Module 1 Part 2

Please identify at least one modern day example of someone who is Machiavellian and explain how they fit this description. Do you agree that it is better to be feared than loved? Does the end justify the means?

One modern day example of someone who is Machiavellian would be Kim Jong Un - the current Northern Korean Chairman. Succeeded the position after his father's death in December, 2011, Kim Jong Un followed his footsteps in developing a nuclear warhead that could hit the United States within a few years. Additionally, he also alienated the Obama administration as well as provoked China because of the country's decision on launching the ballistic missile test - which posed the danger of debris falling into maritime sea lanes, populated islands, and the South China Sea. In order to do these missions, he has spent a massive expense on nuclear development instead of improving the citizens' life as he has previously professed. The country's obsession with military hardware has taken the chairman's attention away from doing the necessary thing - he only does what he thinks is right. In short, he fits the description because when he does something, he "does it right" - he risks everything in order to fulfill his idealism no matter if it might hurt others; it is rather devoid of morality.

I agree that it is better to be feared than loved because life is not perfect despite however we can imagine it to be.  It's reality, and reality requires wisdom and experiences. To be feared is to be cautious- to prepare oneself's from the disappointment of hurt and failure. To be feared is to be realistic; it doesn't mean to lose confidence and not to have faith in oneself. It depends on the definition of fear, but I'll define it as being wise, which means to be prepared to take in the consequences. It doesn't mean to close up oneself and fear to express oneself. 

It depends whether if the end justifies the means. Sometimes it is worth it to risk everything for the final result, yet at other times it is not. For instance, the U.S. dropping two atomic bombs on Japan during World War II is indeed one example of 'the end justifies the means' for even though it the action has left a disastrous impact on Japan, it ended the war which prevented further suffering. At other times, it might not be worth it to give up everything for your final desire because at the end, you'll probably lose everything along the way that once has been so precious to you. There's no such thing as just simply black or white, right or wrong - it depends on what situation it is and what values one has in order to make his/her decisions. 

Source: http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/k/kim_jongun/index.html