Humanities & Classics 1002
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Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
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In Reply to: Love VS Fear posted by Shane Courtland on December 29, 1998 at 20:03:56:
I agree that love is not always a rational choice, but I do not understand how people can love those that treat them like shit. When you talk about people loving others that are abusive or destructive to them because they can't help it, I really have a hard time accepting that. I don't think people can truely love those who treat them so horrendously. I believe it is more like manipulation and deception. The person who is abusive has so much control over the one being abused that they cannot even understand there own feelings or state. They are caught up in a world run by fear, the very same fear that may trick them into believing they love. It is this line of love and fear that Machiavelli struggles to make sense of and clarify in his writing. I believe that the characteristics of an abuser and the power they have over there victims, enough power to convince them they love is the goal a Prince should obtain in Machiavilli's opinion. In this way, the people will be in his favor, but when a harsh or cruel act is inflicted on the people, they believe it is either out of love or are tolerant because it is not unusual.
Overall, I believe that love is a universal and mostly uncontrollable part of life. But when I read Machiavelli I had to ask myself the deep and often scarey question about what the true meaning of life was. Machiavelli writes about fear and ruthlessness, of deception and the quest for power, of killing and ravaging people and lands with no remorse in order to live as a Prince should live. I can't help but wonder what a truly sorrowful and depressing life it would be to constantly be inflicting harm on others and discouraging if not running from love. Love is what brings joy and meaning to everything this world has to offer.