Machiavelli on my job (Keeping Peace in the Residence Halls)
CHAPTER V - CONCERNING THE WAY TO GOVERN CITIES OR PRINCIPALITIES WHICH LIVED UNDER THEIR OWN LAWS BEFORE THEY WERE ANNEXED
Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you.
[...] But in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there.
Since I can't destroy it, I guess I have to live here. :)
CHAPTER VII - CONCERNING NEW PRINCIPALITIES WHICH ARE ACQUIRED EITHER BY THE ARMS OF OTHERS OR BY GOOD FORTUNE
Those who solely by good fortune become princes from being private citizens have little trouble in rising, but much in keeping atop; they have not any difficulties on the way up, because they fly, but they have many when they reach the summit.
This is true.
CHAPTER XVII - CONCERNING CRUELTY AND CLEMENCY, AND WHETHER IT IS BETTER TO BE LOVED THAN FEARED
Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, [...]. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous [...] men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails. [...]
While non-enforcement of rules may make an authority figure popular, studies have actually shown that students in residence halls in which the staff uniformly enforces rules report higher levels of satisfaction than in halls where problems go on freely.
[...] Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women.
Don't steal their things? Check. Don't steal their women? Since it would get me fired, CHECK.
CHAPTER XVIII - CONCERNING THE WAY IN WHICH PRINCES SHOULD KEEP FAITH
You must know there are two ways of contesting, the one by the law, the other by force; the first method is proper to men, the second to beasts; but because the first is frequently not sufficient, it is necessary to have recourse to the second. Therefore it is necessary for a prince to understand how to avail himself of the beast and the man. [...] A prince, therefore, being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves.
I definitely have the fox thing down. But the wolves in my building are really, really big.
CHAPTER XIX - THAT ONE SHOULD AVOID BEING DESPISED AND HATED
But concerning his subjects, when affairs outside are disturbed he has only to fear that they will conspire secretly, from which a prince can easily secure himself by avoiding being hated and despised, and by keeping the people satisfied with him, which it is most necessary for him to accomplish, as I said above at length. And one of the most efficacious remedies that a prince can have against conspiracies is not to be hated and despised by the people, for he who conspires against a prince always expects to please them by his removal; but when the conspirator can only look forward to offending them, he will not have the courage to take such a course, for the difficulties that confront a conspirator are infinite.
College students in residence halls will always plot capers. While the difficulties confronting conspirators are many, I know few college students of this generation who would not risk them all to have a little fun by breaking the rules.
Don't worry. I'm NOT AT ALL frustrated with my job. I'm really just jealous that a lot of my grad school friends went on the trip to Florence (aka Firenze - Machiavelli's old stomping-grounds), and I missed the deadline way back in October :(
Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you.
[...] But in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there.
Since I can't destroy it, I guess I have to live here. :)
CHAPTER VII - CONCERNING NEW PRINCIPALITIES WHICH ARE ACQUIRED EITHER BY THE ARMS OF OTHERS OR BY GOOD FORTUNE
Those who solely by good fortune become princes from being private citizens have little trouble in rising, but much in keeping atop; they have not any difficulties on the way up, because they fly, but they have many when they reach the summit.
This is true.
CHAPTER XVII - CONCERNING CRUELTY AND CLEMENCY, AND WHETHER IT IS BETTER TO BE LOVED THAN FEARED
Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, [...]. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous [...] men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails. [...]
While non-enforcement of rules may make an authority figure popular, studies have actually shown that students in residence halls in which the staff uniformly enforces rules report higher levels of satisfaction than in halls where problems go on freely.
[...] Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women.
Don't steal their things? Check. Don't steal their women? Since it would get me fired, CHECK.
CHAPTER XVIII - CONCERNING THE WAY IN WHICH PRINCES SHOULD KEEP FAITH
You must know there are two ways of contesting, the one by the law, the other by force; the first method is proper to men, the second to beasts; but because the first is frequently not sufficient, it is necessary to have recourse to the second. Therefore it is necessary for a prince to understand how to avail himself of the beast and the man. [...] A prince, therefore, being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves.
I definitely have the fox thing down. But the wolves in my building are really, really big.
CHAPTER XIX - THAT ONE SHOULD AVOID BEING DESPISED AND HATED
But concerning his subjects, when affairs outside are disturbed he has only to fear that they will conspire secretly, from which a prince can easily secure himself by avoiding being hated and despised, and by keeping the people satisfied with him, which it is most necessary for him to accomplish, as I said above at length. And one of the most efficacious remedies that a prince can have against conspiracies is not to be hated and despised by the people, for he who conspires against a prince always expects to please them by his removal; but when the conspirator can only look forward to offending them, he will not have the courage to take such a course, for the difficulties that confront a conspirator are infinite.
College students in residence halls will always plot capers. While the difficulties confronting conspirators are many, I know few college students of this generation who would not risk them all to have a little fun by breaking the rules.
Don't worry. I'm NOT AT ALL frustrated with my job. I'm really just jealous that a lot of my grad school friends went on the trip to Florence (aka Firenze - Machiavelli's old stomping-grounds), and I missed the deadline way back in October :(