#WednesdayWisdom #030: Where Tupac Shakur Failed, Donald Trump is Succeeding

Tupac Shakur tried to follow his teachings…with the mantra of ‘Thug Life’ tattooed across his abdomen.  But Donald Trump is actually doing it.

Italian philosopher, Niccolo Machiavelli, wrote a book in 1513 called, The Prince. It was written to the ruling elite as a handbook…of sorts…for how to rule. In it, Machiavelli encouraged deceit, lies, coercion, deviousness, and any means necessary for the ruling-class to maintain power.

This foolishness we are witnessing in this 2016 presidential campaign by Donald Trump is ripped right out of the pages of Machiavelli’s handbook.

I can’t cover them all, but the latest headlines is Donald’s refusal to acknowledge that portions his wife, Melania’s, 2016 speech was taken from Michelle Obama’s 2008 speech. When you play the video side-by-side, it’s clear that Melania’s speech was definitely plagiarized. However, it’s conceivably not Melania’s fault. All fingers are being pointed at a ghost speech writer.

The right thing to do is own up to it, apologize, blame the person responsible for adding the copied portion, and move on.

But that’s not what the Trump campaign did. In a stunning switch-er-roo, Trump denied the speech was plagiarized and blamed Hilary Clinton and the media for attacking Melania because Melania was some-how making Hilary feel threatened. (I know right?!?!)

This is utterly ridiculous.

Is this how you lead? Is this how you deal with mistakes? Is this how you handle problems. You dismiss, deflect, and never own up to your responsibilities?

The problem with this Machiavelli-type decision making is…it’s always someone else’s fault. We are always the crazy one’s…and YOU can do no wrong.

Had I not known the Machiavellian principles for maintaining power, I would be confused by this. But I’m not. This is a classic power-move to deflect and blame someone else. And if they repeat it enough, people will start to believe it’s true (e.g., the Birther movement).

If you are in a relationship, or want to be in a relationship, watch out for these Machiavellian approaches to gain or maintain power. I’m talking to men and women…to the initiator and the recipient of these Machiavellian tactics.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe each person should possess some level of power in a relationship. Power is merely the “control over the access and distribution of resources.” But, if you have to lie, deceive, misrepresent, blame, and avoid responsibility in order to gain or maintain power in your relationship, then you are too selfish, insecure, and immature to be in a relationship where your decisions affect someone else’s life.

#WednesdayWisdom

Stay out of any relationship with a person who refuses to take responsibility, own up to their mistakes, or shifts the blame of their mistakes on someone else. They are immature and their decisions will ruin your life.

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