Devious?
Published originally in the 15th century, Niccolo Machiavelli's book, "The Prince", discusses the use of manipulation and power as a technique for controlling other people. The term "Machiavellian" has come to be used to describe devious, manipulative people who are motivated only by their own self-interest. How Machiavellian are you?
This test may help you find out. Respond to each statement below by using the following scale:
1=Disagree Strongly
2=Disagree Mildly
3=Neutral; No Opinion
4=Agree Mildly
5=Agree Strongly
__ 1. The best way to handle people is to tell them what they want to hear.
__ 2. When you ask someone to do something, it's better to give the real reasons than reasons that might carry more weight.
__ 3. Anyone who trusts anyone else is asking for trouble.
__ 4. It's hard to get ahead without cutting corners a little.
__ 5. It's safest to assume that everyone has a vicious streak that will come out if given the opportunity.
__ 6. You should act only when your action is morally right.
__ 7. Most people are basically good and kind.
__ 8. There is no excuse for lying.
__ 9. Most people get over more easily the death of a parent than the loss of a property.
__ 10. Most people won't work hard unless they're forced to.
Scoring:
For items 2, 6, 7, and 8, reverse your score so that 5 becomes 1, 4 becomes 2, and so on. Then add up all ten numbers for your total score. A score of 25 is average.
Speaking of Machiavellian.
The New Macchiavelian (Psychological Strategies for World Domination.)
Oh, 42 btw