The Wisdome of Aristotle - From Barnacle Bob!

[skyvike]

I was zooming around and came upon a really old (2003) post of Barnacle Bob's.

He was in a discussion with Jerry (remember the barefoot guy at the January - in Minnesota - get together?) and gpond.

Here it is:

All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind. --Aristotle

Bring your desires down to your present means. Increase them only when your increased means permit. --Aristotle

The ideal man bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances. --Aristotle

The most perfect political community is one in which the middle class is in control, and outnumbers both of the other classes.
--Aristotle

Democracy [is] when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers---Aristotle

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme. --Aristotle

Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms. ---Aristotle

The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal. --Aristotle

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side. --Aristotle

[Savage]

Aristotle was a man of genius and one of my heroes. His wisdom and erudition is timeless.

[skyvike]

Aristotle was a man of genius and one of my heroes. His wisdom and erudition is timeless.

Agreed!

[JohnPA]

A little off topic, but in the same vein:

Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped.
At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor.
At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French.
At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages.
At 16, entered the College of William and Mary.
At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe.
At 23, started his own law practice.
At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.
At 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British America " and retired from his law practice.
At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.
At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence .
At 33, took three years to revise Virginia ?s legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom.
At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia succeeding Patrick Henry.
At 40, served in Congress for two years.
At 41, was the American minister to France and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.
At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.
At 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society.
At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions and became the active head of Republican Party.
At 57, was elected the third president of the United States .
At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase doubling the nation's size.
At 61, was elected to a second term as President.
At 65, retired to Monticello .
At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.
At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia and served as its first president.
At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence along with John Adams
Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, his laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today. Jefferson really knew his stuff. A voice from the past to lead us in the future:
John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe ." -- Thomas Jefferson
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." -- Thomas Jefferson
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." -- Thomas Jefferson
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- Thomas Jefferson
"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
-- Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:
"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.
If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

[skyvike]

Thomas Jefferson is a personal hero.

Thanks!

[AgAuGal]

thanks for posting that peach, I really miss some of the old guard and the wise exchanges....great quotes from two greats

[andial]

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme. --Aristotle

If Aristotle is right here than right now the poor have the power in the world. Unless of course we have slipped into despotism already.

[skyvike]

thanks for posting that peach, I really miss some of the old guard and the wise exchanges....great quotes from two greats

Et Tu, Brute?

Thought I had outgrown the "Peach" thing.

Guess I'll have to try to be less, well, "peachy."

Now "Peachy" - THAT's a name I could live with.

[Blummillamy]

hi Guys. I would agree. My 1st visit on GIM. Looks like a nice group here.

[minimus]

Thomas Jefferson is a personal hero.

Thanks!

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Created equal, not treated equal.



Jefferson was careful with his choice of words ...




-mm

[hoarder]

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

That's the only Jefferson quote I disagree with. No two dogs and no two men were created equal. All were created different, with the possible exception of identical twins.

[fasTTcar]

Nice to see some of the wisdom of GIM past resurface.

That being said, take these 4 quotes and try to rationalize them:

Democracy [is] when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers---Aristotle

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme. --Aristotle

Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms. ---Aristotle

The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal. --Aristotle

The first 2 quotes argue for true democracy, 1 man 1 vote.

The next 2 forecast what happens when democracy (aka mob rule) applies.

[skyvike]

hi Guys. I would agree. My 1st visit on www.goldismoney2.com. I do [url=http://nospamonGIM.com]. Looks like a nice group here.

Blummillamy has been banned as a spammer.

[shades]

That's the only Jefferson quote I disagree with. No two dogs and no two men were created equal. All were created different, with the possible exception of identical twins.

I believe he was referring to their rights, not their physical genetic make-up, intelligence or strength etc.

[AceNZ]

Nice to see some of the wisdom of GIM past resurface.

That being said, take these 4 quotes and try to rationalize them:

The first 2 quotes argue for true democracy, 1 man 1 vote.

The next 2 forecast what happens when democracy (aka mob rule) applies.

I think you may be misunderstanding the first two -- those are arguments against democracy, too, not for it.

Having the "poor" or "indignant" running things is not good.

Also, Aristotle viewed "men of property" to be highly valued, and those who reject property and property rights to be evil.

[fasTTcar]

I think you may be misunderstanding the first two -- those are arguments against democracy, too, not for it.

Having the "poor" or "indignant" running things is not good.

Also, Aristotle viewed "men of property" to be highly valued, and those who reject property and property rights to be evil.

Actually, I understand the quotes very well.

He is arguing that is what true democracy is. And in its 1 man 1 vote form is not very palatable, especially to those with much more to lose.

[JohnPA]

Bump for the reason of food for thought:

"Inferiors revolt in order that they may be equal, and equals that they may be superior. Such is the state of mind which crates revolutions." ----Aristotle

Seems apropos for these times......