Zwangzug
29-09-2007, 02:45
The following is excerpted from The Princess, by Nicole Ianello. It dates back several hundred years, to an era when Zwangzug was simply a collection of various city-states, most founded by those who wished to establish utopian communities.
The term "Princess", in a strict sense, applies to those women who are of nobility, perhaps the daughters of kings and queens. They are stereotyped, perhaps justly, as being weak and helpless, unable to give a thought to their nation and their people or to anything but their courtship.
It is not to or of those people I write, but instead those women and men who desire to lead their people. The "Princess" to whom I refer is no one woman, but rather any who emulate the model I present. There are too stereotypes of what the sexes are and are not. I wish not to perpetuate those: I appeal to them, if at all, to remind those who read that the "masculine" vision of brute strength only is not the sole way to view the world. Were I to climb the great mountains of the west, I could gaze down upon varied states, and each would have its own way of being run. I seek to describe what I believe to be the right.
Duties of the Princess
The Princess must have many responsibilities if she is to be an effective leader of her people. If she focuses too much on one area, she will lose sight of the rest. Much is spoken of the glory of ascension from the life of a normal citizen to positions of power. This is guided by two great forces. The first of these is politics. She who speaks well will win the approval of her people. The second, and the more dangerous, is that of trade. For with coin there is much power, but those who lack it can grow discontent. Therefore it is better for a princess to rise by way of debate than to put trust in coin. She should too take care that all her people have what they need, and do not need to resort to coin to obtain it.
It is good also for all to have arms. Those unfortunate few that lack arms are not only misproportioned, but also incapable of performing tasks as simple as writing without expending great energy to find an alternative way to do so. So it must be another duty of the princess to promote the health of her people by establishing hospitals and letting doctors freely practice their art, that all might keep their limbs.
On Praise and Blame
We are indeed fortituous to live in such a world as our own. For we have been granted the power to create our ideal. A great many have imagined states such as nobody ever saw or knew, and have departed from their homes to construct such fantasies. There is such a difference between the outmoded relics of the past and the glories of the future that they who neglect the ideal to study the real will come to ruin among the bitter and cynical systems that comprise the old realities.
There are many traits that determine a person's mind, and how they act as a result of those traits will bring them either praise or blame. But it is not possible to win the praise of all: therefore, a princess would be unwise to strive for such. Rather, she should instead follow what she believes is good.
When praise and blame are to be given, it is more honorable to blame onesself and assign praise to another.
On Love and Fear
Both love and fear are emotions, and are determined not by the rule of authority. Neither, however, are they determined by a person's mind, for emotion stems from beyond reason. So it is an unwise goal of a princess or any other to seek to be loved or feared. Again, by doing what she views as right, she will either do right or wrong for her people. If right, she will grow to be admired; if wrong, it is the right and duty of her people to replace her. Leaders of the people are chosen from among the people, and if they no longer do good for the people, they should be replaced.
When crime is committed, the princess must not be afraid to address it. But instead of casting retribution upon the criminal, she should attempt to teach them the error of their ways. If she confiscates their property, she gives more strength to coin: if she confiscates their person, she gives less strength to her own ideal by, in the most drastic cases, repeating the action.
So by striving to do right, a princess will put her thrust in her own belief. The concerns of others can be of importance, but if she seeks to please them before herself, she will lose sight of what she truly holds most dear, and that is what should have first guided her into her role. Thus she undermines her office. If a princess truly arises from the people, her aims and values will align with theirs, and by following her belief, she will do the best for them.
The Way to Keep Word
It is indeed praiseworthy for a princess to keep her word and live with integrity. Yet the crafty use of speech demonstrates great skill as well.
You should consider, then, that there are two ways of fighting, one with thought and the other with force. The first is properly a human method, the second that of brutes. If the first does not suffice, the wise princess will truly evaluate the problem's worth.
The princess can still draw inspiration from lesser beasts. The bird overhead sees the world as it is, with the princess indistinguishable from any other. The cat is aloof, the zebra's stripes divide the world in two: from all of these can she learn. She may thus desire to see that animals too are protected from the most grievous harm. But humanity, as the greatest of all creatures, still deserves to feed on beasts, as they in turn must feed on plants or others to grow hale.
How a Princess Should Act to Acquire Reputation
Nothing gives a princess more prestige than undertaking great enterprises and setting a splendid example for her people.
A princess ought to show herself an admirer of talent, giving recognition to men and women of ability and honoring those who excel in a particular art. Moreover, she should allow for those who have talent to rise to prominence over those who lack it. This is of course difficult if she too desires that all may live with what they need. A princess may be a success even without finding a balance between these two conditions, for it is a difficult challenge indeed. One should not be shamed to admit defeat in its face.
To give up in the face of a seemingly implacable force may or may not be the right thing to do. When it is the will of the people that the princess be replaced, it is indeed right for her to abdicate. When an enemy offers terms of peace that may lead to a safer life for her people, it is the princess's sad duty to consider the decision.
But in other circumstances, it is the princess's role to hold out and in doing so hold out hope for her people.
The term "Princess", in a strict sense, applies to those women who are of nobility, perhaps the daughters of kings and queens. They are stereotyped, perhaps justly, as being weak and helpless, unable to give a thought to their nation and their people or to anything but their courtship.
It is not to or of those people I write, but instead those women and men who desire to lead their people. The "Princess" to whom I refer is no one woman, but rather any who emulate the model I present. There are too stereotypes of what the sexes are and are not. I wish not to perpetuate those: I appeal to them, if at all, to remind those who read that the "masculine" vision of brute strength only is not the sole way to view the world. Were I to climb the great mountains of the west, I could gaze down upon varied states, and each would have its own way of being run. I seek to describe what I believe to be the right.
Duties of the Princess
The Princess must have many responsibilities if she is to be an effective leader of her people. If she focuses too much on one area, she will lose sight of the rest. Much is spoken of the glory of ascension from the life of a normal citizen to positions of power. This is guided by two great forces. The first of these is politics. She who speaks well will win the approval of her people. The second, and the more dangerous, is that of trade. For with coin there is much power, but those who lack it can grow discontent. Therefore it is better for a princess to rise by way of debate than to put trust in coin. She should too take care that all her people have what they need, and do not need to resort to coin to obtain it.
It is good also for all to have arms. Those unfortunate few that lack arms are not only misproportioned, but also incapable of performing tasks as simple as writing without expending great energy to find an alternative way to do so. So it must be another duty of the princess to promote the health of her people by establishing hospitals and letting doctors freely practice their art, that all might keep their limbs.
On Praise and Blame
We are indeed fortituous to live in such a world as our own. For we have been granted the power to create our ideal. A great many have imagined states such as nobody ever saw or knew, and have departed from their homes to construct such fantasies. There is such a difference between the outmoded relics of the past and the glories of the future that they who neglect the ideal to study the real will come to ruin among the bitter and cynical systems that comprise the old realities.
There are many traits that determine a person's mind, and how they act as a result of those traits will bring them either praise or blame. But it is not possible to win the praise of all: therefore, a princess would be unwise to strive for such. Rather, she should instead follow what she believes is good.
When praise and blame are to be given, it is more honorable to blame onesself and assign praise to another.
On Love and Fear
Both love and fear are emotions, and are determined not by the rule of authority. Neither, however, are they determined by a person's mind, for emotion stems from beyond reason. So it is an unwise goal of a princess or any other to seek to be loved or feared. Again, by doing what she views as right, she will either do right or wrong for her people. If right, she will grow to be admired; if wrong, it is the right and duty of her people to replace her. Leaders of the people are chosen from among the people, and if they no longer do good for the people, they should be replaced.
When crime is committed, the princess must not be afraid to address it. But instead of casting retribution upon the criminal, she should attempt to teach them the error of their ways. If she confiscates their property, she gives more strength to coin: if she confiscates their person, she gives less strength to her own ideal by, in the most drastic cases, repeating the action.
So by striving to do right, a princess will put her thrust in her own belief. The concerns of others can be of importance, but if she seeks to please them before herself, she will lose sight of what she truly holds most dear, and that is what should have first guided her into her role. Thus she undermines her office. If a princess truly arises from the people, her aims and values will align with theirs, and by following her belief, she will do the best for them.
The Way to Keep Word
It is indeed praiseworthy for a princess to keep her word and live with integrity. Yet the crafty use of speech demonstrates great skill as well.
You should consider, then, that there are two ways of fighting, one with thought and the other with force. The first is properly a human method, the second that of brutes. If the first does not suffice, the wise princess will truly evaluate the problem's worth.
The princess can still draw inspiration from lesser beasts. The bird overhead sees the world as it is, with the princess indistinguishable from any other. The cat is aloof, the zebra's stripes divide the world in two: from all of these can she learn. She may thus desire to see that animals too are protected from the most grievous harm. But humanity, as the greatest of all creatures, still deserves to feed on beasts, as they in turn must feed on plants or others to grow hale.
How a Princess Should Act to Acquire Reputation
Nothing gives a princess more prestige than undertaking great enterprises and setting a splendid example for her people.
A princess ought to show herself an admirer of talent, giving recognition to men and women of ability and honoring those who excel in a particular art. Moreover, she should allow for those who have talent to rise to prominence over those who lack it. This is of course difficult if she too desires that all may live with what they need. A princess may be a success even without finding a balance between these two conditions, for it is a difficult challenge indeed. One should not be shamed to admit defeat in its face.
To give up in the face of a seemingly implacable force may or may not be the right thing to do. When it is the will of the people that the princess be replaced, it is indeed right for her to abdicate. When an enemy offers terms of peace that may lead to a safer life for her people, it is the princess's sad duty to consider the decision.
But in other circumstances, it is the princess's role to hold out and in doing so hold out hope for her people.