Machiavelli actually strongly advises that a prince should avoid flatterers (ie conformists). In fact, in “the Prince”, he specifically says “the only way to safeguard yourself against flatterers is by letting people understand that you are not offended by the truth”.
Perhaps you’re confusing this advice with that of Castiglione’s “The Courtier”, which was aimed at a different audience. “The Courtier” has a lot of advice about how to suppress your own thoughts and feelings so as to put on a proper show for one’s peers.
Advice for princes is different to advice for their lackeys ;)
In fact, in “the Prince”, he specifically says “the only way to safeguard yourself against flatterers is by letting people understand that you are not offended by the truth”.
Or you could deliberately say stupid things sometimes and shun anyone who agrees with you. (A common courtship behavior, with the origins of the ‘courtship’ term being rather pertinent.)
I like this one. It reminds me of something that I heard at a Billy Connelly show once.
He was wearing eye-wateringly lurid, stripey pants, and told us this was his “idiot detector”… anybody that tried to make fun of him, he didn’t need to bother talking to.
He also recommended hideous brooches (for men) for the same purpose… eg three flying ducks.
Did he happen to mention the necessity of acquiring high status via other means (or signalling conformance to high status trends in most other areas) before trying things like this?
Not that I recall… though I suspect that it’d actually work better as an idiot detector if you were not of high status… because you would be more likely to get an honest reaction.
If I were somebody very famous—some people might actually repress their natural tendencies to be an arse about something they didn’t expect… and instead assume that I was being “avant garde”… ie a fashion inspiration instead.
Machiavelli actually strongly advises that a prince should avoid flatterers (ie conformists). In fact, in “the Prince”, he specifically says “the only way to safeguard yourself against flatterers is by letting people understand that you are not offended by the truth”.
Perhaps you’re confusing this advice with that of Castiglione’s “The Courtier”, which was aimed at a different audience. “The Courtier” has a lot of advice about how to suppress your own thoughts and feelings so as to put on a proper show for one’s peers.
Advice for princes is different to advice for their lackeys ;)
Or you could deliberately say stupid things sometimes and shun anyone who agrees with you. (A common courtship behavior, with the origins of the ‘courtship’ term being rather pertinent.)
I like this one. It reminds me of something that I heard at a Billy Connelly show once.
He was wearing eye-wateringly lurid, stripey pants, and told us this was his “idiot detector”… anybody that tried to make fun of him, he didn’t need to bother talking to.
He also recommended hideous brooches (for men) for the same purpose… eg three flying ducks.
Did he happen to mention the necessity of acquiring high status via other means (or signalling conformance to high status trends in most other areas) before trying things like this?
Not that I recall… though I suspect that it’d actually work better as an idiot detector if you were not of high status… because you would be more likely to get an honest reaction.
If I were somebody very famous—some people might actually repress their natural tendencies to be an arse about something they didn’t expect… and instead assume that I was being “avant garde”… ie a fashion inspiration instead.
Good point.