Children are frequently manipulative and scheming, but not enough. It ought to be possible for adults to bond with them and encourage this tendency by reading the works of Machiavelli to them at bedtime. Sadly, the attention span of a child is such that they find the works of the great man somewhat tedious.
Solution: A comic book version of Machiavelli. That way the kids can understand and be stimulated by his ideas, becoming ever more manipulative and scheming, until they rule their households, their schools, their playgrounds and wherever else they happen to frequent.
Next in the series: Nietzsche for kids, with superheroes of course.-- nineteenthly, May 16 2008 Patrick Curry: Introducing Machiavelli http://www.amazon.c...Curry/dp/1840461160Pretty close to a comic book version, although there is text. [jutta, May 16 2008] Marc Sautet: Nietzsche for Beginners http://www.amazon.c...autet/dp/0863161189Not well-reviewed - maybe it's the translation - but at least someone tried. [jutta, May 16 2008] Action Philosophers Issue 4 http://www.comicboo...osophers/ap4-fc.jpgI've read another issue, and ... while it's the kind of thing that really appeals to me, there's only so much you can do with the form. [jutta, May 16 2008] MacBeth the Graphic Novel http://www.grovel.o...-the-graphic-novel/ [MisterQED, May 16 2008] Machiavelli Graphic Novel Project http://www.donmacdo...elli/machframe.html [MisterQED, May 16 2008] Machiavelli's inspiration novel http://www.creation...nPictures/index.htmBC in black and white, AD in living colour [xenzag, May 16 2008] Horrible Histories http://www.horrible...dex.tao?PageId=homeMy son's bedtime reading [nineteenthly, May 22 2008] Thanks [jutta]. I was looking for that Machiavelli book, not knowing if it existed, at the local public library only a couple of hours ago.-- nineteenthly, May 16 2008 I am not really sure kids need all that much encouragement to develop their manipulative powers.
I think it's an untaught course in elementary school.-- Zimmy, May 16 2008 It's widely taught already and called Religion.-- xenzag, May 16 2008 Ah, but [Zimmy], my offspring don't attend school, so they have to be taught to behave this way.-- nineteenthly, May 16 2008 My wife just showed me a "graphic novel" version of MacBeth (link) and I was very impressed. I think there is a LOT of promise for this to open up previously unapproachable literature. (+)-- MisterQED, May 16 2008 Ooops, kinf of presently baking (link).-- MisterQED, May 16 2008 Wonderful. A colourful, engaging pop-up book that will turn them to the Dark Side and show them How To Give In To Their Hate (with step-by-step diagrams). For older children, Build Your Own Death Star .....-- 8th of 7, May 16 2008 Delightful. I could see this being the first issue of a weekly part-purchase series of philosophy classics for children. Sun Tzu's Art of War could be issue 2 - in your newsagent now!-- BunsenHoneydew, May 21 2008 Sun Tzu is the Chinese Machiavelli, suggesting that politics is a science rather than an art.-- nineteenthly, May 21 2008 Neato idea for the kiddies!! Except, maybe, that hanging people stuff..-- plynthe, May 22 2008 No, they're really into all that stuff. Look at Horrible Histories. They'd be really turned off it if it wasn't there.-- nineteenthly, May 22 2008 Machiavelli? Sounds like some sort of pasta.-- phundug, May 22 2008 random, halfbakery