/lit/ - Literature

>>19294617
I'm the lowest point I've ever been.
I'm thinking about quitting everything. Dropping out of college. Leaving the internet. Leaving my house. Either that or killing myself.
I hate everything I am right now.

I AM FARRON OF THE NORTH
I AM BECOME BLIGHTFATHER
I AM BECOME THE EMERALD REBORN

HEAR ME

>>10588356

this is quasi-accurate. machiavelli says that you should use appearances to your advantage, so that aspect of the posturing element is true; but there is also a reason he points to figures like theseus, numa pompilius and cyrus as his own heroes. these figures were great because they actually did great things, which is among the surest and most lasting forms of power.

of course, machiavelli also recognizes that not all men/princes are capable of real greatness, at which point you need to rely on images, myths and lies. but the more you do this, the more subject to contingency you become--and most of machiavelli's teaching is an attempt to release one from fortune/contingency.

machiavelli would say: rely on posturing/images only if you have to. otherwise, greatness is achieved most securely by aspiring to and completing acts that others are unwilling or unable to do.

>>7344908

that is what they currently are--do you understand what nascent means? i think you're missing the point of the post: i AM an academic, and publish in academic journals. i'm curious if there is something of a less formal--but still trafficked--site, blog, whatever, that could provide commentary/feedback.

there are times when crowd sourcing your work to other academics is not necessarily the most profitable enterprise, especially when you are concerned with producing a more popular variant.