The Dangers of Pissing Off Writers

I have this terrible tendency to re read things, which sounds like the most abject form of humble bragging. (Oh Oran you are so thorough) But I do, re read stuff, I mean. Moving on is not my strong suit, not till i feel I’ve got it. My latest obsession is Bob Greens 48 Laws of Power, which is impossible (I find) to move on from. If I had my way I would put it on school curriculums, start reading groups, and spend my time circulating summaries of it amidst the great, the good and the not so good. If you read it I think you will find out why Greene is regarded as the modern Machiavelli, which is a kind of a mixed compliment. Personally I wouldn’t agree. He is more like a modern Tolstoy to me, mixing history with poetry with psychology with politics and producing a beautifully crafted tome replete with gems of bon mots and insight. This is not an amoral writer. This is a depth psychologist of the mind and heart. You can take his insights and abuse them, just like you can take the skills of marital arts and become an egomaniacal bully and let it destroy you. But then you can be humble and sit at the feet of the master/mistress and learn discipline and strength and get real lasting health of spirit, mind and body. If the soil is right, great seeds grow, as so on.

But then I find myself disagreeing with him too. Take for instance law 42: Strike The Shepherd and the Sheep will Scatter, which is on the money. Completely agree, no question. But then Green uses the example of Dante’s exile. Cardinal Gaetani, an incredibly skilled operator, chosen by the cardinals to unite a fractious Italy, was a devious, highly intelligent operator who became Pope Boniface VIII. He lured Dante from Florence to Rome so he could crush the White Guelphs (Dante’s team)- opponents of the black Guelphs, and unite the city under Rome. It was all part of a Guelph versus Ghibelline conflict. So Dante took the bait and left Florence, was kept in Rome under the impression he was actually getting somewhere with this smooth operator, and after Charles of Valois wiped out the opposition (whites), Dante was exiled and never saw his beloved Florence again. Case closed. QED eh? Er No. Greene forgets a rather significant Chapter Two. Dante struck back with words. There was this small matter of the Divine Comedy, which makes the worst slasher movie seem like a walk in the park on a sunny day, especially Hell. In section 1, Dante destroyed his enemies in that supreme masterpiece. Forever. Boniface, for instance, though he is cleverly disguised as Nicholas is condemned to the eight circle of hell, reserved for simoniacs, burning forever with holes sticking out of their legs. It was a savage description of a horribly corrupt papacy. Though Boniface exiled Dante for a mere lifetime, Boniface VIII is forever reviled in the Divine Comedy, where he burns forever in the eight circle of hell. Never piss off a writer. Bad idea. Why? You could end up described, depicted, and forever satirised, especially if its a heavy hitter like Dante Alighieri. You can’t kill ideas. Cant be done. You can kill people. Though poetry isn’t profitable, popular or cool like Kim Deal, its around for good. Sorry, I love Kim Deal. She’s awesome. Bad example, I guess.