get out of
@@lucasportasio nobody forced them to bad in the first place though. If you need people to be empathetic for, it should always be the ones who are preyed upon by the machiavellians.
@@MrRahibzz of course i empathize with the victims, but to become machiavellian one is almost always a victim themselves. Even poor Machiavelli got tortured before he made the book, and his outlook makes a lot more sense if you know he was desilusioned and defeated when he made it
@@lucasportasio I also belive that the true way of empathy is to also understand that nobody is born evil and they just lost their battles too many times to think that somebody is going to forgive them
One of the most profound books I've ever read. And to correct people's incorrect assumption. Machiavelli wasn't evil. He wrote about the strategies he observed people in power used to achieve and retain power. It's what he observed.
Thank you. I’d say that it is the author of this video’s fault: he wants to transmit a sensation of evil/sociopaty. Complitely wron, my god. Incredible. This video is a shame
The first time I read The Prince I thought Machiavelli was the devil in the flesh. The more I thought about it and re-read it, the more I came to realize that everyone should be exposed to the political evils that Machiavelli described so that they would be wise to them and avoid being tricked by them. Clearly Trump is a student of Machiavelli.
“Unless you have been led to commit yourself by writing, your denial will go as far as their assertion. Shun writing, therefore, for there is nothing so damning as a girl screenshotting your message.” - Machiavelli
I always find it so interesting how some people can write or paint incredible things while alive and nobody cares but then once they're gone people finally realize how interesting these things were. I just feel sad for all these people who never had any recognition while they were alive
Ik I’m late but this is actually an interesting topic that I don’t think gets talk about a lot. Your definitely right, have any suggestions why that might be ?
@@Starkk-ic9cjI gave this topic alot of thought over the years, Only thing i can think of , is talented people are usually not understood nor are they liked but once there dead the threat is over and now you can learn someone with no hate because u feel like youve lived longer and its all good! Strange metaphor!
@@MadeMenL7L7 I think its more about innovation, and like said in the video, if tou do X Y and Z you can succeed, but if you do it on a different day maybe you will fail. Sometimes, the world isn't ready for innovation. Like Van Gogh, or Machiavelli, who showed works of art or presented philosophies, they were ignored or even ostracised. Remember that in Van Gogh's time, Post-Impressionism wasn't cared a lot because of the Fine Arts and standards for beautiful paintings, like Neo-Classic, which was seen as beautiful. In Machiavellis time, Church and Christianism was a heavy topic in politics, and society. It was innovation at the wrong time in history. Thats why its so appreciated after a few years!
The way I see it, Machiavelli's philosophy is amoral rather than immoral. He's saying: "Here's the best way to act in politics, if you deviate from this by being execsively kind or cruel then you will inevitably run into trouble". Whether this should be followed or how closely seems to be left to the reader.
Actually he doesn't advise against excessive cruelty, and even praises the likes of those he views as tyrants who relied upon it, such as Septimius Severus; who cemented Rome's military autocracy and famously treated the citizens like trash, but kept the soldiers paid & thus held power through brute force. He does state some crucial things that a ruler should not do to avoid a full on insurrection; but aside from that handful of things, cruelty is almost always the best & swiftest option. Also, I do think the writings hold weight, his statements can be verified by simply observing the behavior and actions of any capable ruler throughout history. Power has never been a moral game. It's not moral when The Lion snaps the neck of the weak gazelle between his mighty jaws, so why would it be now?
@@KevinJohnson-cv2no well said. I think it’s worth noting that Machiavelli’s predator-prey analogy isn’t perfect, because animals aren’t self-aware enough to be moral actors. But, that’s more a nitpick than a strong critique.
@@KevinJohnson-cv2noHe absolutely advises agaisn't excess cruelty. That is why it is called excess cruelty, and not moderate cruelty, or a good ammount of cruelty or even more than enpugh cruelty.
It is interesting to note that it is possible that Machiavelli wrote the book not as a guide but more like a warning for people for “this is how tyrants act”
I believe it was that plus self analysis He was clearly cluster B Probably psychopath However that does not instantly make him evil, or even malicious. Many psychopaths do not wish to do evil things, some even try to educate others about their condition. I feel this may be that
@@bachtran957 I have also read Machiavelli was not on good standing with the De' Medici's and perhaps wrote 'the prince' as to mock them, similar powerful families/people and the way they act.
When I reached the end I was struck with the thought..."The WRITING!"... which was quickly replaced by "The RESEARCH!"... then "The ART!".... Carl Jung woven in plus a touch of self-disclosure. Genius.... these are masterpieces you're creating. Keep going!
@HorsesOnYT damn.. ppl send you money and you can't even write a full sentence of gratitude lol "TY".. how about "thank you" at the very least next time
Don’t be a wolf or a sheep, be a bird so that can see your surroundings and gain wisdom on what’s going on around you. Fly above the sheep, and wolves and just watch. Pay attention to your surroundings. Birds are skeptical but are also confident in what they can see
Was telling a friend I'd love to find a new video essay channel, and my friend told me, "oh, you gotta check out horses, he's been blowing up lately" Happy to be one of those newbies!
Lmao the book the prince is him just telling ceasar about strategies that he observed rulers of history use to retain powers lol so this isnt a conspiracy this is a known thing if youve read his work
Wonderful and well structured! I really enjoyed the argumentative parts. Plese, don't stop on making these videos. They're like a delightful cup of tea!❤
You should make a part two, since the prince isn't actually representative of Machiavellis actual philosophy. At least here in Italy historians believe the prince was sort of a metaironic piece he wrote to get back in the good graces of the Medici family; to display his aptitude for governance as the medici liked(they wanted to replicate Cesare Borgia in Florence) his real philosophy was an extreme for of republicanism, and it's likely that he's the first mainstream European republican. In his other works, such as his commentaries on Roman writers, he writes how a polis(city) should have citizens that are extremely devoted to maintain the sanctity of the republics institutions, whether it be from foreign invaders or domestic subversives.
Glad to know someone has actually read his works as well. Its funny to read some of these comments and see people spewing talking points out of their ass on misconceived notions on what Machavelli is talking about or what he really meant with his works. Barnes n nobles has a "classics series" on a bunch of different philosophical works and each of them first start by giving you a context of the time the work was written, and what misconceptions people have today about whatever work it is. I think everyone should read those because theyd gain more insight on The Prince for instance, more insight than they think they actually have.
This would be a great video if it was accurate. Machiavelli was nothing like how he was portrayed here. Machiavelli was a diplomat and an ardent lover of republics. The Prince was less a dictator's handbook and more a sarcastic job application. Machiavelli's Discourses on Livy are far, far more representative on his actual beliefs.
21:05 It's cool to see here a painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, especially "Judith Slaying Holofernes". She was an Italian painter, one of very few women who were able to gain education and later employment during her era. Her painting style was influenced (through her father) by Caravaccio and she was a court painter under the patronage of House Medici 😊
You should do audiobooks. I love your calming voice. Also love the videos. I just found you recently, but these videos help me process stuff sometimes and I appreciate that. Keep up the good work man 👍
@@renex_g3915 Ever since his channel popped into my recommendation (I watch a lot of video essays. I'm sure we all do tbh) I've just been binging his videos
I learned about Machiavelli in university. We cross examined the Prince with Erasmus' The Education of a Christian Prince (which I suggest you potentially cover in a future?) and it made for quite an interesting debate. I think its important to point out the circumstances of Mach's torture. He lasted 22 days of imprisonment and torture through a method called strappado without giving up his political companions or admitting to bogus claims. The strappado is the method of tying the victim's arms behind their back, dropping them from a ledge and dislocating their arms from their shoulders to prevent death and ensure maximum pain. Since we know so little about his early life, this fact always seemed to be so counter to his later political ideology. I'm sure at some point, maybe before being ruthlessly tortured by the state, Mach believed in the goodness of humanity. However, at some point, whether through pain or clarity, he adhered to the efficiency of virtu over the complexities of virtue. Surviving the horrors of torture and political corruption would make anyone apathetic of the moral fantasies of those around them. Super great video! You summarized his ideas well and left it open to interpretation. Keep making more videos!!!!
Machiavelli never abandoned those principles. As he wrote The Prince, Machiavelli also wrote a book on republics. Throughout his life Machiavelli loved republics; losing Florence broke his heart. Discourses on Livy, which analyzed Roman history and that of the republic, was much more representative of his beliefs.
I read this book following a divorce and when I was needing to take the next step in my career. I got promoted a year later. I learned how to play the game, from this book. I had always kept my emotions on my sleeve, if I didn’t like someone or an idea I would just say it. That was the honest approach but we don’t deal with honest people so it can actually hurt you. Once I started being more duplicitous, laughing at jokes I normally wouldn’t have or befriending people I didn’t care for I achieved my goal in that environment. Then once I got my certification I left that place and went to a place better situated for my true self. The point being, it helped based on the environment I was in. Once I got what I needed I left and went to a place better suited for me, the real me.
It sounds like you used the tenets outlined in “The 48 Laws of Power” more wholly and if so, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. I respect the honest approach of Robert Greene leaving far less room for interpretation than this work.
That's fine. You're a piece of shxt that deserves the worst pain that can be inflicted on a person if you behave like that toward people in your personal life but you probably already knew that.
@@user-kb1hw2yq2f not at my level bro lmao. By playing the game I meant laughing at dumbass jokes from supervisors I normally wouldn’t have. It improved my life and didn’t cost me anything other than annoyance. Always way the ends and the means beforehand.
Your channel is destined to be one of the big players in the video-essay community. And your essays are about things that people should need to know in my opinion, there are plenty videos of 2 hours analyzing spongebob history but not a lot about philosophy, history, nature, politics, geography, economics, etc... and if they are, they are not as entertaining as you make them. Your videos are 10/10 almost all the time, I always feel like I learned new things with your content and some of my recent readings are influenced by the themes in your videos. Keep doing this great work dude! ❤
There's tons of videos on those topics. The problem is that to really engage in any of them, you need to read an actual book or research paper, because unless it's a recording of a lecture, RU-vid doesn't provide adequate means.
I have absolutely no idea how you manage to produce such high quality content in terms of both research, writing, visuals, and editing, but I'm here for it. These video essays are on such high level, it's still unbelievable that they're not produced by a whole team of people. Keep up the good work.
this is genuinely one of the best channels on youtube. the graphics, your voice and your honesty, the obvious research, the sourcing, the topics. genuinely amazing :) thank you for the genuinely top tier content
It's so good to see your channel growing in such big steps, because the quality of your videos and your in-depth analysis really do deserve it. Best of wishes, brother.
Can you guys stop adding these useless positive comments? Many people don't want to scroll thru thousands of comments that add nothing to the discussion
Horses May I say the art style and editing of your videos has been improving a lot lately. Everything comes together and creates a unique aestetic which makes the topics of your videos more interesting.
What an absolutely outstanding video. I only knew tiny bit about Machiavelli, so this was my first real learning as to what he was all about. Thank you very much for sharing this !
This man is slowly killing my social skills, I’ll want to talk about his is videos or the ideas from them. And all I get in return is a silence from my friends lol
Maybe you need to make some new friends who like discussing philosophy and other academic topics! No need to force that convo on friends who aren’t as interested.
It's harder to keep people in love with you than it is to keep people scared of you, Machiavelli knew that those who wanted real power more often than not needed break the rules to get it. I think his works are more relevant today than ever before. Love your editing style, i swear it gets better with each video, i can literally see you improving❤
I FINALLY decided to get onto this topic. Have never read up on it. And I chose the PERFECT video to begin my journey. Well done. Such a great review. Subbed. Looking forward to exploring more content. What a great find
I can't express how calming and what a relexing effect your voice had on me while watching this video. I couldn't hold back but buy the booki n my local library whilst watching this video. This is just meant to be a little thank you for this video in the form of a comment
These videos always seem to come out right when I get out of class, I just chill in the union building listening to these on the couch or while I'm playing pool.
To be honest this is a really good channel ,I was listening to this video while I was filing at work and this video was super interesting. Keep up the good work my guy 👍
I think the idea of "virtu" is fascinating in how it can be paralleled to Eastern thought. According to my professor, one of the key tenants of Daoism is de (德). He translated the term as "virtuosity," and connected it to the idea of someone being a virtuoso rather than to being Virtuous. Someone who is or who acts with "de" is able to do things extremely well, but is also able to make those things look effortless. I wonder how much that translation of the concept is informed by the idea of virtu...
Im not familiar with daoism but the word virtue has changed a lot under the influence of Christianity, in which the virtuous is he who does not sin. The latin origin is from "vir", man in latin so virtus is basically manliness and it was divided in wisdom, justice, self-control and courage, which were seen as the ultimate skillset that a man must have, and by a man they basically meant a very masculine one, a noble, a warrior. So virtus, virtu, virtue in origin meant the skillset of a great warrior. It was very tied to the concept of winning on others and the excellence in doing so. I think that Machiavelli use of "virtu" revive that concept in a neoclassical and anti-christian way perfectly.
Also that fade in later roman age and virtus, rather than excellent warrior, became a more broad idea of the ability to do the right thing, which became the ability to avoid sin
Glad this channel exists. I've been following it for a while and I'm glad to say I've added it to my video essay channel collections. Definitely opened me up to reading more. Things like Hemmingway and philosophical writings
Can you share your video-essay favourite channels? I love this kind of channels. I know ahoy, defunctland, solar sands, emplemon and this channel, you have more?
Just read "The Prince" and now I'm reading "The Machiavellians - Defenders of Freedom" by James Burnham. It's dense but fascinating nonetheless. Horses killin it with the vids as always.
You might also like The Dictator’s Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith. Selectorate Theory is basically an independent rediscovery of the Italian School of Elite Theory.
Just gotta say you have quickly become my favorite yt channel. So nice to actually find honest intellectual thought exploration full of reason and context. Feels like a great thirst being quenched in a desert if faux pseudo intellectuals, armchair psychologists, and political grifters.
the beauty of Machiavelli is that he didn't support the ideas that he wrote, he didn't support a cruel monarchy. Machiavelli was obsessed with the Roman Republic, and even wrote a much bigger book on it, he thought that everything they did was perfect in contrast with what was happening in Italy. writing the Prince, he mostly aspired to get as much of a voice in his book (in the Medicis eyes), because it is a very debatable book that gets attention and sparks debate. I think that the Prince was written as a warning and advice. it can help people who struggle too much in society and also signal them the evil people. he did write how to be the most efficient ruler, but not the best one...
The way I see "The Prince" is that it is a brutally honest how-to guide for obtaining and maintaining political power. Machiavelli doesn't make any judgement or comment about what you should do with it once you have it. I think the way he saw it was that it was not his purpose or his place, he just had to guide the reader to that position.
While I too do not enjoy considering Machiavelli’s philosophy and certainly don’t live by it, it’s vital to understand for even the most virtuous individual. One cannot expect to recognize and resist the machinations of selfish or immoral people without understanding how they think and operate.
@@BuddyLee23fuck that. I love with the philosophy of "don't be a jerk unless you're being a jerk to people that don't deserve it. Then I'll be a jerk to you."
I'm so glad he brought up the "avoid being hated portion of that quote". No one ever brings that to light. I don't believe that he espoused pure ruthlessness, but you have to be cold to a degree to survive in this world.
00:00 📜 Machiavelli's upbringing in a corrupt and chaotic political society deeply influenced his later philosophy, emphasizing the divergence between idealism and political reality. 08:12 🦁 Machiavelli's philosophy emphasizes the necessity for leaders to exhibit both ruthlessness and deception, favoring fear over love, and advocating a separation of ethics from effective political leadership. 13:04 🌟 Machiavelli's concept of "virtue" (Virtù) contrasts with "Fortune" (Fortuna), stressing the importance of personal agency, adaptability, and strength in achieving one's goals in a world rife with uncertainties. 16:17 🌍 Live in accordance with the world as it is, not as it should be; Machiavelli's philosophy emphasizes the necessity of pragmatic actions aligned with the realities of a flawed and unpredictable world. 21:36 ⚖ Machiavelli's philosophy, often associated with villainy, challenges the compatibility of Christian morals with effective political leadership, a notion that resonates in today's politics, showing a divorce between ethics and political ambitions.
First time I have head this accurately summarized and analyzed. The schools in the US love to demonize this book without addressing it's accuracy. Great Work
I'm so glad I found your channel. You're consistently making some of the most insightful, well written, visually interesting videos I've seen in a while. Wishing all the best for you and this channel 💙
Read a course about political leadership and read Machiavelli during that course, the book is one of my favorite books since then. It's totally underated by most people, and it's misunderstood. Thanks for this video!
Did you read any political books during that course. If you did can you list some of those picks. Lastly, what was your biggest takeaway from that course?