Machiavelli

The quote that I picked isn't necessarily the most outrageous thing that Machiavelli wrote, but it is one that I particularly liked.

"A prudent man should always set out on paths beaten by those who are truly great and worthy of imitation. This way, even if his own skill does not attain the same heights, he can at least expect to achieve some of the effect."

I believe that Machiavelli is correct in his statement. But the most important thing in this statement is that this can only be achieved by a "prudent man." This means that the person undertaking this endeavor must be at the least, competent. He (or she) doesn't need to be as great or fantastic as the person that they are following in the path of, but they must have some skill. A complete idiot cannot follow after the path of someone as great as say the Founding Fathers of America. But someone who knows a thing or two can attempt to achieve what they did, and even if they don't get the full effect, they can do some good.
Machiavelli went on and spoke of how an archer who knows his own skill, as he is aiming at a target far away will aim higher then the sighted target so that when the arrow falls short, it will be close to the mark. This might be the origins of the saying "shoot for the moon, because if you miss, you will still land among the stars." Machiavelli said many things that upset a lot of people, but overall I believe the man was quite intelligent, just blatantly honest about tough subject matter.

"The Kiss"

Why should Rodin's famous statue, "The Kiss", be allowed to be displayed in the BYU art exhibit of Rodin's work? There are several reasons
BYU paid for the ENTIRE collection, but did not adequately prepare themselves for what they were getting. Why should the students, who have studied and been looking forward for this once in a lifetime chance, not get to see it? “The Kiss” is considered one of Rodin’s best and most emotional works, and these students aren’t getting the opportunity to see it in person. Those that want to look at and study this piece of art, don’t want to see it second hand through a text book or powerpoint slide. You cannot see the whole majesty of the sculpture from a picture on a piece of paper.
In the end, censorship will create more curiosity about the piece, drawing more attention to it than it otherwise would have. Those that wouldn’t care that Rodin’s sculpture was at the exhibit, now will have heard about it and become more curious.
The point of the exhibit was to highlight Rodin’s use of hands as means of displaying emotion and art. "The Kiss", in my opinion, fills that quota. The way the two figures are embracing each other, of course their hands are displayed and add to the piece.
And lastly, Rodin’s best works are mostly in the nude. If you remove them all from the museum, you remove all the best pieces, the ones that everyone expects and wants to see.

Social Problems (B)

Inflation

“Since my means are less to-day than they were yesterday, and to-morrow will rub off something from the little that is left”

“Nowhere is the effort harder than in Rome, where you must pay a big rent for a wretched lodging, a big sum to fill the bellies of your slaves, and buy a frugal dinner for yourself.”

Illegal Immigration

“I cannot abide, Quirites, a Rome of Greeks; and yet what fraction of our dregs comes from Greece?”

Discrimination

“"Must I not make my escape from purple-clad gentry like these? Is a man to sign his name before me, and recline upon a couch better than mine, who has been wafted to Rome by the wind which brings us our damsons and our figs? Is it to go so utterly for nothing that as a babe I drank in the air of the Aventine, and was nurtured on the Sabine berry?”

Of all the woes of luckless poverty none is harder to endure than this, that it exposes men to ridicule.

Decline in Family

"Besides all this, there is nothing sacred to his lusts: not the matron of the family, nor the maiden daughter, not the as yet unbearded son-in-law to be, not even the as yet unpolluted son; if none of these be there, he will debauch his friend's grandmother.”

Unemployment

“For when once he has dropped into a facile ear one particle of his own and his country's poison, I am thrust from the door, and all my long years of servitude go for nothing. Nowhere is it so easy as at Rome to throw an old client overboard.”

These similarities are very interesting. Both our own society and Roman life had many of the same problems. Unemployment runs rampant now, as well as back then. Decline in family life leads to more divorces and problems within the family unit. Inflation and the worth of a dollar was terrible back then as it is now. Discrimination against those of different nationalities and social status was very apparent. Altogether, these two societies have many of the same problems. 

Social Problems (A)

1. Inflation(dollar losing value, increasing gas prices)

2. Illegal Immigrants (jobs, healthcare, difficulty in entering the country legally)

3. Discrimination (religion, sex, race, culture)

4. Failing of Family Life (Divorce, abortion, uncertainty of roles in family)

5. Unemployment rates (increase in collecting social security, unemployment, food stamps)

Parallels Between Romans and Americans

1. Sabine Women vs Sobbing Women
In the film  Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, the brothers all sing about the sobbin' women they need to go get to be their wives. Just like the Romans, they ran off and stole women their women.

2. Melting pot
Just like America today, Romans took ideas from many other people to start their society, like Greek and Etruscan influences.

3. Republic
The Romans established a republic. In our Pledge Allegiance, it states, "I pledge allegience to the flag of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC, which it stands..." They also had a senate, like us.

4. Roads, Roads, Roads
By the time the Roman Empire was at its peak, it had over 400,000 miles of road. It connected the country. In America, we have done the same thing, but ours also included train tracks as well as paved highways for cars.


5. Harry Potter
One of my favorite characters in the Harry Potter series was REMUS Lupin. He was a professor at the school, but he was also a werewolf. His namesake, Remus of Ancient Rome, was raised by wolves, along with his twin brother, Romulus.

Women, Women, Women

    Women in ancient Greece are still a mystery to me. How are we supposed to know how their lives actually were if the only accounts we get of women come from ancient Greek men? I really don’t think that husbands that are away for ten years at war have any right to definitively say what life is like for a woman they married then left. According to the authors that we have read thus far, women should stay at home, be faithful to their husbands, bear sons, and not interact to much with the men folk. Weaving is also allowed. But beyond that, it seems as if they were considered much the inferior of the opposite gender. As shown in Agamemenon, it’s ok for a man to kill his daughter, but not alright for a wife to kill her husband in retribution, so the son must then avenge his father by killing his mother. Confusing?
    However, I do see there is some respect for women, especially in Homer’s play, The Odyssey. Odysseus does have a couple mistresses on his way back to his wife, but he still continues to try and get home. And when he does, he finds a wife that isn’t rash and ruled by her emotions like most females portrayed in ancient Greek literature. She is just as wily and witty as her male counterpart. And in my eyes, she’s even better than Odysseus for having remained COMPLETELY faithful during his absence.
    Today, we see great changes in the treatment of women. Thank goodness women are now allowed to attend and participate in theatre and the arts. In the United States women are allowed to vote, have their own bank accounts, swipe their own credit cards, and work their own jobs and careers. But some aspects still remain the same. According to the “Proclamation to the World” sent out by the First Presidency of the LDS Church,  “By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.” Sounds an awful lot like the roles that males and females had in ancient Greece, just softened down a bit from the very segregated society that it was back then.
    Times are different, but many of the same roles are still expected of men and women. Men, protect and provide, women, comfort and nurture.

Introduction to Class

Stupendously Awesome Wife

I like to think that I am the best wife in the world, but I am probably not. My husband often lies to me and tells me that I am so its his fault that my head is so big.We have been married for almost a year and are loving life.

World Traveling Fool

Compared to some people, my travels may not seem all that impressive, but I definitely have caught the traveling bug. I grew up in Alaska, been to almost all 50 states, and ventured out of the country to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Ecuador, and Panama. I love it!

Rugby Player Slayer

I was a member of the BYU women's rugby team for a couple of years. It was great, and I am so glad I did it. The team went on and was ranked third in the nation for the years I played. Go Cougars!

Puppy Lover

I grew up without having any animals because my dad was allergic to fur. Thus, I thought I hated dogs. Thank goodness my husband turned me around, and I am now the proud owner of the best puppy dog in the world. (Just ask me, I know)