All of history's villains were calculating, though some of them
(including Napoleon) believed their hype. Man of Destiny, anyone? It
takes an effort of the will at this juncture to give him a pass on
the incalculable misery he caused, and focus solely on the good.
Mark
At 09:36 AM 1/9/2008, you wrote:
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Weiss" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 9:24 AM
>Subject: Re: "Poetry" versus "Prose" in New Hampshire
>
>
>>Gore's 2000 image was invented by relentless Republican repetition.
>>Likewise Clinton's ice maiden aura. In each case a countervailing
>>image--Bush the reformed reprobate good old boy, Obama the prophet,
>>flatter national fictions .Obama, at any rate, is probably benign
>>(it's his competence that's in question), but the heart is a
>>questionable guide. Think of Bush looking into Putin's heart. As
>>one of the columnists recently noted, Putin was a KGB agent, he had
>>no heart. And in choosing leaders I prefer the head. The heart gave
>>the world Reagan and lots worse--Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini. Best
>>to use one's head to cut through the pretty stories we're all prone
>>to and the machinations of the propaganda machines that feed them.
>>
>>I realize that I speak as the veteran of several marriages. One
>>tries to learn.
>>
>>Mark
>
>
>Mark, your last few e-mails have made excellent points. My only
>cavil is Napoleon. A substantial intellect. Fine
>mathematician. Remember the scientists he took on the Egyptian
>campaign. Thought strategically on the largest scale (and made the
>largest errors). "Head" vs. "heart" is a crude distinction, but N's
>besetting vices were intellectual: opportunism ("I saw the crown of
>France in the gutter and I picked it up") and contempt.
