You know a book is great when you want to underline every line. I know we were supposed to have finished The Prince by now, but I haven't. I've been moving through it slowly. "For men are always adverse to enterprises where difficulties can be seen." (50) This line is one of the many that struck a cord with me. I believe that overcoming difficulties is one of the more important aspects of life. Of course it always easier to quit, but worse so than quitting, is never making an attempt. The context for which Machiavelli uses this line relates to town fortifications, but it would seem his philosophy has a different meaning for me, or maybe the same meaning, just in a different dimension.
One of the foundations in which we build our lives should be the experiences and ideas which ccome from overcoming the difficulties in our lives. This reminds me someone of The Art of Living in that we shouldn't be concerned for what we can't control, but we should be highly concerned for the modes in which we handle our reactions.
It is my opinion that we should, as a class spend an extra week discussing The Prince and just skip going over Walden all together.
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Even after you went to Walden Pond? Hmm . . . I'll have to consider that for next time. I think Machiavelli's fascinating, too. Glad you're into it. :)
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