[HPforGrownups] Re: Slytherin's evil

[Caius Marcius]

No: HPFGUIDX 2935


----- Original Message -----
From: "Amanda Lewanski" <editor at texas.net>
To: <HPforGrownups at egroups.com>
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 9:38 AM
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: Slytherin's evil


> Caius Marcius wrote:
>
> >
> Ditto. Your examples are all good, but of a different situation, a
small-minded
> or narrow-focused individual's bad actions ultimately helping to bring
about a
> greater good. They may or may not be aware of the larger picture at all.
This is
> what some black radio commentator I heard the other day get lambasted
about,
> when he was trying to make the point that if his ancestors had not been
brought
> to America as slaves, he would not today be where he is. Poor guy, nobody
seemed
> to understand he wasn't saying slavery was good, but that it led to a (for
him)
> ultimate good.
>
> Did that make sense?
>

I think I misunderstood your point, thanks for clarifying it.

This is a point that Machiavelli (in The Prince and Discourses) makes  at
length - that in terms of political strategy, "good" and "evil" actions must
be seen as instrumental strategies to a greater overarching "good." I have
to run now, but I'll be back with some examples later.

    - CMC

  But Pertinax was created emperor [of Rome] against the wishes of the
soldiers, who, being accustomed to live licentiously under Commodus, could
not endure the honest life to which Pertinax wished to reduce them;  thus,
having given cause for hatred, to which hatred there was added  contempt for
his old age, he was overthrown at the very beginning of  his administration.
And here it should be noted that hatred is acquired as much by good works as
by bad ones, therefore, as I said before, a prince wishing to keep his state
is very often forced to do evil; for when that body is corrupt whom you
think you have need of  to maintain yourself- it may be either the people or
the soldiers or  the nobles- you have to submit to its humours and to
gratify them, and then good works will do you harm.

    - The Prince, Chapter 20