NationStates Jolt Archive


Poll: Would you have followed Napoleon?

Montacanos
07-09-2006, 04:24
I was exposed indirectly to the "Great Man Theory", and came up with some musings and questions. This thread is not about debating the accuracies or failings of such a philosophy, and you will not need to be familiar with it, so I didnt bother linking an explanation, but those who do understand it may more greatly understand my intentions when I ask:

____________________________

You are a Frenchman/woman living in post-revolutionary France. Would you have joined with Napoleon during his swift rise to power?

poll to come, and some slight extension.
Pyotr
07-09-2006, 04:39
he abandoned all his men to starve in the freezing russian winter or get picked off by blood-sucking cossacks, hell no i wouldn't follow that corsican midget.
Wilgrove
07-09-2006, 04:40
Nah.
Neo Undelia
07-09-2006, 04:41
Probably. I mean, the man humiliated the Pope.
Grainne Ni Malley
07-09-2006, 04:42
No. I hate short people.
Vetalia
07-09-2006, 04:44
Probably, especially given the state of France at the time.
Wilgrove
07-09-2006, 04:47
No. I hate short people.

The feeling is mutual.
Mikesburg
07-09-2006, 04:52
No. I hate short people.

*shakes short-man fist*

You'll get your comeuppance! You and all you tallies!
Grainne Ni Malley
07-09-2006, 04:53
The feeling is mutual.

One of my friends waaaaaaaaaaay back in high school said that being short means you are the last to get rained on and the first to drown. She had a great sense of humor. I personally like being short. I have much better clearance.
New Stalinberg
07-09-2006, 04:55
No. I hate short people.

:upyours:
Mikesburg
07-09-2006, 04:55
One of my friends waaaaaaaaaaay back in high school said that being short means you are the last to get rained on and the first to drown. She had a great sense of humor. I personally like being short. I have much better clearance.

Oh, self-deprecation. In that case you can join my short-man crusade.

We'll post lines that say 'you must be this high to get on the guillotine ride'.

EDIT: And to stay on topic, so I don't totally hijack, I most likely would have followed Napolean, at least in the early years. I'm a firm believer in the ability of dynamic individuals to accomplish great things. In his declining years, not so sure.
Mondoth
07-09-2006, 04:55
I would probably follow him, but not too close, I might squish him.
Grainne Ni Malley
07-09-2006, 04:59
Oh, self-deprecation. In that case you can join my short-man crusade.

We'll post lines that say 'you must be this high to get on the guillotine ride'.

Self-deprecation or an attempt to get adverse reactions to slightly amuse myself since I'm utterly bored. I'm still bitter over being "racist". I figured I'd start knocking us short people down while I'm at it. Redheads are next.
Andaluciae
07-09-2006, 05:02
I have quite the dislike of egomaniacal dictators, I would not have followed Napoleon. Nor would I follow any great-leader type fellow in these days either.
The Black Forrest
07-09-2006, 05:03
No. I hate short people.

Do not hate. It leads to the dark side.

Oh and to answer the thread.

Why not? My ancestor did in the Polish Lancers.
Pyotr
07-09-2006, 05:03
Self-deprecation or an attempt to get adverse reactions to slightly amuse myself since I'm utterly bored. I'm still bitter over being "racist". I figured I'd start knocking us short people down while I'm at it. Redheads are next.

as long as you don't knock fat people, if it wasn't for us you'd have no one to compare yourself to
Boonytopia
07-09-2006, 05:08
Yeah, I probably would have been sucked in by the hype.
Grainne Ni Malley
07-09-2006, 05:09
as long as you don't knock fat people, if it wasn't for us you'd have no one to compare yourself to

Oh yeah! Lard asses! We suck! Let me shift my ripples of flesh over to tell you what I think about fatsos. I'm going to go home and cry now while I study myself in the mirror and then I'm going to eat my Ben&Jerry's and flip off all the skinny people with my spoon.
Andaluciae
07-09-2006, 05:10
Not only that, but knowing where my ancestors came from, they'd probably have served with Wellington or Blucher, or just hid in the Swiss Alps, which is most likely.
Ravea
07-09-2006, 05:20
God, yes I would.

Just mabey not on that whole russian campain thing.
M3rcenaries
07-09-2006, 05:34
Well revolutionaries are pretty brutal people so I'd probably be looking for some order by this point.
The Psyker
07-09-2006, 06:50
No. I hate short people.

Napoleon actually wasn't short
Contrary to popular belief, Napoleon was actually slightly taller than an average Frenchman of the 19th century [9]. After his death in 1821, the French emperor's height was recorded as 5 ft 2 in French units, corresponding to 5 ft 6.5 in (1.69 m) using Imperial units. A French inch was 2.71 centimetres [10] while an Imperial inch is 2.54 centimetres. The metric system was introduced during the French First Republic, but was not in widespread use until after Napoleon's death.

In addition to this miscalculation, his nickname le petit caporal adds to the confusion, as non-francophones mistakenly take petit as literally meaning "small"; in fact, it is an affectionate term reflecting on his camaraderie with ordinary soldiers (for example, "petit ami" means "boyfriend" in French, "petite amie" means "girlfriend"). He also surrounded himself with the soldiers of his elite guard, who were always six feet tall or taller. Oh, an I can't be sure if I would or wouldn't I mean as a frenchman of the time not knowing what I now know I probably would.
Demented Hamsters
07-09-2006, 07:08
Would I follow him?

Probably, but mostly out of curiosity than anything else.

Also I'd stand well back. From what I understand he didn't bathe much and he liked his women stinky.
Chellis
07-09-2006, 07:48
Definately. Would have stayed till waterloo, given the chance. But thats my french pride speaking, most likely.
Sel Appa
07-09-2006, 07:52
Vive L'empereur!
The Potato Factory
07-09-2006, 08:24
I'm German. So, not in a million years.