The Worse Roman Emperor?

[cafolini]

Nero the mason or Nero the blacksmith may not have been as wicked a man as Nero the emperor.

I fully agree with that one. Specialization did a lot for progres not only on the tecnical side but also on the elimination of natural stupidity regarding the ability to rule and how much.

[BienvenuJDC]

I don't know...I have heard a lot of things about those "masons"...

[cacian]

But just because x and y are collarated doesnt mean that one causes the other. Maybe it is just the absolute power which comes along which the position of emperor which makes most of them mad.

Im not saying what I said is ture, but it is interesting as a thought.

Interesting thought and yes you have touched on something quite eye opening.
But thenI I compare them to the nazis for example
They were so many of them who did comply and so quickly became adapted the role of a nazi and worshipped an insane dicatator They did not have any problems carrying on the atrocities they did.
The question here that begs asking is this:
Were they already insane, because atrocities can only explained via maddness, a mental disability I call it, and by their thousands and did they just happened to tap on the right opportunity to pratice their insane evileness or was it the war that turned them evil?
I am more likely to believe they were already insane and evil.
The same would apply to roman emperors.

[/dev/null]

The question here that begs asking is this:
Were they already insane, because atrocities can only explained via maddness, a mental disability I call it, and by their thousands and did they just happened to tap on the right opportunity to pratice their insane evileness or was it the war that turned them evil?
I am more likely to believe they were already insane and evil.
The same would apply to roman emperors.

So a huge percent of governors from antiquity to this day happen to suffer severe mental disorders. Is that your theory, that mankind just has bad luck?

And dev null. I said Livy is my favorite ancient historian. I kick myself now for saying that when it is in fact Plutarch who is far and away my definite fav.

Uhm, I like the "one of us one of them" structure. I'm definitely looking for it at the library tomorrow. First volume, anyway.

[cafolini]

the point here is this:
does anyone needs education when it comes to knowing right from wrong?
Unless of course one is saying one is not very bright which in this case one needs to taught that killing or massacres is wrong.
I find that quite debiliating as a fact if it was true about the sophists educating emperors. What next? educating presidents would be next.

You have to also consider the effect of Platonism, before the sophistry. Platonism substituted the idea of right or wrong with an inflexible point of view where any expression of nature was divorced from reality at least one step. In the case of art, it was two steps. First, the natural separation of Idea (latter essence) and manifestation. Then the separation of art which, by not being directed by The State, was degenerate (the Nazi's tried that one also, more than 2000 years later). Morality (the individual's sense of good and bad) was destroyed a-priori and then reconstructed under intimidation.

[Darcy88]

You have to also consider the effect of Platonism, before the sophistry. Platonism substituted the idea of right or wrong with an inflexible point of view where any expression of nature was divorced from reality at least one step. In the case of art, it was two steps. First, the natural separation of Idea (latter essence) and manifestation. Then the separation of art which, by not being directed by The State, was degenerate (the Nazi's tried that one also, more than 2000 years later). Morality (the individual's sense of good and bad) was destroyed a-priori and then reconstructed under intimidation.

This actually makes a lot of sense Caf.

[Buh4Bee]

I agree. People will act in the most savage ways under intimidation- it weakens any individuals ability to function morally.

[cacian]

So a huge percent of governors from antiquity to this day happen to suffer severe mental disorders. Is that your theory, that mankind just has bad luck?

Hi dev/null
What I mean that these individuals are prone to evileness,that they are already predisposed, awaiting for the right opportunity to flair up if you like.
Dormant until awaken is another expression for it.
Some have it in them, the minority, and some, the majority don't.
How else would you explain their evileness?

[/dev/null]

Hi dev/null
What I mean that these individuals are prone to evileness,that they are already predisposed, awaiting for the right opportunity to flair up if you like.
Dormant until awaken is another expression for it.
Some have it in them, the minority, and some, the majority don't.
How else would you explain their evileness?

I'm afraid human beings are predisposed to evilness. Power is just a catalyst. (Note: I don't exactly mean naturally evil, but evil by means of social/cultural conditioning.)