Enjoyed this video? Then don’t miss this one: Watch here: th-cam.com/video/Hqfn8i5F5jk/w-d-xo.html “Why Do the WORST PEOPLE Seem to Succeed? - Machiavelli and the Truth About Power” Uncover how ruthless minds rise to the top - and what that reveals about the world we live in.
Thanks for this insight man! The Machiavellian Paradox 1. Appearing competent is more important than being competent. - Intelligent people often display traits like nuanced thinking, ethical conditions & self awareness. - E.g. Others display absolute confidence while intelligent people often question themselves. - Intelligent people also struggle to influence others who can't follow their complex thinking patterns. 2. Dunning-Kruger effect - Less intelligent people tend to overestimate their intelligence and more intelligent individuals tend to underestimate their intelligence (due to awareness of what they don't know). - Our brain is wired to use mental shortcuts when evaluating others. When our ancestors adopted this model, times were simpler. Our modern world is more complex, so this approach fails. 3. Foolish leaders deliberately choose less competent people to prevent losing power. They search for loyalty, not competence. 4. Cognitive closure - People want certainty, even when certainty is unachievable. The foolish leaders always project certainty. 5. Foolish leaders go out of bounds to make promises that morally constrained competitors cannot promise, 6. Environmental factors: - Direct Feedback loops and good accountability structures don't give any room to incompetence, while other environments with slow feedback and poor accountability do. - Institutional design & Power distribution: Centralised powers give room to incompetence, - Information asymmetry & complexity: Measurable goals reward merit. Ambiguous and subjectively evaluated goals reward style. 7.Psychological tactics - Portraying criticism as attacks from enemies. - Linking personal leader identity to group identity so that attacks on the leader feel like attacks on the group - Having contradictory beliefs simultaneously to create a feeling that truths are subjective. - Exploit vulnerabilities, E.g., Multiple African leaders be like: "We're giving free internet to everyone." BREAKING THE CYCLE! - Understand all of the above (Awareness). - Recognise the limits of what you know. - Develop Media Literacy: Discern depth from spectacle. E.g. A US general tried to frame Ibrahim Traore, but it failed. A step in the right direction. - Practice philosophical reflection Reforming institutional design: --> Robust accountability mechanisms. --> Foster cognitive diversity. --> Enforce transparency. The saddest part about this is that it still continues today even though we've suffered through it for so long, and I've even experienced it first hand. But I strongly believe that there is still room for good influence and we could create a better society. Recognising all of this is just the first step. As more people begin realising this, we can start forming resistance and reforms, and create a better society.
“All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.” -Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse: Dune
@@ads-bvmyour pattern recognition leaves a lot to be desired. That certain person is the epitome of what this video is talking about. He checks every single box.
The very people who need to understand the message understand it as confirmation of their own bias. Look at how they're saying that "this is all about Trump", when in fact reality is more complicated and this is about a lot more things than just that. The solution is not as simple as just the change of presidency. It's been going on under Biden as well.
@ I'm just calling for you to understand the complexity of the problem, and apparently you're triggered by that. I bet there is so much things you just ignored and had no idea that they were happening.
It's similar to the job interview process. Because it is never about who is the best person for the job but only ever about who APPEARS to be the best person for the job. It's about likeability, never about competence.
I've worked with a couple of managers and supervisors before. I've found myself looking at some of them and thinking, how on earth do they get to be in this position? They can't do their jobs. But people around them don't talked well about them. No matter what, the competent one will be remembered. They might not always stand out in the crowd but they're the ones receiving praises from others and the one people prefers to work with even after they're long gone.
@@peppergirlrocksI agree. Too bad you can't buy a house with praises. In the end the incompetent one will get all the monetary rewards of other peoples' work. I worked in corporate for nearly 10 years, always losing my mind over some halfwit getting promoted while other, more skilled and hardworking ppl were let down.
That quote is timeless - and painfully accurate. Real thinking is uncomfortable because it challenges what we want to believe. Most people aren’t searching for truth… they’re searching for confirmation. William James saw through the noise, and it still rings loud today.
Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
My mom always told me don't act like you know everything even if I know alot about it... Just act like you know nothing...especially at work...allow them to know you know a little about the skills required. ..that actually has gotten me some really good positions. ..on top of it allowed me to gain more knowledge by others that knew more.
I see what you’re saying, but to be honest, that approach feels deceptive to me. I totally agree that humility is important, and no one wants to come off as a know-it-all. But purposely downplaying what you know-especially at work-can come across as manipulative. I think it's better to be upfront in a respectful way, share your knowledge when it helps, and stay open to learning from others too.
@@x3PLAY The minute you do what you are saying is the minute everyone in positions of authority show you that it means nothing to them. You become a threat to your superiors. They realize that you are smarter so they give you less task. Don’t be quick to be subjective by saying “ I feel it’s manipulative “. It’s a strategic way of gaining power. If that’s what a person wants.
@@Rawboss1. Why seek power? What you're describing reflects exactly what the video discusses-honest, hardworking people adopting the same manipulative tactics as their bosses just to survive or advance. Personally, I’d rather leave the company than compromise my values in that kind of culture.
Machiavelli never said power goes to the wise - he said it goes to those who understand perception. Intelligence questions. Power asserts. That’s why fools rise: they’re confident enough to lie, loud enough to lead, and detached enough to sacrifice anything… including the truth.
Brilliantly put - that contrast between intelligence and power is everything. The wise hesitate because they see complexity; the fool ascends because they pretend it doesn’t exist. In a world ruled by optics, truth becomes optional - and perception becomes the throne.
Agreed. I don't have the stomach for politics but I think I am fairly intelligent and reasonable. But I cannot stand dealing with unreasonable people who simply won't accept answers and spew lies and cause trouble for the sake of causing trouble. Thus I would never run for office despite probably being a great candidate.
Yes, very timely. Good advice at the end, but “we” are suffering through a really troubling time where powerful, unwise people are determining our future. I’m a 70 year old white veteran and am afraid of my own government. I could use more advice about how to survive this anxiety without my health failing me. Wonderful content, thanks!
I know you think you're incredibly clever, but I'd love to hear if and how you think this applies to the previous administration. Just want to know if you are applying what seems to be a timeless truism about human leadership, with a multitude of historical examples presented in the video, universally. Do you think they're all bad, regardless of the side of the political aisle they're on, or just the "current" one?
@@wolfhunter98 That is a good one too. My papaw used to tell me " Its okay if people think you are not that smart, even maybe an idiot. But do not recklessly open your mouth and prove them right."
The only valid conclusion from this video is that developing intellectual humility guarantees you will not gain power and influence, and at the same time it guarantees that you will be painfully aware of how the world around you is being deceived and corrupted? We have proven that ignorance is bliss!
And so you proceed to demonstrate that you didn't get the message of the video. You turned the nuance and complexity of Machiavelli's message (and that of this video) into a summary expressed in these terms... "only," "guarantees," "will not," another "guarantees," and "have proven." I don't know if this was an explicit attempt to oversimplify, but given the entire point of the video, it's curious that this take is what came to mind.
@@craigdonald551 agreed. most people havent the integrity or courage to step outside of that club - but they want to be with the "in crowd". In my profession of social care witness the amount of incompetence that rises to the top
This exposes what so many of us see but struggle to explain: the most powerful person in the room often isn’t the smartest - just the boldest. Machiavelli understood that charisma, simplicity, and fear outmaneuver competence in broken systems. The tragedy? Intelligence starts to look like a threat instead of a solution. This isn’t just theory - it’s a survival guide for anyone trying to lead with substance in a world that rewards performance over principle.
@ That means a lot - thank you. It’s wild how often we feel the truth before we can articulate it. Glad this helped bring some clarity today. Wishing you strength and stillness as you navigate it all 🖤💫
True that. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinsism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
theres also survivorship bias if 10 people are bold, and only 1 survive, people quickly forget the 9 who got wrecked and praise the lucky survivor for "Being bold"... putting yourself out there is not without risks it's not that being dumb gets you into power, it's that there are more dumb people than smart... people follow who they connect with, dumb follow dumb... and since there are so many of them based on probability it is usually a dumb who gets lucky... and not a smart
This is why charismatic leaders need to surround themselves with intelligent individuals not afraid to say "no, that is not going to work and here's why".
The ones that do this are incredibly successful , especially if they're smart enough to listen . The ones that don't usually don't allow anyone smart around them to begin with cuz they see anyone smarter than themselves as a threat .
Thanks for this insight man! The Machiavellian Paradox 1. Appearing competent is more important than being competent. - Intelligent people often display traits like nuanced thinking, ethical conditions & self awareness. - E.g. Others display absolute confidence while intelligent people often question themselves. - Intelligent people also struggle to influence others who can't follow their complex thinking patterns. 2. Dunning-Kruger effect - Less intelligent people tend to overestimate their intelligence and more intelligent individuals tend to underestimate their intelligence (due to awareness of what they don't know). - Our brain is wired to use mental shortcuts when evaluating others. When our ancestors adopted this model, times were simpler. Our modern world is more complex, so this approach fails. 3. Foolish leaders deliberately choose less competent people to prevent losing power. They search for loyalty, not competence. 4. Cognitive closure - People want certainty, even when certainty is unachievable. The foolish leaders always project certainty. 5. Foolish leaders go out of bounds to make promises that morally constrained competitors cannot promise, 6. Environmental factors: - Direct Feedback loops and good accountability structures don't give any room to incompetence, while other environments with slow feedback and poor accountability do. - Institutional design & Power distribution: Centralised powers give room to incompetence, - Information asymmetry & complexity: Measurable goals reward merit. Ambiguous and subjectively evaluated goals reward style. 7.Psychological tactics - Portraying criticism as attacks from enemies. - Linking personal leader identity to group identity so that attacks on the leader feel like attacks on the group - Having contradictory beliefs simultaneously to create a feeling that truths are subjective. - Exploit vulnerabilities, E.g., Multiple African leaders be like: "We're giving free internet to everyone." BREAKING THE CYCLE! - Understand all of the above (Awareness). - Recognise the limits of what you know. - Develop Media Literacy: Discern depth from spectacle. E.g. A US general tried to frame Ibrahim Traore, but it failed. A step in the right direction. - Practice philosophical reflection Reforming institutional design: --> Robust accountability mechanisms. --> Foster cognitive diversity. --> Enforce transparency. The saddest part about this is that it still continues today even though we've suffered through it for so long, and I've even experienced it first hand. But I strongly believe that there is still room for good influence and we could create a better society. Recognising all of this is just the first step. As more people begin realising this, we can start forming resistance and reforms, and create a better society.
Hell yeah you just distilled the entire sickness of modern leadership into one brutal checklist. The Machiavellian paradox is that the system rewards faking competence over actually having it, and you nailed why: intelligence makes you hesitate, ethics make you hesitate, but dumb confidence? That shit sells. Look at politics, the guys who win are the ones screaming simple answers to complex problems, while anyone actually smart enough to fix things gets stuck explaining nuance to a crowd that just wants a hero. And the Dunning-Kruger effect? It’s like a joke: the people too dumb to know they’re dumb bulldoze their way to the top, while the ones who could lead talk themselves out of it because they’re too aware of the risks. The worst part? You’re right about the cycle. Foolish leaders pick loyal idiots over competent rivals, then gaslight everyone into thinking criticism is treason. They thrive in broken systems where feedback loops are slow (looking at you, government bureaucracy) or where goals are vague enough that style beats substance every time. And yeah, they love wrapping themselves in the flag or tribe, so attacking their incompetence feels like attacking the whole group. Classic playbook. But you’re also dead right that awareness is the first step to breaking this. Media literacy, accountability structures, and cognitive diversity aren’t just buzzwords-they’re armor against the clown show. The fact that you’ve seen this crap firsthand and still believe in reform? That’s the only hope we’ve got. Machiavelli wrote The Prince because he thought cynicism was the answer, but the real rebellion is refusing to become what you hate. Keep sharpening those knives-the system’s counting on most people staying asleep.
As a Zimbabwean I thank you for using Mugabe as an example of leaders who institutionalize incompetency by progressively replacing competent people with cronies and psychophants who are ill equipped for the tasks they assume
Yes. It's called a kakistocracy. Where the U.S. is headed now. Government by the worst, least qualified, and most unscrupulous people. Combine that with a lazy and slothful citizenry and one's democracy rots from the inside. Can you smell it?
This is an interesting point.... in the video it suggests that an incompetent and insecure leader would feel threatened by having a competent team working for him. But for that to be the case the incompetent leader has to be aware of their incompetence, which goes against the earlier assertion that they are so foolish they think they are smart (duning Kruger). I would say it's more likely that they attract idiots to work for them because they repel smart people, because the smart people oppose their idiotic ideas.
I had a grade school TA once tell me, "if you want to get a really good presentation grade. You go to the table where it doesn't look like fun, add 1 loud fun person who you'll know will listen and you'll get the best grade. Why? Because all the quiet ones will know how to do the work and teach you how to do it right. The fun one will know how to show off that work and make people like it and not make it boring. Because the audience will always pick the one that sounds entertaining first, and logical second."
In other words, you have to manipulate people, dumbing things down to their level using simpler concepts like "loud", "fun" and "confident" to get them to like you. Ironic isn't it.
@@sparkypeps1 I'm American, and I have no idea what that is any more than the difference between an LVN, CNS, CNA, or FNP, despite all of them being nurses and those being the only real titles I hear when I see my health care provider. That accusation is as presumptive as what your accusation is claiming of Tic. If you don't know the term, just look it up.
That sounds about right. Bojo Johnson, uk prime minister. An absolute idiot, corrupt, proven liar, and cannon be trusted with a cup of coffee (literally). Yet people loved him, defended him, even after all of it come to light. People are stupid.
I used to think Machiavelli was evil. I used to think he was compelling us to be tyrants. But nope. He was just telling it how it is. He was warning us of humanities shortcomings.
@@rmp7400 I wish you would keep your silly bronze age superstition to yourself. There's no divine justice. There's no divine anything. Live your life, don't be so hung up on a non existent afterlife.
Proverbs. Says. Cursed is the one who trusts in the arm of flesh.. this means to me all of mankind is flakey and trusting people is going to get you into deep trouble and pain if you aren’t very careful. There’s only one who is totally trustworthy.. God warned the Israelites when they wanted a king, he wanted them to be led by himself but they wanted a man for a king, he gave them a human king as they wished and this began their long line of tragedies that is even greater today because we think we are so much smarter and have elaborate governments filled with liars, cheats, narcissists and con men. Good luck with that.
The 'people' want simple answers to their problems and they want a leader who is absolutely confident that they can deliver. By the time that it has become obvious that their leader has completely failed to deliver, the 'people' will have forgotten what was promised
"Confidence born of ignorance." I've long since realized it's more effective to convince others you know what you're doing, than actually knowing what you're doing.
Fine maxim. Well wordsmithed analysis. Succinct. True that. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinsism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
@@ma3stro681 I see you, too, are weighted down by these morality chains... I do feel their heaviness too brother, but I cannot perceive the world any other way if I was being honest with myself.
Well, the systems are extremely complex. There is no way to predict the outcomes/unintended consequences. I often joke that if they are predicting "global warming", most likely, we'll have "global cooling". Just because it's happening all the time.
Reminds me of university when I studied Machiavelli and my prof said, remember one thing, change is the only thing in this world that is guaranteed. You might not see it, but don't dismiss it. There is so much unknown... Seek it out. Understand that you will only know a tiny slice of reality, and spend the rest of your life being suspicious of people who pretend that they know everything. I loved his class, because it was an adventure of discovery grounded in a brutal foundation of human existence.
“Machiavelli didn’t just study power-he studied pain dressed as strategy.” Watching this video, I couldn’t help but think: the people who often rise to power aren’t always the wisest, but the most detached-from empathy, from consequence, even from their own reflection. In psychological terms, it’s what we call the narcissistic reward system-where charm replaces competence, and performance masks emptiness. The crowd cheers confidence, but rarely questions character. As someone who studied philosophical psychology-and lived through emotional power plays in my own home-I’ve learned that true strength isn’t loud. It doesn’t dominate. It understands. And that’s what we’re missing in leadership today: not intelligence, but inner integration. Thank you for bringing Machiavelli into the conversation. His truths are old, but the wounds they reveal? Still bleeding.
The way I see it is that there are two equillibria - on the one side you have systems run by intelligent people that favor ethical and just behaviors; on the other side you have systems run by stupid people that favor aggression and malice. The problem is: a just person will go under when placed in the second type of system, just as inherently malicious person will go under when placed in the first. The dilemma is: how do we make the equillibrium shift from rewarding "bad" behaviro to rewarding "good"? As history shows, the inherent tendency is to shift toward the "bad" equillibrium repeatedly (it simply seems more natural to humans to be ruled by assholes, possibly because it has provided evolutionary advantages in the past).
@@clray123 The perspective of there being two types of societal “equilibria” - one run by intelligent, ethical people, and the other by foolish, malicious ones - reflects a kind of dualistic thinking common in moral analysis. But the first issue to question is: do these two distinct equilibria really exist in such clear-cut forms? In reality, most systems are a mix of intelligence and ignorance, goodwill and malice. Intelligent people can act unethically, and foolish people can sometimes act with genuine kindness. Human systems tend to operate through competing interests, not just pure ethics or intellect. Second, the idea that a good person can’t survive in a bad system, and vice versa, is a bit static and overly pessimistic. History shows many moral individuals who not only survived but made meaningful impact within unjust systems - through persistence, wisdom, and adaptability without losing their core values. Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are powerful examples. They didn’t “fit” into bad systems, but precisely because of that, they helped dismantle them. Now to the key question: How do we shift the equilibrium from rewarding “bad” behavior to rewarding “good”? Redesign incentives: Every system runs on rewards and punishments. When ethical behavior becomes strategically advantageous - through laws, culture, or education - then goodness becomes more than just a moral choice; it becomes a smart one. Elevate collective awareness: Humans tend to conform to social norms. When communities become more sensitive to unethical behavior and stop glorifying success at any cost, the “bad equilibrium” starts to destabilize. Promote a new kind of leadership: What we need are leaders who aren’t just smart or moral, but who can also navigate complex realities - people who understand that “good” doesn’t mean weak, and “evil” doesn’t mean strong. Finally, maybe it’s true that humans evolved to follow authoritarian figures in the past - but survival today isn’t about who holds the biggest stick. It’s about who can build the most sustainable and cooperative communities. Social evolution doesn’t stop at instinct - it’s also about learning and transcending instinct.
@@Soul-Depth-68 For every Gandhi, Mandela etc. there were countless more - unheard of - who tried to resist and went under. And then there are also those who famously tried resisting and were brutally eliminated as consequence (does the name Jesus ring a bell? do you think his sacrifice was a "success" because of the religion - and the following authoritarian systems - he helped establish?) The point is that resistance in an inherently evil system is only possible at great personal risk. Just like committing crimes in a good system is only possible at great personal risk to the criminal. So in a sense, the just opposition is an aberration, a sort of abnormal, irrational, individualistic behavior which most of the time does not work and most importantly does not benefit those who choose this path. My opinion is that systems should be designed up-front so that authoritarian behavior has automated, built-in punishment options - those in power should actively, and reasonably fear collective retribution from those who their power applies to, and the retribution should be easy to exert (e.g. without waiting for "next elections" - which in case of an established authoritarian system either never come or are meaningless). But this would practically require empowering everyone with the capability of exerting a more or less equal amount of violence to defend their individual rights and morality, based on their own judgmenet of feeling oppressed. Supposedly reasonable people will argue against this on the grounds that this would "enable populism to win" - the assumption here being that the unkempt, stupid, evil masses would quickly turn against their good leaders because of getting successfully incited by the bad ones. AFAIK, this assumption has never been tested in history - the usual arrangement has been that individuals do not matter, only well-organized gangs do - but accepting it is already a sort of surrender to the idea that an evil system is the only sustainable one. Today's systems evolve toward centralization of power/violence in the hands of very few, regardless of the laws claiming balances and equality (which when push comes to shove can be undone very quickly even under light pretense, as we've seen with COVID). The technological (military, surveillance) and organizational advantage of the established "elites" are enough to tip the system toward the bad equillibrium and permanently keep it there. If evil behavior of the so-called leaders goes unpunished, there is very little incentive for being good, and even less if you are the ones who are benefitting from this system and whose task (what a coincidence) is to design and "improve" it.
@@Soul-Depth-68 This is one of the most powerful reflections shared here - thank you for it. You’re absolutely right: Machiavelli didn’t just map the architecture of power, he exposed the emotional fractures behind it. Power, in his world, was often a compensation - a strategy born from disconnection, not clarity. The narcissistic reward system you mention is hauntingly accurate. In a culture that rewards appearance over essence, charm becomes a mask, and noise drowns out nuance. True strength - the kind rooted in integration, empathy, and understanding - becomes invisible, even suspicious. And yet, as you said, it’s that kind of strength we’re most starved for. Not more dominance, but more depth. Not louder leaders, but wiser ones. Machiavelli’s truths may be centuries old, but you’re right - they still bleed through our modern wounds. Your voice brings that to light in a way few can.
@@PhilosophyCoded “One voice began to echo through the night. One voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune - but sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two - and two became three.” Various versions of Admiral McRaven’s speech have racked up over 70 million views combined. Since one of my sites was named after the turning point in his SEAL-training story, obviously I’m a fan. What I’m not a fan of is celebrating beliefs then abandoning them the instant they become inconvenient: Particularly when the whole point is about rising to the occasion. Somewhere within the walls of “most systems are a mix of intelligence and ignorance, goodwill and malice”- I aim to find that other voice in “One Voice Became Two.” @Soul-Depth-68 has the right idea with “Redesign incentives,” “Elevate collective awareness,” and “Promote a new kind of leadership”- but how do we do those things? I have a very specific answer to that question. With what I have in mind, I don't need mass appeal to make this happen: I just need to get to one man! Hear me out and all will become clear: ============================================ Subject: This Nation Needs a National Conversation - On How to Have Conversation In my youth, it was inconceivable that America would become a country that tap dances around reality on a daily basis (delighting in contempt for correction). I could not have imagined a world in which even people with PhDs would act like imbeciles in the face of information they don’t instantly understand. If I came across illustrations so damning of behavior that dominates the day - I’d be intrigued by what clearly requires examination to reveal the full picture on display. I wouldn’t care whether or not I knew who the titular character is in "Who's the BOT? The Legacy of Loury & the Like": I’d recognize he’s a representation of a world wallowing in what they want to hear (turning their minds into mush). Which is why their kind is increasingly rewarded for a mountain of preaching on a molehill of practice. But from decades of dealing with hermetically sealed minds, I came up with a way to address that problem by using it. A renowned psychologist no longer with us once wrote, “Very interesting and original” in response to my idea. Had covid not killed him, who knows where we’d be now. Even in his condition, he saw what so few can. Just where can I find the Festinger of today? But as rightly revered as he is - he didn’t solve anything (he simply enhanced our understanding of irrational behavior). It’s high time to act on such knowledge. A student wrote of her psychology professor: “Tim Wilson taught me the importance of breaking problems down into more manageable pieces.” At the bedrock of my idea is exactly that! The 11th edition of Social Psychology has the domino effect on the cover. They’ve got an image of an idea - I’ve got the idea! Search TH-cam for Sounds of Silence: The Deafening Noise of a Nation Decades in Decline - and you’ll see. To borrow from Outbreak, “Go without a mask, you’ll see more clearly!” Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Richard W. Memmer P.S. An Egyptian proverb states, “Understanding develops by degrees.” As in what it takes to understand every single story, slide, image, title, caption, quote, and how it’s all connected in Sounds of Silence. ============================================
I have experienced and seen this my entire career. The least capable become managers and leaders, while the most experienced and smartest stay in the shadows.
" Understanding the darkness doesn't mean surrendering to it. It means gaining the power to create light." One of the best quotes I have ever heard to date! Coupled with a great video also. Excellent work.
@@angusnaidoo7309 Oh was that what it meant? I didn't get that. I prefer the sailor's version, I'm paraphrasing here but "adjust the sails instead of cursing the storm"
Yes I’ve refused to climb corporate ladders because I couldn’t ‘morally’ allow myself to become a soulless yes person. Always to my financial detriment
@DreadPirate 1985 NYC during a job interview I was asked the question:"What motivates you in a corporate environment?" and although I really needed the job I couldn't help but answer: "The paycheck." I wasn't chosen for the job. I just wanted the work, 'they' wanted my soul.
As a Kid who turned 18 last year I can't imagine how accurate his predictions about power struggles and political insight he had 600 years ago which are even more so valid to our technologically advanced and complex modern world he truly was a Genius person who saw the things the way it was.
True that. Well nuanced, wordsmithed. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
@@joecoolioness6399 As long as man is sinful, some will try to domineer and control, and will bend the system and GROW the system to keep them in power. But some forms of government are better. Our founders wisely set up a system wherein there are checks and balances. But we should recognize evil in those who steal elections and flood our country with illegal immigrants who are granted the right to vote.
This was such a powerful and detailed breakdown of power dynamics, politics, and the insanity of how we treat the environment. But what really hits hard is realizing it’s not just the politicians who are foolish, its us. We fuel the system, ignore the signs, and keep walking toward the edge like it’s not our future burning.
Well... maybe. But it could also be that intelligent people realize, firmly, at some point that the effort for politics and change is not worth it just to "help" the rest of the people. Intelligence is not transferable, it can be demoralizing to do something beneficial or better only for the people to reject it bc "hey, I am a free person, and I like coke, so leave me alone" that is clearly not smart or good for people, so intelligent people realize is useless to try to improve humanity, the luck of the draw in intelligence is just that, luck, randomness, even intelligent people cannot guarantee that their progeny will be or act intelligently; as we can clearly see, and as we can prove historically.
Yes! The last decade has been a true eye opener as to the large number of disconnected people we're surrounded by. What gets me the most is how many of them think they're doing the right thing and waste their activist energy supporting our demise
"Machiavelli was ahead of his time with this one! 😳 It’s crazy how often power ends up in the hands of those who lack wisdom or empathy. It makes you wonder if true leadership is even about intelligence, or more about manipulation and timing. Anyone else feel like we've seen this play out too many times in history?"
I appreciated that you never mentioned he who currently afflicts us by name, while every sentence you spoke brought him instantly to the mind of everyone listening.
That's because you don't see the double and triple games he plays. He puts on an act and plays a role. And his enemies chase every rabbit he offers them, down every hole to a pointless outcome! I'd say more but...really what would be the point?
I’ve started to realize that confidence doesn’t always come with real capability. Sometimes, those who project "certainty" are the ones creating illusions and deceiving others. I’m now focusing on intellectual humility and looking at things more deeply, instead of relying on easy promises.
Noam Chomsky said it best addressing a University Graduation. All you have proved, he said to them, you'll jump through any hoop to succeed. You've proven, that you'll tow the line, conform and be obedient. Pretty accurate.
@names_are_useless pretty much, he cleaned it up. But Noam also said I'm one of you, by virtue of his collection of various degrees. He is a luvly man, humble and unmovable.
Have to disagree here. Finishing an engeneering degree shows that you have learned a lot about mechanics and physics. Many studies provide a lot of skills that are nessisary for our modern wold to function. So unless it is said mostly in jest and ment to poke fun at and encourage the class to not stop learning. That statement is on it's face very dumb.
@DG20202 you proved my point...as soon as you use the word "dumb". You'd rather win an argument, then accept it's a valid point (in general). Sorry i upset your (obviously)fragile ego.
@@smellslikethinice1107 Reread your comment and tell me, are you engaging in a healthy and civil discussion or defending your point of view and started attacking individuals ? I can assume, we are all in agreement with he original comment. But i can see that it only applies in a certain situation, like, in a graduation of business and management department. because as @DG20202 said, this "all you have proven ..." doesnt apply to physics, biology, math, engineering, or any scientific major since its nigh impossible to graduate from those using 'pure charismatic power' (sorry, this is kinda wrong. I meant "yes-man attitude"). I agree with both stances, i just find it inappropiate to put it as an absolute universal truth about every single graduates since doing so is simply wrong, or, please forgive me for saying this, dumb.
What a good video. It's so hard to explain this to most coworkers that when you try you end up being the fool. This is absolutely one of the main reason I became more anti social over the years.
Thanks for watching! What you described is exactly why I made this - that isolating feeling when you see the game clearly but get punished for naming it. Stay strong - your perspective is valuable, even if the system pretends otherwise.
@@AnnaKnijnik Nice try. The entire GOP is literally filled with Trump yes-men who will lie and grift as long as it gives them an edge over their peers. This video couldn't have done a better job of describing the modern Republican Party and Trump's cascading effect of stupidity and corruption. The Democrats' biggest sin is that their leadership seems to want to move more and more to the right and be more like the GOP in terms of corporate connections.
@AnnaKnijnik Nice try. The entire GOP is literally filled with Trump yes-men who will lie and grift as long as it gives them an edge over their peers. The Democrats' biggest sin is that their leadership seems to want to move more and more to the right and be more like the GOP in terms of corporate connections.
These practices are routine in industry. Self-serving individuals who excel at looking good, sounding good and resolutely serving only those higher up the food chain, who selected them for this reason, create a culture of defensiveness and distrust.
If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them. Ecclesiastes 5:8
"The Peter Principle", book half century back. True that. Well nuanced, wordsmithed. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
Wow, thank you so much for watching! I honestly didn’t expect this video to get so many likes, comments, and such great feedback. It’s been amazing reading all your thoughts! Since a lot of you asked for the sources I used, I’ve put them all together in a document here: 👉 docs.google.com/document/d/12r141CQfAh_7zk8TbAx8g8PfnjwXtzq-fKF4f4O5zXA/edit?usp=sharing Thanks again for all the support! Feel free to drop any other questions or ideas for future videos in the comments. 😊
Most major institutions are now guilty of the things mentioned here but are projecting their guilt onto those wanting to expose and reform them. It is those with the most power who use these tactics on those who threaten their monopoly on that power. Centralized power will always be corrupt because of human nature. Only decentralized power where communities compete for citizens by providing them the best standard of living will fix this problem because it will take competent leaders able to provide this.
It's a good video! And it's not very surprising that a video with the tag line "Why fools rule" is getting watched right now, as the ruler of the biggest economy in the world thinks it is going to be "great again" by emptying store shelves of imported goods, and massively increasing the price of anything that remains, simply because he has no idea how tariffs actually work
Every time I've ever DARED to create any light, the vast darkness noticed, and instantly consumed me whole and spat out a husk. I am all that remains. Good luck out there.
I have hardly seen anybody actually act upon things they learn in their curriculum. It is a hoax, that education shapes you. It is a mere tool, and let us see it that way.
This video is really thought-provoking! Machiavelli really understood the nature of power and people, when he noticed that stupid or eccentric people often hold power more easily than intelligent and responsible people. It is worth reconsidering the way we evaluate and choose leaders today.
Agree. People are drawn to the loudest, more confident person who is willing to lie to their face and give them an acceptable response, whether it be lie or truth. I feel like people like to be placated.
I recently had a talk with middle aged/elderly couples talking about politicians, the women all commented on whether or not they though X or Z politician was hot or not, and laughed, at some point after a while of this I asked them if there was any other factor that mattered to them other than whether or not he was good looking, and one girl immediately answered "it’s the most important thing" and they all burst out laughing Thankfully women find me attractive so I am not disadvantaged in that way, but it’s a funny thing to note, women do not consider any other factor when voting for a politician other than his face
@@IceRain-f5v Only landowners should be allowed to vote. Male landowners. Anyone else, should have NOT vote, as they have no vested interest in anything.
There is also the element of behavior taught in school. From childhood the school Principal is the leader and should be feared, not questioned, admired, respected and so forth. A blind following that is commonly observed in adults who assume that a person elected to town office or dressed in uniform is somehow smarter than the rest of the room.
I knew all the parts solidified for your dissertation... but you did a better job allowing a better understanding I've experienced during decades as a blue-collar worker. Just couldn't put it to words you so eloquently displayed! Example, I was lead person on an underground construction job. I reported back to the office on a Friday I shut down the site till proper saftey standards were incorporated. I was fired from the job that same night. The following Monday while starting my day at another job site, laborers from the last job called me to come and shut the work down. I took the liberty to investigate, leaving my new job site. I arrived in time to halt the excavator from digging further. While arguing with the operator engineer, the trench collapsed, burying two pipe fitters. One died, the other we dug out with our hard hats saving him. All the while the firefighting rescuers telling us it's too dangerous us or for them to help!
A great critique of all politicians and parties , I think it really encourages everyone to examine themselves because we are all so guilty of falling into these traps.
This is an amazingly powerful half hour. Machiavellianism is a personality trait of manipulating, deceiving, and exploiting others for one's own gain. "Understanding the darkness doesn't meas surrendering to it, it means gaining the power to create light." Thank you, an amazingly accurate description of recent decades in American politics, world politics really. And an insight into human behavior we have seen around the world since recorded history began. Profound and important. How to get it to, and understood by, the many is the challenge, isn't it?
This explains the phenomenon of Elon Musk. "We just nuke the poles of Mars and create an atmosphere" And people go geesh that is so simple but brilliant. Here you go they have an answer a solution it doesn't need to be true. But Musk says it with such confidence like it is a 100 % proven fact. Idk if he plays this part or he truly believes it that's another subject. I just wanted to give an example. Absolutely great video btw. One of the best Machiavelli videos out there.
@@MkBl-ll5zp Has Musk? He didn't create anything at all. The only business he tried to build from the ground up was PayPal and he was removed shortly after its inception because he was such a bad manager. In every other business he has been part of he came in as the money guy who didn't actually provide any actual IP.
@@MkBl-ll5zpHe's correct 💯 ... and FYI Musk has not created anything from scratch either (prob except the Cyber truck, the most enormous & massive failure by FAR in the car industry!) He buys into businesses other ppl already created, incl Tesla and then hires brilliant people to do the actual work while he spreads hateful messages & trolls ppl on Twitter 24-7 & pays actual great gamers to play under his name. He's a massive FRAUD!
Its the pattern especially visible in cartoons and animations: you have the guy in power, and the guy who is smart, and he is trying to explain stuff, and the boss not following directions 😵💫
This made me really rethink adopting humility as a life philosophy because it's so beautiful in is complexity and as a statement about my values. Then I remembered why I abandoned it in the first place. No one recognizes humility, no one appreciates humility, no one values humility. The very people I adopted humility to combat and counter are completely oblivious to humility.
Machiavelli’s insights are still so relevant today, it’s a wake-up call to be more critical of those in power. Again this isn’t just a flaw in individuals but a failure of the systems that put them there. Apparently, being the biggest fool with the loudest mouth is the golden ticket to power. Makes perfect sense 😁👍
This was indeed disturbing. A clear picture of how and why the incompetent and 'evil' seem to rise to the top in every arena. Meanwhile, the proposed solution, creating structures and environments that are resistant to this, seems near impossible.
A big part of the problem is that we do not recognise psychology as the powerful tool that it is. All of our systems are pretty much based on the better angels of human beings. Instead, we should be building systems that recognise our glaring inadequacies and put systems in place to minimise them. Representational democracy is no longer fit for purpose. We need to rethink how we do democracy in order to keep the vultures out of positions of power.
I read "The Prince" in my youth, and saw many of the insights you highlighted -- but I missed or underappreciated many others. You did a brilliant job of weaving them all into a cohesive and useful narrative that is highly relevant to our modern society. Extremely well done!
I wish I had read it when I was a child. It is a good foundation to understanding human behavior, leadership, nation building, etc.. Humanity and history made a lot more sense after reading it. It answers a lot of questions, such as why stupid brutish people end up in power instead of more logical ones.
I think if Machiavelli saw our current predicament he would look defeated for a second, sigh, roll his rolls his eyes then carry on with his life. He did everything in his power to warn us. I beleive he has said everything he has to say about it and I don't think humanity has changed one bit.
Bold, provocative, and historically grounded. This piece brilliantly connects Machiavelli’s insights with today’s power dynamics, exposing uncomfortable truths with clarity and precision. A powerful reminder that influence isn’t always tied to wisdom-well-crafted and compelling throughout!
This is one of the few videos on you tube where I’ve learned something I hadn’t known before. It also explains the sign of our times. Thank you for creating and sharing. There is hope 🙏🏼🌿
My Dad was Mensa, he never amounted to anything in his life; he died a cold, alone, long and miserable death for these very same reasons that you highlighted here in this video. Very well done, impressive and thorough work. Bravo. 🎉
Extremely intelligent people often have great deficits as well, which often prevent them from having normal social relations. Best to be intelligent, but not genius level.
This is the most sound philosophical study I've ever watched/learned. It's like narrating our current state rn, and unfortunately might be predicting what's to come for another thousand years (and more).
It takes a great deal of courage to resist and fight against the "foolish people in power". I tried. But the resistance was beaten out of me physically and emotionally. I just keep my head down and look after myself as best I can. Best wishes to those who are able to continue the fight.
I respect the effort you’ve put into resisting those in power-it sounds like you’ve gone through a lot. I personally haven’t taken it that far, and to be honest, I choose not to. It often feels too complex and far removed from what I can actually influence. I try to focus on what’s within my reach, because in the end, I think life is about living-not constantly fighting.
Yet Harris chose Waltz over Shapiro while Trump chose Vance, Musk, Patel and Kennedy. Harris was supremely confident when asked what she would do differently and she replied “Nothing comes to mind.”
@@cynthiafreudenberger1578So true. It appears that the videos’ purpose to make us to be self-introspective only leads to more tribalism. Machiavelli would approve, it only proves his point.
@@cynthiafreudenberger1578 Incredible how everyone you've listed for Trump's side fits almost 1 to 1 with the examples given in the video. Opportunist yes-men who exploit the uneducated and provide simple solutions to complex problems. Their only "merit" being the circumstances of their birth or the amount of money they've swindled from their victims.
"Have you ever found yourself drawn to an explanation precisely because it was simple and difinitive?" No, never, but I can see that in most people. Sadly, the stupidity is the norm. We, the deep and nuanced thinkers, the moraly and intellectualy honest, stand no chance in the face of simpleton stubborness... Exemplary content by the way. I salute and thank you my good sir!
The underlying problem is that large numbers of people don't seem to have the mental acuity to adequately ascertain the validity of what they are being told.
You took a simple idea "a lot of people can’t tell when they’re being misled” and buried it in overblown academic fluff to sound smart. “Mental acuity to adequately ascertain the validity…”? Just say “can’t think critically.” You’re not saying anything new. It’s a basic point, dressed up in a bunch of pretentious language. The real irony? Your comment is a perfect example of the exact kind of BS you’re pretending to criticize.
Look at the Maga base, beer bellies/ shotguns/ IQ. =7.5 pickup trucks and wives that look like miss piggy with curly teeth and kids with their finger up their noses.
@danieldeppner6454 I thought maybe they were trying to avoid coming straight out and saying that a lot of people are stupid, either to be sarcastic or abundantly kind. I know not which. But maybe you're right, lol.
Intelligent people can know a lot on several subjects if they study hard. But no one can'be experts on all subjects. Many experts in their field, when dipping into another subject often delude themselves they can become self taught "experts" and know more than those who dedicated their lives to it with learning from the masters.
Im a highschool teacher. Every year I observe the following: in new formed groups, the individuals who (appear to, or genuinely) care the least, immediately inspire the most respect and are instantly seen as leaders. I wonder in how much this mechanism accounts for the observation that your level of empathy declines with the level of influence one has in a situation.
We've all witnessed it, people who seem thoroughly incompetent rising to positions of authority while more capable individuals remain stuck in the shadows.
This was excellent. I now have an answer to why we’re particularly screwed right now, having favoured unstructured ‘meritocratic’ leadership selection, just as our systems become more centralised and complex
You've nailed the perfect storm. Our 'meritocratic' systems now favor performative confidence over actual competence precisely when we need nuance most. It's like selecting astronauts based on who gives the best launchpad speech while ignoring their engineering skills.
@@PhilosophyCoded one of the U S Air Force's requirements to be a pilot is "no unsightly gaps between teeth". Meaning, must have a nice smile. Selecting astronauts based on launchpad speeches can be summed up as "Who's the best bs'er"/
In my late 30s I was being prepared to climb the corporate latter by my bosses. We were wined and dined by the top executives and after meeting them I thought "There's no way I want to be associated with these psychopaths!" So in my mid fifties I am still in a technical role which was definitely the right decision as I still see the dumb psychopaths in positions of power.
@@juliahello6673 You underestimate the system, I'm a corporate engineer. I just turned 29 and have been in the industry for 7 years... The system shapes you and if you refuse to be molded you're suppressed or discarded. My strategy is to give up on climbing the corporate later and just hop from company to company every 2ish years so I can keep asking for more money
Hello, Africa (but honestly, the West isn't doing much better - it's just at a different level, in better developed societies. Still, the most incompetent ones rise to the top - and get elected).
Machiavelli’s insights into power dynamics remain as relevant as ever. It’s often those who are the most ruthless or manipulative, rather than the wisest or most capable, who rise to the top. Power doesn’t always favor virtue, but understanding the game is key to navigating it.
Yeah even the use of the Dunning Kruger effect is a good way to illustrate it because it is accepted without much criticality because of it’s simplicity. It just makes sense, so people accept it as fact but there are plenty of common sense/ folk psychological concepts which seemingly work and can be complete fantasy. I think the argument holds but, Dunning Kruger isn’t a very solid argument to illustrate it. The simplest answer is, intelligence and competence just aren’t the most important factors here. It’s solely charisma. Although even that simplistic answer illustrates the concept perfectly.
@@nikolaivakulenko375 That means a lot - thank you. It’s incredible how truth often comes in fragments over time, and then suddenly something clicks and the bigger picture appears. I’m honored this video could help piece things together. That’s exactly why I make them - to connect the dots that often go unnoticed but change everything once seen.
I was interviewed once by two older, smooth talking executive men. After they tried to sell me how wonderful their company was, I grilled them on the details of their organizational systems and processes. I basically turned the tables and asked why I should work for them. They were so annoyed with me that the older HR guy called me an hour after the interview to “give me advice” on interview etiquette. 😂
I live in a society that systemically put titles before knowledge. On top of that nepotism is the driving factor. I can't tell how many times I have had people telling me "You can't know xxxx, because you don't have the right title!" Even if I show them the facts supporting it. Truly amazing!
Great presentation. Reminds me of the current situation, in 2025. The only "issue" I would have is that when talking about the need for simplicity, people may, after listening to this, believe that simplicity is a bad thing. It's not. Leaders MUST communicate with the masses in a language they understand. A lot of smart folk have not, whereas, the more charismatic person may have a history of connecting with the people, better.
been down this rabbit hole for years. trust me, The Hidden Jung Files by elena graves is the book that finally made it all make sense. the stuff theyve been suppressing.
if you really wanna understand these things... google ''manly p. hall'' he is 33rd degree free mason, with bunch of lectures on youtube.... and its not like about their rituals, and that shit... its pure knowledge, mind of this guy makes me understand how can they put illusion over whole world, its like him telling u lore of the world, greatest story to hear :).... and if u contemplate about these lectures , sooner or later u figure out the 'truth'
We need more emotionally intelligent people in power. No, not manipulative but genuinely compassionate. A leader should have a balance of multiple types of intelligences.
Modern politics runs on three Machiavellian fuels: manufactured crises, weaponized simplicity, and voters' trained helplessness. The tragedy? We all see it - but the system rewards those who pretend not to.
Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinsism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
Commenting to boost. The lesson here is to at all costs reject hubris. Never feel as if you’ve reached the pinnacle of knowledge. There’s always more to know. If that undermines your popularity then so be it.
Enjoyed this video? Then don’t miss this one:
Watch here: th-cam.com/video/Hqfn8i5F5jk/w-d-xo.html
“Why Do the WORST PEOPLE Seem to Succeed? - Machiavelli and the Truth About Power”
Uncover how ruthless minds rise to the top - and what that reveals about the world we live in.
Thanks for this insight man!
The Machiavellian Paradox
1. Appearing competent is more important than being competent.
- Intelligent people often display traits like nuanced thinking, ethical conditions & self awareness.
- E.g. Others display absolute confidence while intelligent people often question themselves.
- Intelligent people also struggle to influence others who can't follow their complex thinking patterns.
2. Dunning-Kruger effect - Less intelligent people tend to overestimate their intelligence and more intelligent individuals tend to underestimate their intelligence (due to awareness of what they don't know).
- Our brain is wired to use mental shortcuts when evaluating others.
When our ancestors adopted this model, times were simpler. Our modern world is more complex, so this approach fails.
3. Foolish leaders deliberately choose less competent people to prevent losing power. They search for loyalty, not competence.
4. Cognitive closure - People want certainty, even when certainty is unachievable.
The foolish leaders always project certainty.
5. Foolish leaders go out of bounds to make promises that morally constrained competitors cannot promise,
6. Environmental factors:
- Direct Feedback loops and good accountability structures don't give any room to incompetence, while other environments with slow feedback and poor accountability do.
- Institutional design & Power distribution: Centralised powers give room to incompetence,
- Information asymmetry & complexity: Measurable goals reward merit. Ambiguous and subjectively evaluated goals reward style.
7.Psychological tactics
- Portraying criticism as attacks from enemies.
- Linking personal leader identity to group identity so that attacks on the leader feel like attacks on the group
- Having contradictory beliefs simultaneously to create a feeling that truths are subjective.
- Exploit vulnerabilities, E.g., Multiple African leaders be like: "We're giving free internet to everyone."
BREAKING THE CYCLE!
- Understand all of the above (Awareness).
- Recognise the limits of what you know.
- Develop Media Literacy: Discern depth from spectacle. E.g. A US general tried to frame Ibrahim Traore, but it failed. A step in the right direction.
- Practice philosophical reflection
Reforming institutional design:
--> Robust accountability mechanisms.
--> Foster cognitive diversity.
--> Enforce transparency.
The saddest part about this is that it still continues today even though we've suffered through it for so long, and I've even experienced it first hand.
But I strongly believe that there is still room for good influence and we could create a better society. Recognising all of this is just the first step. As more people begin realising this, we can start forming resistance and reforms, and create a better society.
Machiavelli would conclude humanity is a self-destructive species
Fools don't rule, The corrupt do... And they lead the fools that you think rule.
This video is about Elon Musk and Donald Trump
“All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.” -Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse: Dune
So true 💯
Further adding to the brilliance of America's forefathers. They understood this well and wrote a set of rules that only the corrupt try to change
Have no fear Maga is here. To avenge Lincoln and jfk 😂❤
The problem is in the rest of the people allowing that.
@@adrianaloborec2205 ...which was also one of the points of the Dune saga
Because like my father once said "Son, the only people smart enough to run the country are far too intelligent to choose politics as a career"
Because people who are capable do not need to steal the peoples’ tax dollars .. that’s why a certain person does not take a salary 😊
Certain people are also among the oligarchs
Or rather, they will ostracize the intelligent, and only the foolish-those who wouldn’t question anything-will be chosen.
@@ads-bvmyour pattern recognition leaves a lot to be desired. That certain person is the epitome of what this video is talking about. He checks every single box.
Looking at Bernie & AOC youre father was wrong
The irony of this video is that the very people who need to watch this will be the very people who will not.
The very people who need to understand the message understand it as confirmation of their own bias. Look at how they're saying that "this is all about Trump", when in fact reality is more complicated and this is about a lot more things than just that. The solution is not as simple as just the change of presidency. It's been going on under Biden as well.
@@Disorder2312 you just keep telling yourself that buddy. I’m sure you’ll convince your subconscious eventually
@@Disorder2312 Do you notice what you just did?
@ Why are you giving me such a confident reply based on almost nothing? This video is about you as well.
@ I'm just calling for you to understand the complexity of the problem, and apparently you're triggered by that. I bet there is so much things you just ignored and had no idea that they were happening.
It's similar to the job interview process. Because it is never about who is the best person for the job but only ever about who APPEARS to be the best person for the job. It's about likeability, never about competence.
I've worked with a couple of managers and supervisors before. I've found myself looking at some of them and thinking, how on earth do they get to be in this position? They can't do their jobs. But people around them don't talked well about them. No matter what, the competent one will be remembered. They might not always stand out in the crowd but they're the ones receiving praises from others and the one people prefers to work with even after they're long gone.
Managers select those who do not pose a threat to their position by being smarter or more accomplished.
@@stirlingmoss9637exactly, people under the power are chosen to not be a threat and just obey without hesitation
Appeal definitely plays a role
@@peppergirlrocksI agree. Too bad you can't buy a house with praises. In the end the incompetent one will get all the monetary rewards of other peoples' work. I worked in corporate for nearly 10 years, always losing my mind over some halfwit getting promoted while other, more skilled and hardworking ppl were let down.
Most people prefer a pretty lie to an uncomfortable truth.
Tbh, some people just want cheaper booze and cigarettes.
Gah I am SO glad I am not most people.
Prove it.
I don’t know if “most” but definitely enough to affect the rest of us.
All humans prefer a pretty lie to an uncomfortable truth.
Machiavelli was right. Too often, people want leaders who tell them that complex problems can be solved quickly, easily and at no cost to them.
This is why people believe Elon Musk. Musk is what dumb people think smart people sound like.
Yep, like the US is experiencing now
"ONLY I can fix it, believe me"
“day 1”
@@Del009-09kinda like the “climate crisis”
“A great many people think they are thinking, when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”
William James
That quote is timeless - and painfully accurate. Real thinking is uncomfortable because it challenges what we want to believe. Most people aren’t searching for truth… they’re searching for confirmation. William James saw through the noise, and it still rings loud today.
Correct.
Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
Thank you for the quote.
Your statement is not entirely accurate.
Rearranging your prejudices takes thought!😮
My mom always told me don't act like you know everything even if I know alot about it...
Just act like you know nothing...especially at work...allow them to know you know a little about the skills required. ..that actually has gotten me some really good positions. ..on top of it allowed me to gain more knowledge by others that knew more.
I’m screenshotting this to keep it, to learn from it.
Then there’s my job: I have a 5 star rating, unbroken, going on 2 years.. no raise or acknowledgment. 😂
I see what you’re saying, but to be honest, that approach feels deceptive to me. I totally agree that humility is important, and no one wants to come off as a know-it-all. But purposely downplaying what you know-especially at work-can come across as manipulative. I think it's better to be upfront in a respectful way, share your knowledge when it helps, and stay open to learning from others too.
@@x3PLAY The minute you do what you are saying is the minute everyone in positions of authority show you that it means nothing to them.
You become a threat to your superiors. They realize that you are smarter so they give you less task. Don’t be quick to be subjective by saying “ I feel it’s manipulative “. It’s a strategic way of gaining power. If that’s what a person wants.
@@Rawboss1. Why seek power? What you're describing reflects exactly what the video discusses-honest, hardworking people adopting the same manipulative tactics as their bosses just to survive or advance. Personally, I’d rather leave the company than compromise my values in that kind of culture.
Machiavelli never said power goes to the wise - he said it goes to those who understand perception.
Intelligence questions. Power asserts.
That’s why fools rise: they’re confident enough to lie, loud enough to lead, and detached enough to sacrifice anything… including the truth.
The random posts like this are what make the comment section so great
@@thelonewrangler1008 when when ....you can find them!!
Brilliantly put - that contrast between intelligence and power is everything. The wise hesitate because they see complexity; the fool ascends because they pretend it doesn’t exist. In a world ruled by optics, truth becomes optional - and perception becomes the throne.
We are watching this in real time
Agreed. I don't have the stomach for politics but I think I am fairly intelligent and reasonable. But I cannot stand dealing with unreasonable people who simply won't accept answers and spew lies and cause trouble for the sake of causing trouble. Thus I would never run for office despite probably being a great candidate.
Not a single mention of current events in politics, but a searing indictment all the same. Great video!
@@parrotkoi4048 its better to be on safer side and thank you for watching:)
He knew what he was doing.
Yes, very timely. Good advice at the end, but “we” are suffering through a really troubling time where powerful, unwise people are determining our future. I’m a 70 year old white veteran and am afraid of my own government. I could use more advice about how to survive this anxiety without my health failing me.
Wonderful content, thanks!
I know, progressivism is such a stupid cult
I know you think you're incredibly clever, but I'd love to hear if and how you think this applies to the previous administration. Just want to know if you are applying what seems to be a timeless truism about human leadership, with a multitude of historical examples presented in the video, universally. Do you think they're all bad, regardless of the side of the political aisle they're on, or just the "current" one?
"Never underestimate stupid people in large groups". Quote from every brother in law in the world.
Reminds me of something similar: "A person is smart, people are dumb." Might not be word for word and I don't recall where from.
@@wolfhunter98 That is a good one too. My papaw used to tell me " Its okay if people think you are not that smart, even maybe an idiot. But do not recklessly open your mouth and prove them right."
@wolfhunter98 Men in Black;
K:
" A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it."
I say something similar: “never underestimate the stupidity of humans in large groups.”
Quantity has a quality all of its own.
The only valid conclusion from this video is that developing intellectual humility guarantees you will not gain power and influence, and at the same time it guarantees that you will be painfully aware of how the world around you is being deceived and corrupted? We have proven that ignorance is bliss!
And so you proceed to demonstrate that you didn't get the message of the video. You turned the nuance and complexity of Machiavelli's message (and that of this video) into a summary expressed in these terms... "only," "guarantees," "will not," another "guarantees," and "have proven." I don't know if this was an explicit attempt to oversimplify, but given the entire point of the video, it's curious that this take is what came to mind.
It took years for me to learn management is a club, not a meritocracy
Good ol boy network.
To paraphrase Marx “I wouldn’t want to be a member of that club that would have me as a member”
And the rest of the people just do nothing about it because excuses to be okay with it
@@craigdonald551 agreed. most people havent the integrity or courage to step outside of that club - but they want to be with the "in crowd". In my profession of social care witness the amount of incompetence that rises to the top
@@craigdonald551 you might want to refine that to GROUCHO Marx and not "Karl Marx".
This exposes what so many of us see but struggle to explain: the most powerful person in the room often isn’t the smartest - just the boldest. Machiavelli understood that charisma, simplicity, and fear outmaneuver competence in broken systems. The tragedy? Intelligence starts to look like a threat instead of a solution. This isn’t just theory - it’s a survival guide for anyone trying to lead with substance in a world that rewards performance over principle.
So perfectly stated. Thanks for expressing the words i couldn’t put into coherence today. Have a really good day :) ☀️💙🌷🌱
@ That means a lot - thank you. It’s wild how often we feel the truth before we can articulate it. Glad this helped bring some clarity today. Wishing you strength and stillness as you navigate it all 🖤💫
True that. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinsism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
theres also survivorship bias
if 10 people are bold, and only 1 survive, people quickly forget the 9 who got wrecked and praise the lucky survivor for "Being bold"... putting yourself out there is not without risks
it's not that being dumb gets you into power, it's that there are more dumb people than smart... people follow who they connect with, dumb follow dumb... and since there are so many of them based on probability it is usually a dumb who gets lucky... and not a smart
But as the video states, the most "powerful" people don't typically perform better.
This is why charismatic leaders need to surround themselves with intelligent individuals not afraid to say "no, that is not going to work and here's why".
The ones that do this are incredibly successful , especially if they're smart enough to listen . The ones that don't usually don't allow anyone smart around them to begin with cuz they see anyone smarter than themselves as a threat .
This reminds me of Genghis Khan. He surrounded himself with competent, intelligent men regardless of their origins...
Trump hasn't, surrounded by sycophants. Wonder what happens next 🤔
Charismatic people know their influence and do not wish to have their power and influence limited by intelligent, self aware individuals
But... Trump is not charismatic. He is embarrassing.
Thanks for this insight man!
The Machiavellian Paradox
1. Appearing competent is more important than being competent.
- Intelligent people often display traits like nuanced thinking, ethical conditions & self awareness.
- E.g. Others display absolute confidence while intelligent people often question themselves.
- Intelligent people also struggle to influence others who can't follow their complex thinking patterns.
2. Dunning-Kruger effect - Less intelligent people tend to overestimate their intelligence and more intelligent individuals tend to underestimate their intelligence (due to awareness of what they don't know).
- Our brain is wired to use mental shortcuts when evaluating others.
When our ancestors adopted this model, times were simpler. Our modern world is more complex, so this approach fails.
3. Foolish leaders deliberately choose less competent people to prevent losing power. They search for loyalty, not competence.
4. Cognitive closure - People want certainty, even when certainty is unachievable.
The foolish leaders always project certainty.
5. Foolish leaders go out of bounds to make promises that morally constrained competitors cannot promise,
6. Environmental factors:
- Direct Feedback loops and good accountability structures don't give any room to incompetence, while other environments with slow feedback and poor accountability do.
- Institutional design & Power distribution: Centralised powers give room to incompetence,
- Information asymmetry & complexity: Measurable goals reward merit. Ambiguous and subjectively evaluated goals reward style.
7.Psychological tactics
- Portraying criticism as attacks from enemies.
- Linking personal leader identity to group identity so that attacks on the leader feel like attacks on the group
- Having contradictory beliefs simultaneously to create a feeling that truths are subjective.
- Exploit vulnerabilities, E.g., Multiple African leaders be like: "We're giving free internet to everyone."
BREAKING THE CYCLE!
- Understand all of the above (Awareness).
- Recognise the limits of what you know.
- Develop Media Literacy: Discern depth from spectacle. E.g. A US general tried to frame Ibrahim Traore, but it failed. A step in the right direction.
- Practice philosophical reflection
Reforming institutional design:
--> Robust accountability mechanisms.
--> Foster cognitive diversity.
--> Enforce transparency.
The saddest part about this is that it still continues today even though we've suffered through it for so long, and I've even experienced it first hand.
But I strongly believe that there is still room for good influence and we could create a better society. Recognising all of this is just the first step. As more people begin realising this, we can start forming resistance and reforms, and create a better society.
Hell yeah you just distilled the entire sickness of modern leadership into one brutal checklist. The Machiavellian paradox is that the system rewards faking competence over actually having it, and you nailed why: intelligence makes you hesitate, ethics make you hesitate, but dumb confidence? That shit sells. Look at politics, the guys who win are the ones screaming simple answers to complex problems, while anyone actually smart enough to fix things gets stuck explaining nuance to a crowd that just wants a hero. And the Dunning-Kruger effect? It’s like a joke: the people too dumb to know they’re dumb bulldoze their way to the top, while the ones who could lead talk themselves out of it because they’re too aware of the risks.
The worst part? You’re right about the cycle. Foolish leaders pick loyal idiots over competent rivals, then gaslight everyone into thinking criticism is treason. They thrive in broken systems where feedback loops are slow (looking at you, government bureaucracy) or where goals are vague enough that style beats substance every time. And yeah, they love wrapping themselves in the flag or tribe, so attacking their incompetence feels like attacking the whole group. Classic playbook.
But you’re also dead right that awareness is the first step to breaking this. Media literacy, accountability structures, and cognitive diversity aren’t just buzzwords-they’re armor against the clown show. The fact that you’ve seen this crap firsthand and still believe in reform? That’s the only hope we’ve got. Machiavelli wrote The Prince because he thought cynicism was the answer, but the real rebellion is refusing to become what you hate. Keep sharpening those knives-the system’s counting on most people staying asleep.
As a Zimbabwean I thank you for using Mugabe as an example of leaders who institutionalize incompetency by progressively replacing competent people with cronies and psychophants who are ill equipped for the tasks they assume
I love your spelling of psychophant!!
MAGA-VOTERS
Yes. It's called a kakistocracy. Where the U.S. is headed now. Government by the worst, least qualified, and most unscrupulous people. Combine that with a lazy and slothful citizenry and one's democracy rots from the inside. Can you smell it?
This is an interesting point.... in the video it suggests that an incompetent and insecure leader would feel threatened by having a competent team working for him. But for that to be the case the incompetent leader has to be aware of their incompetence, which goes against the earlier assertion that they are so foolish they think they are smart (duning Kruger). I would say it's more likely that they attract idiots to work for them because they repel smart people, because the smart people oppose their idiotic ideas.
In america the same is happening
I had a grade school TA once tell me, "if you want to get a really good presentation grade. You go to the table where it doesn't look like fun, add 1 loud fun person who you'll know will listen and you'll get the best grade. Why? Because all the quiet ones will know how to do the work and teach you how to do it right. The fun one will know how to show off that work and make people like it and not make it boring. Because the audience will always pick the one that sounds entertaining first, and logical second."
There's truly a place for everyone, in the end. Just depends on how well you know them...
What's agreed school TA? Oh that's right, it's probably American, so therefore the rest of the world is supposed to know.
In other words, you have to manipulate people, dumbing things down to their level using simpler concepts like "loud", "fun" and "confident" to get them to like you. Ironic isn't it.
@@sparkypeps1 I'm American, and I have no idea what that is any more than the difference between an LVN, CNS, CNA, or FNP, despite all of them being nurses and those being the only real titles I hear when I see my health care provider. That accusation is as presumptive as what your accusation is claiming of Tic. If you don't know the term, just look it up.
That sounds about right.
Bojo Johnson, uk prime minister. An absolute idiot, corrupt, proven liar, and cannon be trusted with a cup of coffee (literally). Yet people loved him, defended him, even after all of it come to light. People are stupid.
I used to think Machiavelli was evil. I used to think he was compelling us to be tyrants. But nope. He was just telling it how it is. He was warning us of humanities shortcomings.
Not all of humanity, just Cain's seedline....Psalm 58:3-5, Genesis 3:15
@@reesedaniel5835...and this kind of bronze age nonsense isn't helping. At all.
He was evil. Wake up. Each of us really will be judged according to Gospel values - and partners in crime will not protect anyone.
@@rmp7400 I wish you would keep your silly bronze age superstition to yourself. There's no divine justice. There's no divine anything. Live your life, don't be so hung up on a non existent afterlife.
Proverbs. Says. Cursed is the one who trusts in the arm of flesh.. this means to me all of mankind is flakey and trusting people is going to get you into deep trouble and pain if you aren’t very careful. There’s only one who is totally trustworthy.. God warned the Israelites when they wanted a king, he wanted them to be led by himself but they wanted a man for a king, he gave them a human king as they wished and this began their long line of tragedies that is even greater today because we think we are so much smarter and have elaborate governments filled with liars, cheats, narcissists and con men. Good luck with that.
The 'people' want simple answers to their problems and they want a leader who is absolutely confident that they can deliver.
By the time that it has become obvious that their leader has completely failed to deliver, the 'people' will have forgotten what was promised
"Confidence born of ignorance."
I've long since realized it's more effective to convince others you know what you're doing, than actually knowing what you're doing.
Fine maxim. Well wordsmithed analysis. Succinct. True that. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinsism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
I definitely couldn’t live like this. Competence is key, in anything a self respecting man does …
@@ma3stro681 I see you, too, are weighted down by these morality chains... I do feel their heaviness too brother, but I cannot perceive the world any other way if I was being honest with myself.
Well, the systems are extremely complex.
There is no way to predict the outcomes/unintended consequences.
I often joke that if they are predicting "global warming", most likely, we'll have "global cooling".
Just because it's happening all the time.
True but unfortunate. Intelligence, education, and critical thinking appear crucial to effective leadership and not just the perception of it.
Reminds me of university when I studied Machiavelli and my prof said, remember one thing, change is the only thing in this world that is guaranteed. You might not see it, but don't dismiss it. There is so much unknown... Seek it out. Understand that you will only know a tiny slice of reality, and spend the rest of your life being suspicious of people who pretend that they know everything. I loved his class, because it was an adventure of discovery grounded in a brutal foundation of human existence.
Sounds like a class I would’ve loved to sit in on.
You write with a trowel.
but war never changes
“Machiavelli didn’t just study power-he studied pain dressed as strategy.”
Watching this video, I couldn’t help but think: the people who often rise to power aren’t always the wisest, but the most detached-from empathy, from consequence, even from their own reflection.
In psychological terms, it’s what we call the narcissistic reward system-where charm replaces competence, and performance masks emptiness. The crowd cheers confidence, but rarely questions character.
As someone who studied philosophical psychology-and lived through emotional power plays in my own home-I’ve learned that true strength isn’t loud. It doesn’t dominate. It understands. And that’s what we’re missing in leadership today: not intelligence, but inner integration.
Thank you for bringing Machiavelli into the conversation. His truths are old, but the wounds they reveal? Still bleeding.
The way I see it is that there are two equillibria - on the one side you have systems run by intelligent people that favor ethical and just behaviors; on the other side you have systems run by stupid people that favor aggression and malice. The problem is: a just person will go under when placed in the second type of system, just as inherently malicious person will go under when placed in the first. The dilemma is: how do we make the equillibrium shift from rewarding "bad" behaviro to rewarding "good"? As history shows, the inherent tendency is to shift toward the "bad" equillibrium repeatedly (it simply seems more natural to humans to be ruled by assholes, possibly because it has provided evolutionary advantages in the past).
@@clray123 The perspective of there being two types of societal “equilibria” - one run by intelligent, ethical people, and the other by foolish, malicious ones - reflects a kind of dualistic thinking common in moral analysis. But the first issue to question is: do these two distinct equilibria really exist in such clear-cut forms? In reality, most systems are a mix of intelligence and ignorance, goodwill and malice. Intelligent people can act unethically, and foolish people can sometimes act with genuine kindness. Human systems tend to operate through competing interests, not just pure ethics or intellect.
Second, the idea that a good person can’t survive in a bad system, and vice versa, is a bit static and overly pessimistic. History shows many moral individuals who not only survived but made meaningful impact within unjust systems - through persistence, wisdom, and adaptability without losing their core values. Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are powerful examples. They didn’t “fit” into bad systems, but precisely because of that, they helped dismantle them.
Now to the key question: How do we shift the equilibrium from rewarding “bad” behavior to rewarding “good”?
Redesign incentives: Every system runs on rewards and punishments. When ethical behavior becomes strategically advantageous - through laws, culture, or education - then goodness becomes more than just a moral choice; it becomes a smart one.
Elevate collective awareness: Humans tend to conform to social norms. When communities become more sensitive to unethical behavior and stop glorifying success at any cost, the “bad equilibrium” starts to destabilize.
Promote a new kind of leadership: What we need are leaders who aren’t just smart or moral, but who can also navigate complex realities - people who understand that “good” doesn’t mean weak, and “evil” doesn’t mean strong.
Finally, maybe it’s true that humans evolved to follow authoritarian figures in the past - but survival today isn’t about who holds the biggest stick. It’s about who can build the most sustainable and cooperative communities. Social evolution doesn’t stop at instinct - it’s also about learning and transcending instinct.
@@Soul-Depth-68 For every Gandhi, Mandela etc. there were countless more - unheard of - who tried to resist and went under. And then there are also those who famously tried resisting and were brutally eliminated as consequence (does the name Jesus ring a bell? do you think his sacrifice was a "success" because of the religion - and the following authoritarian systems - he helped establish?)
The point is that resistance in an inherently evil system is only possible at great personal risk. Just like committing crimes in a good system is only possible at great personal risk to the criminal.
So in a sense, the just opposition is an aberration, a sort of abnormal, irrational, individualistic behavior which most of the time does not work and most importantly does not benefit those who choose this path.
My opinion is that systems should be designed up-front so that authoritarian behavior has automated, built-in punishment options - those in power should actively, and reasonably fear collective retribution from those who their power applies to, and the retribution should be easy to exert (e.g. without waiting for "next elections" - which in case of an established authoritarian system either never come or are meaningless). But this would practically require empowering everyone with the capability of exerting a more or less equal amount of violence to defend their individual rights and morality, based on their own judgmenet of feeling oppressed. Supposedly reasonable people will argue against this on the grounds that this would "enable populism to win" - the assumption here being that the unkempt, stupid, evil masses would quickly turn against their good leaders because of getting successfully incited by the bad ones. AFAIK, this assumption has never been tested in history - the usual arrangement has been that individuals do not matter, only well-organized gangs do - but accepting it is already a sort of surrender to the idea that an evil system is the only sustainable one.
Today's systems evolve toward centralization of power/violence in the hands of very few, regardless of the laws claiming balances and equality (which when push comes to shove can be undone very quickly even under light pretense, as we've seen with COVID). The technological (military, surveillance) and organizational advantage of the established "elites" are enough to tip the system toward the bad equillibrium and permanently keep it there.
If evil behavior of the so-called leaders goes unpunished, there is very little incentive for being good, and even less if you are the ones who are benefitting from this system and whose task (what a coincidence) is to design and "improve" it.
@@Soul-Depth-68 This is one of the most powerful reflections shared here - thank you for it. You’re absolutely right: Machiavelli didn’t just map the architecture of power, he exposed the emotional fractures behind it. Power, in his world, was often a compensation - a strategy born from disconnection, not clarity.
The narcissistic reward system you mention is hauntingly accurate. In a culture that rewards appearance over essence, charm becomes a mask, and noise drowns out nuance. True strength - the kind rooted in integration, empathy, and understanding - becomes invisible, even suspicious.
And yet, as you said, it’s that kind of strength we’re most starved for. Not more dominance, but more depth. Not louder leaders, but wiser ones.
Machiavelli’s truths may be centuries old, but you’re right - they still bleed through our modern wounds. Your voice brings that to light in a way few can.
@@PhilosophyCoded “One voice began to echo through the night. One voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune - but sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two - and two became three.” Various versions of Admiral McRaven’s speech have racked up over 70 million views combined. Since one of my sites was named after the turning point in his SEAL-training story, obviously I’m a fan. What I’m not a fan of is celebrating beliefs then abandoning them the instant they become inconvenient: Particularly when the whole point is about rising to the occasion.
Somewhere within the walls of “most systems are a mix of intelligence and ignorance, goodwill and malice”- I aim to find that other voice in “One Voice Became Two.” @Soul-Depth-68 has the right idea with “Redesign incentives,” “Elevate collective awareness,” and “Promote a new kind of leadership”- but how do we do those things?
I have a very specific answer to that question. With what I have in mind, I don't need mass appeal to make this happen: I just need to get to one man! Hear me out and all will become clear:
============================================
Subject: This Nation Needs a National Conversation - On How to Have Conversation
In my youth, it was inconceivable that America would become a country that tap dances around reality on a daily basis (delighting in contempt for correction). I could not have imagined a world in which even people with PhDs would act like imbeciles in the face of information they don’t instantly understand. If I came across illustrations so damning of behavior that dominates the day - I’d be intrigued by what clearly requires examination to reveal the full picture on display. I wouldn’t care whether or not I knew who the titular character is in "Who's the BOT? The Legacy of Loury & the Like":
I’d recognize he’s a representation of a world wallowing in what they want to hear (turning their minds into mush).
Which is why their kind is increasingly rewarded for a mountain of preaching on a molehill of practice. But from decades of dealing with hermetically sealed minds, I came up with a way to address that problem by using it. A renowned psychologist no longer with us once wrote, “Very interesting and original” in response to my idea. Had covid not killed him, who knows where we’d be now. Even in his condition, he saw what so few can. Just where can I find the Festinger of today? But as rightly revered as he is - he didn’t solve anything (he simply enhanced our understanding of irrational behavior). It’s high time to act on such knowledge.
A student wrote of her psychology professor: “Tim Wilson taught me the importance of breaking problems down into more manageable pieces.” At the bedrock of my idea is exactly that! The 11th edition of Social Psychology has the domino effect on the cover. They’ve got an image of an idea - I’ve got the idea! Search TH-cam for Sounds of Silence: The Deafening Noise of a Nation Decades in Decline - and you’ll see. To borrow from Outbreak, “Go without a mask, you’ll see more clearly!”
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Richard W. Memmer
P.S. An Egyptian proverb states, “Understanding develops by degrees.” As in what it takes to understand every single story, slide, image, title, caption, quote, and how it’s all connected in Sounds of Silence.
============================================
This message is so important to understand the relationship with stupid people and power. His writing is so enlightening.
I have experienced and seen this my entire career. The least capable become managers and leaders, while the most experienced and smartest stay in the shadows.
maybe because thats what his aim is
It really depends on the company. Some companies do have really smart leaders at the top. And some have simply morons running it.
@@sidorgeorge
Very true. It happens more often than one would think, but is not always the case
Managers are also the biggest A-holes...
老老实实干活的人适合老老实实干活，油嘴滑舌的人适合升职，老老实实做事的人必然因为认真做事所以不太注意关系，可感觉就是这样，大家都喜欢活跃气氛的，不喜欢自闭的
" Understanding the darkness doesn't mean surrendering to it. It means gaining the power to create light." One of the best quotes I have ever heard to date! Coupled with a great video also. Excellent work.
Thank you❤️
Light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.
@@angusnaidoo7309 Oh was that what it meant? I didn't get that. I prefer the sailor's version, I'm paraphrasing here but "adjust the sails instead of cursing the storm"
In my 50-year corporate career, I've seen these power machinations play out exactly as described in this video over and over in company after company.
Yes I’ve refused to climb corporate ladders because I couldn’t ‘morally’ allow myself to become a soulless yes person. Always to my financial detriment
Universities thrive on this system.
@DreadPirate 1985 NYC during a job interview I was asked the question:"What motivates you in a corporate environment?" and although I really needed the job I couldn't help but answer: "The paycheck." I wasn't chosen for the job. I just wanted the work, 'they' wanted my soul.
@twolegsnotail A lot of companies don't want honest employees. They want employees that are willing to tell lies for the company.
The really smart ones are shorting the companies stock.
As a Kid who turned 18 last year I can't imagine how accurate his predictions about power struggles and political insight he had 600 years ago which are even more so valid to our technologically advanced and complex modern world he truly was a Genius person who saw the things the way it was.
"Power is always dangerous, it attracts the worst, and it corrupts the best."
- Ragnar Lothbrok
And there is no system of government that can prevent it.
True that. Well nuanced, wordsmithed. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
"Power is always dangerous, it attracts the worst, and it corrupts the best."
- Ur mother
@@joecoolioness6399Exactly because no matter the system one lives in, humans are humans, and governments are created by humans after all.
@@joecoolioness6399 As long as man is sinful, some will try to domineer and control, and will bend the system and GROW the system to keep them in power. But some forms of government are better. Our founders wisely set up a system wherein there are checks and balances. But we should recognize evil in those who steal elections and flood our country with illegal immigrants who are granted the right to vote.
It's true that the more you learn, the more you realize how very little you know. It's true for any trade or subject.
Life in general.
Or as Newton said that he stood on giants shoulders
The Dunning-Kruger effect
This was such a powerful and detailed breakdown of power dynamics, politics, and the insanity of how we treat the environment. But what really hits hard is realizing it’s not just the politicians who are foolish, its us. We fuel the system, ignore the signs, and keep walking toward the edge like it’s not our future burning.
Well... maybe.
But it could also be that intelligent people realize, firmly, at some point that the effort for politics and change is not worth it just to "help" the rest of the people. Intelligence is not transferable, it can be demoralizing to do something beneficial or better only for the people to reject it bc "hey, I am a free person, and I like coke, so leave me alone" that is clearly not smart or good for people, so intelligent people realize is useless to try to improve humanity, the luck of the draw in intelligence is just that, luck, randomness, even intelligent people cannot guarantee that their progeny will be or act intelligently; as we can clearly see, and as we can prove historically.
Thanks glad you feel that way:)
Yes! The last decade has been a true eye opener as to the large number of disconnected people we're surrounded by. What gets me the most is how many of them think they're doing the right thing and waste their activist energy supporting our demise
I have the gift of the gab but even i could explain it better
Not explain
"Machiavelli was ahead of his time with this one! 😳 It’s crazy how often power ends up in the hands of those who lack wisdom or empathy. It makes you wonder if true leadership is even about intelligence, or more about manipulation and timing. Anyone else feel like we've seen this play out too many times in history?"
Everyone in America needs to look at this video.
They ain't smart enough
Why watch it when they think they know better
Trump is way too competent. That's why they fear him and want him removed at all costs.
@@entropy616 hey, don't look at me, I didn't vote for that moron.
The people who most need to never will.
I appreciated that you never mentioned he who currently afflicts us by name, while every sentence you spoke brought him instantly to the mind of everyone listening.
That's because you don't see the double and triple games he plays. He puts on an act and plays a role. And his enemies chase every rabbit he offers them, down every hole to a pointless outcome! I'd say more but...really what would be the point?
So true!
@@John-k1i5t I can only imagine the IQ of those that look up to him.
He made Idiocracy (the movie) an instruction manual.
@@Ray-h8s Thanks, I got all my IQ by bankrupting seven businesses.
You've missed the point.
I’ve started to realize that confidence doesn’t always come with real capability. Sometimes, those who project "certainty" are the ones creating illusions and deceiving others. I’m now focusing on intellectual humility and looking at things more deeply, instead of relying on easy promises.
Noam Chomsky said it best addressing a University Graduation. All you have proved, he said to them, you'll jump through any hoop to succeed. You've proven, that you'll tow the line, conform and be obedient.
Pretty accurate.
Did he really tell a University Class that!? That might be the most BASED thing I've ever heard! My appreciation for the man continues to grow!
@names_are_useless pretty much, he cleaned it up. But Noam also said I'm one of you, by virtue of his collection of various degrees. He is a luvly man, humble and unmovable.
Have to disagree here. Finishing an engeneering degree shows that you have learned a lot about mechanics and physics. Many studies provide a lot of skills that are nessisary for our modern wold to function.
So unless it is said mostly in jest and ment to poke fun at and encourage the class to not stop learning. That statement is on it's face very dumb.
@DG20202 you proved my point...as soon as you use the word "dumb". You'd rather win an argument, then accept it's a valid point (in general). Sorry i upset your (obviously)fragile ego.
@@smellslikethinice1107 Reread your comment and tell me, are you engaging in a healthy and civil discussion or defending your point of view and started attacking individuals ?
I can assume, we are all in agreement with he original comment. But i can see that it only applies in a certain situation, like, in a graduation of business and management department.
because as @DG20202 said, this "all you have proven ..." doesnt apply to physics, biology, math, engineering, or any scientific major since its nigh impossible to graduate from those using 'pure charismatic power' (sorry, this is kinda wrong. I meant "yes-man attitude").
I agree with both stances, i just find it inappropiate to put it as an absolute universal truth about every single graduates since doing so is simply wrong, or, please forgive me for saying this, dumb.
Our Sumatran wisdom said empty can sound louder.
Shallow water is noisy, deep water is silent.
"rippling water indicates shallowness"
This perfectly reflects so much in corporate and political leadership.
Fools do not rule, but fools are often on the throne.
because the real power brokers prefer to be away from public eyes so they prop up a fool to stay at the top
the fools are just front figures
You are quite literally what this world needs right now.
What a good video. It's so hard to explain this to most coworkers that when you try you end up being the fool. This is absolutely one of the main reason I became more anti social over the years.
Thanks for watching! What you described is exactly why I made this - that isolating feeling when you see the game clearly but get punished for naming it. Stay strong - your perspective is valuable, even if the system pretends otherwise.
Who is the system? Is the system in this room with us? Did you take your meds schitzo?
"Confidence is for people that don't understand the problem" - Woody Allen
Woody Allen married his own stepchild.
'Whats wrong with being Confident?"-Demi Lovato
@@thejohnbeck
See, now you are demonstrating the exact subject of this video.
Congratulations on your Dunning-Krueger effect!
@@charlie-obrien yeah but he just simply stated Woody allen was a little bit chuckoo in the head... youre right tho
@@thejohnbeck A broken clock is right twice a day
2:52
"bold assertion trumps thoughtful deliberation"
Very clever choice of word.
@@wlyiu4057 haha
Classic!
"Incompetence has become institutionalized" that's becoming blatantly obvious. Amazing video.
It’s crazy how pertinent this video is in regard to the political climate in the world right now…more specifically the USA.
The whole of the Demoncrat party n Most of the Republican ( if not nearly all)
@@AnnaKnijnik Nice try. The entire GOP is literally filled with Trump yes-men who will lie and grift as long as it gives them an edge over their peers. This video couldn't have done a better job of describing the modern Republican Party and Trump's cascading effect of stupidity and corruption. The Democrats' biggest sin is that their leadership seems to want to move more and more to the right and be more like the GOP in terms of corporate connections.
@AnnaKnijnik Nice try. The entire GOP is literally filled with Trump yes-men who will lie and grift as long as it gives them an edge over their peers. The Democrats' biggest sin is that their leadership seems to want to move more and more to the right and be more like the GOP in terms of corporate connections.
@@AnnaKnijnikIf you're a Trump supporter, you've no place to talk.
@@AnnaKnijnik Please name for me the Competent Republican Leaders. I already have some guesses as to what you'll say...
These practices are routine in industry. Self-serving individuals who excel at looking good, sounding good and resolutely serving only those higher up the food chain, who selected them for this reason, create a culture of defensiveness and distrust.
If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them. Ecclesiastes 5:8
"The Peter Principle", book half century back. True that. Well nuanced, wordsmithed. Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
Wow, thank you so much for watching!
I honestly didn’t expect this video to get so many likes, comments, and such great feedback. It’s been amazing reading all your thoughts!
Since a lot of you asked for the sources I used, I’ve put them all together in a document here:
👉 docs.google.com/document/d/12r141CQfAh_7zk8TbAx8g8PfnjwXtzq-fKF4f4O5zXA/edit?usp=sharing
Thanks again for all the support! Feel free to drop any other questions or ideas for future videos in the comments. 😊
This is most true in the so called intellectuals who live in the world of utopian fantasy theories without real world knowledge or experience.
WOW!!!
❤
I read N.Mach in high school. I didn't know a useful it would be.
Most major institutions are now guilty of the things mentioned here but are projecting their guilt onto those wanting to expose and reform them. It is those with the most power who use these tactics on those who threaten their monopoly on that power. Centralized power will always be corrupt because of human nature. Only decentralized power where communities compete for citizens by providing them the best standard of living will fix this problem because it will take competent leaders able to provide this.
Thanks for this video. This topic is more relevant now than ever.
It's a good video! And it's not very surprising that a video with the tag line "Why fools rule" is getting watched right now, as the ruler of the biggest economy in the world thinks it is going to be "great again" by emptying store shelves of imported goods, and massively increasing the price of anything that remains, simply because he has no idea how tariffs actually work
Thanks for putting this information all together and not using some AI narrator. Great video!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it
Every time I've ever DARED to create any light, the vast darkness noticed, and instantly consumed me whole and spat out a husk. I am all that remains. Good luck out there.
I know exactly what that means and how that feels.
Sometimes your legacy is to be an example of what not to do.
Well done. Every young person needs to see this as part of their curriculum
Thank you for viewing this as highly as such:)
I have hardly seen anybody actually act upon things they learn in their curriculum. It is a hoax, that education shapes you. It is a mere tool, and let us see it that way.
don't let people get any bright ideas
This video is really thought-provoking! Machiavelli really understood the nature of power and people, when he noticed that stupid or eccentric people often hold power more easily than intelligent and responsible people. It is worth reconsidering the way we evaluate and choose leaders today.
Agree. People are drawn to the loudest, more confident person who is willing to lie to their face and give them an acceptable response, whether it be lie or truth. I feel like people like to be placated.
Especially woemyn, who always prefer sweet lies to uncomfortable truths …
@@ma3stro681or a pretty face and designer clothes instead of a pure heart and common sense.
The masses in the middle of the bell-curve who can't see through the lies. They vote en-masse and that's how you get where we are today.
I recently had a talk with middle aged/elderly couples talking about politicians, the women all commented on whether or not they though X or Z politician was hot or not, and laughed, at some point after a while of this I asked them if there was any other factor that mattered to them other than whether or not he was good looking, and one girl immediately answered "it’s the most important thing" and they all burst out laughing
Thankfully women find me attractive so I am not disadvantaged in that way, but it’s a funny thing to note, women do not consider any other factor when voting for a politician other than his face
@@IceRain-f5v Only landowners should be allowed to vote. Male landowners. Anyone else, should have NOT vote, as they have no vested interest in anything.
There is also the element of behavior taught in school. From childhood the school Principal is the leader and should be feared, not questioned, admired, respected and so forth. A blind following that is commonly observed in adults who assume that a person elected to town office or dressed in uniform is somehow smarter than the rest of the room.
I knew all the parts solidified for your dissertation... but you did a better job allowing a better understanding I've experienced during decades as a blue-collar worker. Just couldn't put it to words you so eloquently displayed!
Example, I was lead person on an underground construction job. I reported back to the office on a Friday I shut down the site till proper saftey standards were incorporated. I was fired from the job that same night. The following Monday while starting my day at another job site, laborers from the last job called me to come and shut the work down. I took the liberty to investigate, leaving my new job site. I arrived in time to halt the excavator from digging further. While arguing with the operator engineer, the trench collapsed, burying two pipe fitters. One died, the other we dug out with our hard hats saving him. All the while the firefighting rescuers telling us it's too dangerous us or for them to help!
Let me guess there was no accountability.
A great critique of all politicians and parties , I think it really encourages everyone to examine themselves because we are all so guilty of falling into these traps.
This is an amazingly powerful half hour. Machiavellianism is a personality trait of manipulating, deceiving, and exploiting others for one's own gain. "Understanding the darkness doesn't meas surrendering to it, it means gaining the power to create light." Thank you, an amazingly accurate description of recent decades in American politics, world politics really. And an insight into human behavior we have seen around the world since recorded history began. Profound and important. How to get it to, and understood by, the many is the challenge, isn't it?
Absolutely a "must see"video amongst so many futile content, I hope it reaches millions of viewers
Thank you for your kind words sir:)
This explains the phenomenon of Elon Musk. "We just nuke the poles of Mars and create an atmosphere" And people go geesh that is so simple but brilliant. Here you go they have an answer a solution it doesn't need to be true. But Musk says it with such confidence like it is a 100 % proven fact. Idk if he plays this part or he truly believes it that's another subject. I just wanted to give an example.
Absolutely great video btw. One of the best Machiavelli videos out there.
No. He doesn't fit to this situation. Come on.. you can do better than thinking like that ...
Have you, genius, created anything…..yet?
@@MkBl-ll5zp Has Musk? He didn't create anything at all. The only business he tried to build from the ground up was PayPal and he was removed shortly after its inception because he was such a bad manager. In every other business he has been part of he came in as the money guy who didn't actually provide any actual IP.
@@MkBl-ll5zp Musk is a dopey idiot who inherited an emerald mine and hasn't built anything, your point dopey?
@@MkBl-ll5zpHe's correct 💯 ... and FYI Musk has not created anything from scratch either (prob except the Cyber truck, the most enormous & massive failure by FAR in the car industry!) He buys into businesses other ppl already created, incl Tesla and then hires brilliant people to do the actual work while he spreads hateful messages & trolls ppl on Twitter 24-7 & pays actual great gamers to play under his name. He's a massive FRAUD!
Its the pattern especially visible in cartoons and animations: you have the guy in power, and the guy who is smart, and he is trying to explain stuff, and the boss not following directions 😵💫
This made me really rethink adopting humility as a life philosophy because it's so beautiful in is complexity and as a statement about my values. Then I remembered why I abandoned it in the first place. No one recognizes humility, no one appreciates humility, no one values humility. The very people I adopted humility to combat and counter are completely oblivious to humility.
I agree, overthinking and what ifs is what gets smart people left behind. Stupid people just live in the moment and don't think at all
This describes the political and corporate nightmare occurring all over the world at this time.
Machiavelli’s insights are still so relevant today, it’s a wake-up call to be more critical of those in power. Again this isn’t just a flaw in individuals but a failure of the systems that put them there. Apparently, being the biggest fool with the loudest mouth is the golden ticket to power. Makes perfect sense 😁👍
This was indeed disturbing. A clear picture of how and why the incompetent and 'evil' seem to rise to the top in every arena. Meanwhile, the proposed solution, creating structures and environments that are resistant to this, seems near impossible.
A big part of the problem is that we do not recognise psychology as the powerful tool that it is. All of our systems are pretty much based on the better angels of human beings. Instead, we should be building systems that recognise our glaring inadequacies and put systems in place to minimise them. Representational democracy is no longer fit for purpose. We need to rethink how we do democracy in order to keep the vultures out of positions of power.
I read "The Prince" in my youth, and saw many of the insights you highlighted -- but I missed or underappreciated many others. You did a brilliant job of weaving them all into a cohesive and useful narrative that is highly relevant to our modern society. Extremely well done!
I wish I had read it when I was a child. It is a good foundation to understanding human behavior, leadership, nation building, etc.. Humanity and history made a lot more sense after reading it. It answers a lot of questions, such as why stupid brutish people end up in power instead of more logical ones.
I think if Machiavelli saw our current predicament he would look defeated for a second, sigh, roll his rolls his eyes then carry on with his life. He did everything in his power to warn us. I beleive he has said everything he has to say about it and I don't think humanity has changed one bit.
Yeah the biden administration really left us f-ed up eh?
Bold, provocative, and historically grounded. This piece brilliantly connects Machiavelli’s insights with today’s power dynamics, exposing uncomfortable truths with clarity and precision. A powerful reminder that influence isn’t always tied to wisdom-well-crafted and compelling throughout!
This is one of the few videos on you tube where I’ve learned something I hadn’t known before. It also explains the sign of our times. Thank you for creating and sharing. There is hope 🙏🏼🌿
My Dad was Mensa, he never amounted to anything in his life; he died a cold, alone, long and miserable death for these very same reasons that you highlighted here in this video.
Very well done, impressive and thorough work. Bravo. 🎉
Extremely intelligent people often have great deficits as well, which often prevent them from having normal social relations. Best to be intelligent, but not genius level.
This video deserves to be watched multiple times to let all the content sink in.
☺️
This is the most sound philosophical study I've ever watched/learned. It's like narrating our current state rn, and unfortunately might be predicting what's to come for another thousand years (and more).
It takes a great deal of courage to resist and fight against the "foolish people in power". I tried. But the resistance was beaten out of me physically and emotionally. I just keep my head down and look after myself as best I can. Best wishes to those who are able to continue the fight.
Luckily the Democrats have been beaten back for the moment. Free speech will have a chance again.
I respect the effort you’ve put into resisting those in power-it sounds like you’ve gone through a lot. I personally haven’t taken it that far, and to be honest, I choose not to. It often feels too complex and far removed from what I can actually influence. I try to focus on what’s within my reach, because in the end, I think life is about living-not constantly fighting.
Trumpet is a great example of this illusion of confidence and competency.
Yet Harris chose Waltz over Shapiro while Trump chose Vance, Musk, Patel and Kennedy. Harris was supremely confident when asked what she would do differently and she replied “Nothing comes to mind.”
@@cynthiafreudenberger1578So true. It appears that the videos’ purpose to make us to be self-introspective only leads to more tribalism. Machiavelli would approve, it only proves his point.
Who do you want for President, sweetheart?
@@cynthiafreudenberger1578you’re not really implying that Trump has surrounded himself with competent personnel? Not after watching this video …
@@cynthiafreudenberger1578 Incredible how everyone you've listed for Trump's side fits almost 1 to 1 with the examples given in the video. Opportunist yes-men who exploit the uneducated and provide simple solutions to complex problems. Their only "merit" being the circumstances of their birth or the amount of money they've swindled from their victims.
"Have you ever found yourself drawn to an explanation precisely because it was simple and difinitive?" No, never, but I can see that in most people. Sadly, the stupidity is the norm. We, the deep and nuanced thinkers, the moraly and intellectualy honest, stand no chance in the face of simpleton stubborness... Exemplary content by the way. I salute and thank you my good sir!
This video needs a follow up. The new video should explore 1) how to prevent the rise of incompetent leaders and 2) how competent leaders can succeed.
The underlying problem is that large numbers of people don't seem to have the mental acuity to adequately ascertain the validity of what they are being told.
You don't have to try to sound intelligent, you can just say most people love to eat up bullshit...they just can't get enough of it.
You took a simple idea "a lot of people can’t tell when they’re being misled” and buried it in overblown academic fluff to sound smart. “Mental acuity to adequately ascertain the validity…”? Just say “can’t think critically.”
You’re not saying anything new. It’s a basic point, dressed up in a bunch of pretentious language. The real irony? Your comment is a perfect example of the exact kind of BS you’re pretending to criticize.
Look at the Maga base, beer bellies/ shotguns/ IQ. =7.5 pickup trucks and wives that look like miss piggy with curly teeth and kids with their finger up their noses.
@danieldeppner6454 I thought maybe they were trying to avoid coming straight out and saying that a lot of people are stupid, either to be sarcastic or abundantly kind. I know not which. But maybe you're right, lol.
Intelligent people can know a lot on several subjects if they study hard. But no one can'be experts on all subjects. Many experts in their field, when dipping into another subject often delude themselves they can become self taught "experts" and know more than those who dedicated their lives to it with learning from the masters.
Im a highschool teacher. Every year I observe the following: in new formed groups, the individuals who (appear to, or genuinely) care the least, immediately inspire the most respect and are instantly seen as leaders. I wonder in how much this mechanism accounts for the observation that your level of empathy declines with the level of influence one has in a situation.
We've all witnessed it, people who seem thoroughly incompetent rising to positions of authority while more capable individuals remain stuck in the shadows.
This was excellent. I now have an answer to why we’re particularly screwed right now, having favoured unstructured ‘meritocratic’ leadership selection, just as our systems become more centralised and complex
You've nailed the perfect storm. Our 'meritocratic' systems now favor performative confidence over actual competence precisely when we need nuance most. It's like selecting astronauts based on who gives the best launchpad speech while ignoring their engineering skills.
@@PhilosophyCoded one of the U S Air Force's requirements to be a pilot is "no unsightly gaps between teeth". Meaning, must have a nice smile. Selecting astronauts based on launchpad speeches can be summed up as "Who's the best bs'er"/
In my late 30s I was being prepared to climb the corporate latter by my bosses.
We were wined and dined by the top executives and after meeting them I thought "There's no way I want to be associated with these psychopaths!"
So in my mid fifties I am still in a technical role which was definitely the right decision as I still see the dumb psychopaths in positions of power.
Everyone is not wired to swim with the sharks. Some people are not that sick and evil.
Truth or power without love is cold,
Love without truth is weak😊❤
You could have made a difference by not acting like them.
Only way to change it is from inside
@@juliahello6673 You underestimate the system, I'm a corporate engineer. I just turned 29 and have been in the industry for 7 years... The system shapes you and if you refuse to be molded you're suppressed or discarded. My strategy is to give up on climbing the corporate later and just hop from company to company every 2ish years so I can keep asking for more money
“Incompetent leaders tend to surround themselves with less competent subordinates.”
Hello, ANC
More like all of Africa ...60 years later, same ol incompetence.
Wow does that mean the NP had been even less competent? 🤣🤣🤣
Hello, Africa
(but honestly, the West isn't doing much better - it's just at a different level, in better developed societies. Still, the most incompetent ones rise to the top - and get elected).
I thinking of biden
Brilliant presentation. Bravo. And the illustrations were superb
Machiavelli’s insights into power dynamics remain as relevant as ever. It’s often those who are the most ruthless or manipulative, rather than the wisest or most capable, who rise to the top. Power doesn’t always favor virtue, but understanding the game is key to navigating it.
Excellent little documentary, essentially on how simple minded most people are.
The simple solution, fast food, fast information, fast fixes.
@@DarylRoberts-s5n thank you:)
Yeah even the use of the Dunning Kruger effect is a good way to illustrate it because it is accepted without much criticality because of it’s simplicity.
It just makes sense, so people accept it as fact but there are plenty of common sense/ folk psychological concepts which seemingly work and can be complete fantasy.
I think the argument holds but, Dunning Kruger isn’t a very solid argument to illustrate it. The simplest answer is, intelligence and competence just aren’t the most important factors here. It’s solely charisma.
Although even that simplistic answer illustrates the concept perfectly.
You have gathered the information that I was looking bit by bit for in recent years, now it's like a complete puzzle. Thank you, great job!
@@nikolaivakulenko375 That means a lot - thank you. It’s incredible how truth often comes in fragments over time, and then suddenly something clicks and the bigger picture appears. I’m honored this video could help piece things together. That’s exactly why I make them - to connect the dots that often go unnoticed but change everything once seen.
It all seems so simple, so obvious and yet so unstoppable
I was interviewed once by two older, smooth talking executive men. After they tried to sell me how wonderful their company was, I grilled them on the details of their organizational systems and processes. I basically turned the tables and asked why I should work for them. They were so annoyed with me that the older HR guy called me an hour after the interview to “give me advice” on interview etiquette. 😂
I live in a society that systemically put titles before knowledge. On top of that nepotism is the driving factor. I can't tell how many times I have had people telling me "You can't know xxxx, because you don't have the right title!" Even if I show them the facts supporting it. Truly amazing!
Wow in my long long career seeing this play out, what you did in 30mins to explain was nothing less than outstanding.
Terrific video!
I can't wait to watch more!
Great presentation. Reminds me of the current situation, in 2025. The only "issue" I would have is that when talking about the need for simplicity, people may, after listening to this, believe that simplicity is a bad thing. It's not.
Leaders MUST communicate with the masses in a language they understand. A lot of smart folk have not, whereas, the more charismatic person may have a history of connecting with the people, better.
been down this rabbit hole for years. trust me, The Hidden Jung Files by elena graves is the book that finally made it all make sense. the stuff theyve been suppressing.
Cant find it off a google search
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand makes a good case for the power of the masses, and the simple strategies for manipulating them.
if you really wanna understand these things... google ''manly p. hall'' he is 33rd degree free mason, with bunch of lectures on youtube.... and its not like about their rituals, and that shit... its pure knowledge, mind of this guy makes me understand how can they put illusion over whole world, its like him telling u lore of the world, greatest story to hear :).... and if u contemplate about these lectures , sooner or later u figure out the 'truth'
@@degreeskelvin3025 It's an ai made ebook. This is a bot comment.
FAKE AI GENERATED BOOK. BOT COMMENT. REDDIT CONFIRMED.
Power attracts the most psychotic of people.
Power is an aphrodisiac : Henry Kissinger
I observe this on an almost daily basis.
We need more emotionally intelligent people in power. No, not manipulative but genuinely compassionate. A leader should have a balance of multiple types of intelligences.
Social Media is what Plato’s Cave was warning us about.
I never thought of that what a great comparison
This explains our current politics clearly
Last Administration was also rotten.
@@Nudnik1 you're just getting a whiff of your upper lip, or possibly a dirty diaper.
Modern politics runs on three Machiavellian fuels: manufactured crises, weaponized simplicity, and voters' trained helplessness. The tragedy? We all see it - but the system rewards those who pretend not to.
@PhilosophyCoded Also, bread and circuses and polarization of populous...
It has been the case for decades or more.
As an African, I have been puzzled by this disturbing occurrence around me!!
You got a thing for porridge? 🙂↔️
How about oatmeal and cream of wheat?? 😁☺️😆
Around you???? In your town?? In your country?? On the entire African continent???
@@Andreschannel_SA The whole f"%^&ing continent!!
@ 🤣
Yet even if we lost all our fantasies and were broadly educated...humans still could not cooperative enough. Mechanization is addictive, resources limited. Along with the Leadership fallacy, or Social Darwinsism, idiocy that success proves competence pales beside the dangers of false faiths in future tech Musk has a comic boo understanding of reality. Trump is preliterate level, even more delusional. >>> But meaning is always imperfectly defined in language...define wise, define fool. Enjoyed use of 'trump' as verb. Use this often now myself. Nota Bene, it is SCIENTISTIC to use IQ scores as a test of understanding and education. 'Tests' test knowledge within parameters, and only very approximately. Human brains, and collections and progressions of plural brains, are the final measuring device, even in the hardest sciences. ALSO very unreliable and approximate.
Commenting to boost. The lesson here is to at all costs reject hubris. Never feel as if you’ve reached the pinnacle of knowledge. There’s always more to know. If that undermines your popularity then so be it.