MwanaFalsafa1
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 26, 2008
- 5,565
- 843
Below is a paragraph from a passage by Desiderius Erasmus (ca.1466-1536). The Passage is called "Education and the Christian Prince". I believe the paragraph has a strong message to our current leaders.
After you have once dedicated yourself to the state, you are no longer free to live according to your own ways. You must keep up and preserve the character which you have assumed. No one enters the Olympic games without first considering what the rules of the contest demand. And he does not complain that the sun is bothersome, or the dust, or the perspiration, or any of the other things of this sort. All these are included in the general condition of the sport. Likewise the man who undertakes to rule should first consider what the position of prince demands. He must give his thought to the best advantage of others and neglect his personal interests. he must always be alert so that others may sleep. He must toil so that others may rest. He must exhibit the highest moral integrity, while in others are general appearance of uprightness is enough. His mind must be divested of all private emotions. He who is carrying on the office of the state must give his attention to nothing but that. he must perform kindness even to those who are ungrateful, to those who do not understand, and to those who are opposed. If these conditions are not to your liking, why do you desire the burden of ruling? Or if you inherited this authority, why do you not yield it to another? But if this is not possible at least put the actual execution of the duties in the hands of some one who meets the requirements you should have.
Although the passage is from way back in the time I am convinced that Erasmus' words still hold truth even today. Many people upon choosing to run for public offices do not consider the stress and demands of the job but rather just the perks. If most of our leaders today considered this paragraph then I am sure most wouldn't be in positions there are in right now.
After you have once dedicated yourself to the state, you are no longer free to live according to your own ways. You must keep up and preserve the character which you have assumed. No one enters the Olympic games without first considering what the rules of the contest demand. And he does not complain that the sun is bothersome, or the dust, or the perspiration, or any of the other things of this sort. All these are included in the general condition of the sport. Likewise the man who undertakes to rule should first consider what the position of prince demands. He must give his thought to the best advantage of others and neglect his personal interests. he must always be alert so that others may sleep. He must toil so that others may rest. He must exhibit the highest moral integrity, while in others are general appearance of uprightness is enough. His mind must be divested of all private emotions. He who is carrying on the office of the state must give his attention to nothing but that. he must perform kindness even to those who are ungrateful, to those who do not understand, and to those who are opposed. If these conditions are not to your liking, why do you desire the burden of ruling? Or if you inherited this authority, why do you not yield it to another? But if this is not possible at least put the actual execution of the duties in the hands of some one who meets the requirements you should have.
Although the passage is from way back in the time I am convinced that Erasmus' words still hold truth even today. Many people upon choosing to run for public offices do not consider the stress and demands of the job but rather just the perks. If most of our leaders today considered this paragraph then I am sure most wouldn't be in positions there are in right now.