"Morality is how do you want the world to be. And Economics shows you how the world actually works."- Steven Levitt in his book Freakonomics.
"...that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation" -Niccolo Machiavelli.
I've started reading The prince right after Freakonomics. Freakonomics is a very good book on incentives and its effects on people. In brief there are three types of incentives (1) Moral (2) Social (3) Economic.
The prince by Niccolo Machiavelli influenced my thinking.
On Law of higher goodness:
The very reason why I started this book is to get to know about this principle. In simple words you can be some what cruel to be more kind or to do some higher good. And it is practically true that your good virtue for majority may seem harmful to others. The whole book states this. That to achieve a higher virtue you can do some wrongs or mean acts. Surely, you can't be virtuous or good all the time because there aren't many good ones around you.
On Morality:
He proposes one should be practical more. That is to think of the consequences which are about to occur with what you choose to be. It is you can choose to be either cruel or generous.
How come? I asked myself. Being generous all the time is not good for oneself?
Suppose that you are very generous all the time and you are avoiding any act of meanness. Then in the mean time, you'll encounter to do something which seems good for you but may seem harmful for others. This makes them to hate you. And they will remember this.
With availability bias, people will give over weight to the experiences which are readily available to their memory.
You are trying to be good. But all people are not good. There are wicked men who'll do harm or who'll exploit your goodness.
On Risk:
This is a good concept that one should ponder. You have to calculate the risks and choose the least possible risky act or situation.
On Religion:
Before this the worth noting fact is that one should be bound by laws. It is either ministers or people. Because you have to consider that all men are wicked in nature.
I've learnt some good things about religion.
The first one is that the religion's image must be preserved to keep a kingdom away from disorders. He quoted one example about pagan religion that the views or sayings of the religious elders were seem corrupted with will power of the generals or rulers after some time. And the people started disbelieving it.
So, it is much more important that law is enacted for both the rulers as well as people. But the author says that wrongs committed by people prove less costly when compared to wrongs or selfish acts committed by rulers.
And the second point is about the fight for freedom question. The question is why people are not fighting for liberty as the ancient people used to be. His opinion is that the answer lies in the difference in education and the difference in religion that comes from it.
The present religion made men to be more soft than that of ancient ones. In pagan culture worldly honor is sought after. It teaches to be fierce and brave, as is evident from their rituals or practices. But in the present day it teaches the courage in a way how many blows you can take.
On Love & Fear:
And he also said that not to worry that you can't accomplish what others have achieved. He states that all the men are born, live and die in quite a same way.
And John Maynard Keynes puts it "I'll change my opinions when the facts change, what do you do Sir?"
Overall :
He didn't state any ideals in this book. He stated how one should not to be. That's the important part. To become smart one should avoid being dumb first. And his practical thinking says that what ever you do you've to think about the consequences , considering how the world actually works not with your own morale code.
And one has to act or change with times, when the facts change.
"...that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation" -Niccolo Machiavelli.
I've started reading The prince right after Freakonomics. Freakonomics is a very good book on incentives and its effects on people. In brief there are three types of incentives (1) Moral (2) Social (3) Economic.
The prince by Niccolo Machiavelli influenced my thinking.
On Law of higher goodness:
The very reason why I started this book is to get to know about this principle. In simple words you can be some what cruel to be more kind or to do some higher good. And it is practically true that your good virtue for majority may seem harmful to others. The whole book states this. That to achieve a higher virtue you can do some wrongs or mean acts. Surely, you can't be virtuous or good all the time because there aren't many good ones around you.
On Morality:
He proposes one should be practical more. That is to think of the consequences which are about to occur with what you choose to be. It is you can choose to be either cruel or generous.
How come? I asked myself. Being generous all the time is not good for oneself?
Suppose that you are very generous all the time and you are avoiding any act of meanness. Then in the mean time, you'll encounter to do something which seems good for you but may seem harmful for others. This makes them to hate you. And they will remember this.
With availability bias, people will give over weight to the experiences which are readily available to their memory.
You are trying to be good. But all people are not good. There are wicked men who'll do harm or who'll exploit your goodness.
On Risk:
“All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in
avoiding danger (it's impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively.
Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do
bold things, not the strength to suffer.”
This is a good concept that one should ponder. You have to calculate the risks and choose the least possible risky act or situation.
On Religion:
Before this the worth noting fact is that one should be bound by laws. It is either ministers or people. Because you have to consider that all men are wicked in nature.
"THEY WHO LAY the foundations of a State and furnish it
with laws must, as is shown by all who have treated of civil government, and by
examples of which history is full, assume that ‘all men are bad, and will
always, when they have free field, give loose to their evil inclinations;
and that if these for a while remain hidden, it is owing to
some secret cause, which, from our having no contrary experience, we do not
recognize at once, but which is afterwards revealed by Time, of whom we speak
as the father of all truth."
I've learnt some good things about religion.
The first one is that the religion's image must be preserved to keep a kingdom away from disorders. He quoted one example about pagan religion that the views or sayings of the religious elders were seem corrupted with will power of the generals or rulers after some time. And the people started disbelieving it.
So, it is much more important that law is enacted for both the rulers as well as people. But the author says that wrongs committed by people prove less costly when compared to wrongs or selfish acts committed by rulers.
And the second point is about the fight for freedom question. The question is why people are not fighting for liberty as the ancient people used to be. His opinion is that the answer lies in the difference in education and the difference in religion that comes from it.
The present religion made men to be more soft than that of ancient ones. In pagan culture worldly honor is sought after. It teaches to be fierce and brave, as is evident from their rituals or practices. But in the present day it teaches the courage in a way how many blows you can take.
On Love & Fear:
“It is best to be both feared and loved; however, if one
cannot be both it is better to be feared than loved.”
First there is a slight difference between Feared and Hated.
Some rulers were feared but not hated. And there are rulers who commanded
people for more period of time with LOVE. As it is evident from the quote that
it is to be feared than loved, one can readily say that the author is cruel or
evil. But immediately he says this.
"He who seeks to deceive will always find someone who
will allow himself to be deceived.”
This again will make you read the first quote in this notes.
About being generous in few situations.
On Prudence:
“A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by
great men and imitate those who are most excellent, so that if he does not
attain to their greatness, at any rate he will get some tinge of it.”
And he also said that not to worry that you can't accomplish what others have achieved. He states that all the men are born, live and die in quite a same way.
“Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct
with the times.”
And John Maynard Keynes puts it "I'll change my opinions when the facts change, what do you do Sir?"
Overall :
He didn't state any ideals in this book. He stated how one should not to be. That's the important part. To become smart one should avoid being dumb first. And his practical thinking says that what ever you do you've to think about the consequences , considering how the world actually works not with your own morale code.
And one has to act or change with times, when the facts change.
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