this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2026
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A situations like this makes me use a form of Malapropism one would expect of a Dickensian society to bring about almost Orwellian situation. Makes you wonder when someone will use Chekhov’s Gun before it all gets Bowdlerized. Alas this Machiavellian paragraph is reminiscent of a Lovecraftian creature.
But seriously, that paragraph above reads like the scene in Blackadder when they meet the writer of the Dictionary.
Poor Machiavelli too. Everyone goes on about how he faked his death and “dark triad” traits, and he was just some bloke taking the piss out of the government.
I think that guy might have been trolling. He was imprisoned by the Medici family, amd then ended up writing a book to give advice to the princes? I think it could have been intentionally bad advice, especially after reading Sun Tsu.
When I was in school we were explicitly taught that it was a satirical work.
I'm actually wandering if what he wrote in his book wasn't exactly what the Prince already did.
Because that sounds just like the greatest way to arse kiss a powerful person without being too crude and obvious, in order to get yourself a rich patron.
“As the Prince you’ve got to know when to hold ‘em. Know even to fold ‘em. Know when to walk away and know when to run.”
What would Machiavelli do? is a fine continuation of that energy.
If he was here today? I'm sure he'd kick an ass or two - that's what Machiavelli would do!