Writing Quote

The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think.

- Edwin Schlossberg

Machiavelli on Dating

I'm not sure what prompted me to Google "Machiavelli Quotes", but as I skimmed through the admonitions of the world's leading authority on despotism--evil and magnanimous alike--I got to thinking, "World domination and dating really are not all that different." Perhaps, a close reading of Machiavelli my lend itself to a new paradigm of dating. . . I'm just sayin'. . .


Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better. (I think Machiavelli may have been a "Rules" despot)

A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.

A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father [or, Girlfriend], but the loss of his inheritance [aka, Football Team] may drive him to despair.

Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.

He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.

It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.

Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment...

Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed.

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.

One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.

The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler [or, lover] is to look at the men he has around him.

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.

Never was anything great achieved without danger.

A friend pointed out that The Art of War holds many a dating-related gems as well:

"All [dating] is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

I have long held that men, after they turn 5-years-old, only get taller. Sun Tzu seems to agree with me: The distinction between children and [men], while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel.

Professional Development

Apparently, there is no clear-cut career ladder for world domination.