'Sound logic doesn’t always win arguments. Human beings are moved by emotion, not logic' - This bit still rings undeniably true! Something tells me Cicero would get on quite well as a modern politician 🙄
What a great read. If applied today I believe many politicians would fall under this rubric. I will let the reader decide which is more apt to use these tactics lol. I didn’t lose any respect for Cicero after this, on the contrary, I have little to no respect for groups, crowds, or even individuals who are swayed by emotion over logic. This may also adequately explain why I have little to no respect for much of the American electorate. Facts may be stubborn things, but just listening to voters say the same thing, almost verbatim, but speaking about the “other side”, leads me to believe that the vast majority of Americans are just as easily duped as the Romans of old by emotional appeals and lies repeated often enough. America 2024 resembles Rome circa 476 AD. Good, interesting read that parallels Empires 1550 years apart.
Difficult not to lose a lot of respect for Cicero after reading this essay. The philosophy of - winning is the only thing that matters, truth and process be damned - especially in the legal system just feels morally reprehensible.
I felt likewise - and have always been a big Cicero fan! An important reminder that there are no perfect persons in history, and that we should learn from the truths they contribute rather than accept anything whole cloth...
'Sound logic doesn’t always win arguments. Human beings are moved by emotion, not logic' - This bit still rings undeniably true! Something tells me Cicero would get on quite well as a modern politician 🙄
It's true... and it's important to learn these tactics... so we know when they are being used on us!
I will try to consult Cicero before writing my soeech for my faughter’s wedding next year! Thank you for this interesting and insightful piece.
And good luck! It's an important speech ;-)
Thank you. Hopefully my spelling will be better!!!!
Make sure to check out Aristotle/Plato's thoughts as well to compare...
What a great read. If applied today I believe many politicians would fall under this rubric. I will let the reader decide which is more apt to use these tactics lol. I didn’t lose any respect for Cicero after this, on the contrary, I have little to no respect for groups, crowds, or even individuals who are swayed by emotion over logic. This may also adequately explain why I have little to no respect for much of the American electorate. Facts may be stubborn things, but just listening to voters say the same thing, almost verbatim, but speaking about the “other side”, leads me to believe that the vast majority of Americans are just as easily duped as the Romans of old by emotional appeals and lies repeated often enough. America 2024 resembles Rome circa 476 AD. Good, interesting read that parallels Empires 1550 years apart.
Difficult not to lose a lot of respect for Cicero after reading this essay. The philosophy of - winning is the only thing that matters, truth and process be damned - especially in the legal system just feels morally reprehensible.
I felt likewise - and have always been a big Cicero fan! An important reminder that there are no perfect persons in history, and that we should learn from the truths they contribute rather than accept anything whole cloth...