I've been thinking a lot lately about the Richard Nixon entry I promised to make, but seriously, it is too bleak and ugly (and not done yet) so now for something completely different.
Naw, you won't be dead. But as an American, your life will be harder than those of the two generations before you, in many ways. Sorry about that, I didn't do it.
As a megalomaniac I presume that I will be a part of the catalyst which leads to my own death. I understand politics, people, and mobs better than average. I understand political thought, nationalism, and working governments. Add to this mix the knowledge of what achieves a diplomatic or military victory, and how they support each other and can achieve the same goals.
In short, I go looking for trouble. I have big ideas and ambitious that would suffocate most men.
After reading that, I'm just hoping you're not in Afghanistan. Look for trouble here, without guns, and you'll make it. I'm rooting for you, unless your ambitions are TOO political, then oops, I'm rooting against you. If there were some way to only fill offices with (generally) less ambitious people, we might be better off.
Yes, the style of leadership NEED NOT impact civil rights, it is just plain easier to end up as the national leader if it does and did. You are clearly very smart, and I don't disagree more than slightly with anything you've said, even if I hold many implicitly contrary viewpoints. I do think you are more idealistic than reality (in my experience) warrants. I would say that it is now impossible (and I almost never say never) to become leader of the USA without being corrupt. Fortunately, that corruption usually is much more on the financial side (money makes election winners), the softer less brutal type of corruption than what moved Stalin. So, when you say NEED NOT above, I agree, but I don't have your optimism about the prospects. I used to be an idealist like you, as I recall. (I know, I know, you probably don't even think you are an idealist), but Nixon helped change that, in politics. People are generally good, but the good person doesn't have the skills to make it to the top of that particular mountain, in my opinion
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I'm not sure it's easier to become a national leader by broadly denying civil rights. Many of the tyrants in Greece's history got that way by actually delivering results and more rights to the people. The reason why they were seen as unpopular was because of the fact that history was written by the oligarchs that were displaced when the will of the people lined up behind a popular individual. The Athenian democracy protected itself by ostracizing popular individuals
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But as an American, your life will be harder than those of the two generations before you, in many ways. Sorry about that, I didn't do it.
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In short, I go looking for trouble. I have big ideas and ambitious that would suffocate most men.
Reply
Look for trouble here, without guns, and you'll make it.
I'm rooting for you, unless your ambitions are TOO political, then oops, I'm rooting against you. If there were some way to only fill offices with (generally) less ambitious people, we might be better off.
Reply
Reply
You are clearly very smart, and I don't disagree more than slightly with anything you've said, even if I hold many implicitly contrary viewpoints. I do think you are more idealistic than reality (in my experience) warrants. I would say that it is now impossible (and I almost never say never) to become leader of the USA without being corrupt. Fortunately, that corruption usually is much more on the financial side (money makes election winners), the softer less brutal type of corruption than what moved Stalin. So, when you say NEED NOT above, I agree, but I don't have your optimism about the prospects. I used to be an idealist like you, as I recall. (I know, I know, you probably don't even think you are an idealist), but Nixon helped change that, in politics. People are generally good, but the good person doesn't have the skills to make it to the top of that particular mountain, in my opinion ( ... )
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