What Would Machiavelli Say About Your Twitter Personality?
You probably have heard the adjective "machiavellian" attributed to someone's conduct or some public or corporate policy. The term has been used often during this Presidential primary race to describe an opponent's position. But if you are like most people, chances are you may not know what the term machiavellian means or that it refers to the statesman, political theorist, republican, essayist, historian, biographer, poet, and dramatist, Niccolo di Bernardo de' Machiavelli, who was born on May 3, 1469. I did not know much about Machiavelli either until I listened to a panel discussion about his book, The Prince, on PBS recently prompting me to read his landmark treatise which, over the centuries, has become the bedrock of modern political theory.
So what does this have to do with Twitter?
Today, Machiavellian theory and advice is being applied to Twitter and, more specifically, to how people use Twitter. There is a blog totally devoted to the subject called Twitter by Machiavelli. "It is an attempt to carefully analyze and “segment” all the curious personality types and behaviors emerging from Twitter land," says popular blogger Pete Blackshaw, who conceived the idea over Italian roast and biscotti.
Currently there are 16 Twitter personality types categorized. For example, if are you are a FlackSmacker, BrandBagger or RingCiter you can find out what Machiavelli would think of you and what his advice would be with regard to your Twittering activity. Same goes for being a Twitnik or AdverTweeter. Of course, you may not know that you are a Brandbagger or Twitnik. But the blog has descriptions of each Twitter personality category to help you determine where you fit.
Twitter by Machiavelli is the brainchild of Pete Blackshaw, with the able assistance of Shiven Ramji, Stephen Tompkins, Greg Hay, and Barbara Baker. Pete is looking for more personality categories. Contribute your own categories if you feel none of the 16 fit your particular Twitter personality. Your contributions, says Pete, will be credited in the final version.
How you might benefit from reading The Prince and its relationship to your Twitter personality:
The Prince is a terrific book. It is recommended reading for those of you who engage (or have to engage to survive) in corporate politics. The Prince describes many power play situations very well. From politics to corporations to most office environments where advancement, influence and control exist, Machiavelli's astute observations and rules apply. What Machiavelli wrote over 500 years ago - describing the rules of the game during that period - have existed and always will exist for many situations involving humans engaged in competition, which makes the Twitter by Machiavelli project the even more compelling.
You probably have heard the adjective "machiavellian" attributed to someone's conduct or some public or corporate policy. The term has been used often during this Presidential primary race to describe an opponent's position. But if you are like most people, chances are you may not know what the term machiavellian means or that it refers to the statesman, political theorist, republican, essayist, historian, biographer, poet, and dramatist, Niccolo di Bernardo de' Machiavelli, who was born on May 3, 1469. I did not know much about Machiavelli either until I listened to a panel discussion about his book, The Prince, on PBS recently prompting me to read his landmark treatise which, over the centuries, has become the bedrock of modern political theory.
So what does this have to do with Twitter?
Today, Machiavellian theory and advice is being applied to Twitter and, more specifically, to how people use Twitter. There is a blog totally devoted to the subject called Twitter by Machiavelli. "It is an attempt to carefully analyze and “segment” all the curious personality types and behaviors emerging from Twitter land," says popular blogger Pete Blackshaw, who conceived the idea over Italian roast and biscotti.Currently there are 16 Twitter personality types categorized. For example, if are you are a FlackSmacker, BrandBagger or RingCiter you can find out what Machiavelli would think of you and what his advice would be with regard to your Twittering activity. Same goes for being a Twitnik or AdverTweeter. Of course, you may not know that you are a Brandbagger or Twitnik. But the blog has descriptions of each Twitter personality category to help you determine where you fit.
Twitter by Machiavelli is the brainchild of Pete Blackshaw, with the able assistance of Shiven Ramji, Stephen Tompkins, Greg Hay, and Barbara Baker. Pete is looking for more personality categories. Contribute your own categories if you feel none of the 16 fit your particular Twitter personality. Your contributions, says Pete, will be credited in the final version.
How you might benefit from reading The Prince and its relationship to your Twitter personality:
The Prince is a terrific book. It is recommended reading for those of you who engage (or have to engage to survive) in corporate politics. The Prince describes many power play situations very well. From politics to corporations to most office environments where advancement, influence and control exist, Machiavelli's astute observations and rules apply. What Machiavelli wrote over 500 years ago - describing the rules of the game during that period - have existed and always will exist for many situations involving humans engaged in competition, which makes the Twitter by Machiavelli project the even more compelling.
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To be sure, Machiavelli's rules are neither good nor bad in themselves -- they simply describe a process. In the the U.S., Machiavellian behavior can - and has - produced excellent results. A good example involves President Abraham Lincoln, whose ambition led him to use every legitimate tactic and strategy to master and remove political opponents. His mastery of Machiavellian behavior in a positive manner allowed him to save the Union and end slavery.
The Prince is also about pure ruthlessness and putting the attainment of goals ahead of any other consideration. Sound familiar? Do you know of a blogger who fits the description? Such maxims as the "the end justifies the means," "it is better to be feared than loved," originated with Machiavelli. These maxims were true then and are certainly true now. I suppose knowing what kind of Twitter personality you are is important to anyone who works in a competitive environment and hopes to advance, if for no other reason than many of your competitors may operate by Machiavelli's dictums.
As the list of Twitter personalty categories evolves, WTJ publish an update.
By the way, The Prince is available in paperback at Amazon for $4.50
The Prince is also about pure ruthlessness and putting the attainment of goals ahead of any other consideration. Sound familiar? Do you know of a blogger who fits the description? Such maxims as the "the end justifies the means," "it is better to be feared than loved," originated with Machiavelli. These maxims were true then and are certainly true now. I suppose knowing what kind of Twitter personality you are is important to anyone who works in a competitive environment and hopes to advance, if for no other reason than many of your competitors may operate by Machiavelli's dictums.
As the list of Twitter personalty categories evolves, WTJ publish an update.
By the way, The Prince is available in paperback at Amazon for $4.50
