Hey Gents, I just picked up Howard Zinns, "Declaration of Independence", and a quote from Machiavelli has me thinking. Anyway heres the quote: "It appears to me more proper to go to the truth of the matter than to it's imagination... for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation". What are your thoughts?
I dislike Machiavelli generally. I think the means become the ends rather than anything being justified. (it has me all sorts of mixed-up in trying to develop a revolutionary theory) It seems like a warning against idealistic behavior which yes, of course, needs to be done to a certain extent. On some level though it seems to state that we should not only accept the status qu, but use it to own advantage, which I would have to disagree with. What is the context for Zinn using it?
