Characteristics Of An Ideal Person In Machiavelli's The Prince

Having an open mind is another characteristic people turn to when contemplating what an ideal person is. It shows that one is open to new ideas, suggestions and can see the opposing side of an argument. Appreciation is given to those with this trait because it is easier to reach agreements on important matters by both sides of the argument compromising. Machiavelli, on the other hand, prefers to be in control and tells people this in The Prince. Once again, he has a pessimistic outlook on what the optimal person is. “Nevertheless I believe, if we are to keep our free will, that it may be true that fortune controls half of our actions indeed but allows us the direction of the other half, or almost half” (Machiavelli, ❡8). Such a contrarian view

They can’t let any situation bring them down and affect their daily life. It helps a leader remain calm in uncertain situations, a courtier when they may face difficult problems in the court of royalty and everyday people when talking to someone they wanted to show respect to. Machiavelli never mentioned his exemplary leader with mental strength, so one can assume it wasn’t a trait he considered significant. However, he did mention false sincerity in paragraphs six and seven. Instead of holding the traits of honesty, trustworthiness and leniency, Machiavelli told one make it only look as though did instead, and when the time came, they could be corrupt, sly and merciless. “It is good to appear clement [merciful] (sic), trustworthy, humane, religious, and honest, and also to be so, but always with the mind so disposed that, when the occasion arises not to be so, you can become the opposite...he must see to all who see and hear him a model of piety, loyalty, integrity, humanity, and religion.” (Machiavelli, ❡6-7). To give false sincerity to someone, it ruins the ideal image of that person when discovered they are not as they seem. As a leader, the population one had loyalty from could be reversed. The power that one had worked hard to acquire would fall from their grasp, and they would be portrayed as a liar and a disgrace to society after the discovery of their dishonesty to the people they

Niccolò Machiavelli, Baldassare Castiglione and George Washington all had small factors of similarity within their interpretation of an ideal person, some more than others. Machiavelli valued the unpleasant truth, so that people would view the world with a notion of realism. He also always wanted to be in control and make his own decisions without anyone else's opinion to mar his idea of keeping authority with others. And he furthermore pushed the trait of fake sincerity. Instead of truthfully being honest, religious and merciful, he told one that you should fake it, so that when the time arrives, you can switch your personality. Castiglione commended the disposition of honesty when not knowing information, so then one can save themself trouble down the road when one accidentally states offensive information. The prospect of open mindedness also agreed with his writing, when a courtier was in an argument, having an open mind to come to a resolution would help so the problem doesn’t get out of hand. And Castiglione complied with mental strength, it was told to courtiers by him to have self restraint over one’s self so it would eliminate anything said to be rude. Washington had concured also with all three traits of an ideal person. He supported candor with kindness, so that lying was avoided. The concept of receptiveness discussed helped one not give a