As I pore over the reading, I am constantly reminded of the popular TV
series ‘House of Cards.’ The protagonist, Frank Underwood and his wife, Claire
Underwoord, are shown as two people whose main objective is to achieve as much
power as possible. The show is all about self-interest and gain which is achieved
through ruthless manipulation of people in order to achieve the ‘greater good’
that is greater power.
The show- in my opinion- reflects evidently what the author of the article, Morgenthau, is explaining. Morgenthau, through drawing enlightening comparisons between economists and lawyers and their main objectives- wealth and conformity to legal rules respectively; explains that the main motive of political realism is the pursuit of power. The author expounds on the fact that the manner in which power may be pursued and used depends on the political and cultural environment. He also elabortes on morality and its subordinate position when it comes to gaining more power. This line of thinking is showcased in ‘House of cards,’ where the protagonist lies, cheats, comits adultery and kills, in order to gain greater control and justifies his actions by promoting the notion that sometimes unpleasant things must be done because they are necessary. This clearly shows that sometimes, morality may not only be secondary for the state in its policy formation, as outlined by Morgenthau, however, it may also be of a little concern to human beings in their everyday lives and decision making.
Although a comparison between an academic piece of writing and a television series may not be the most scholarly thing to write about, however, the comparison depicts the authors point of view in a different light which is why it seemed like a worthy endeavor.
The show- in my opinion- reflects evidently what the author of the article, Morgenthau, is explaining. Morgenthau, through drawing enlightening comparisons between economists and lawyers and their main objectives- wealth and conformity to legal rules respectively; explains that the main motive of political realism is the pursuit of power. The author expounds on the fact that the manner in which power may be pursued and used depends on the political and cultural environment. He also elabortes on morality and its subordinate position when it comes to gaining more power. This line of thinking is showcased in ‘House of cards,’ where the protagonist lies, cheats, comits adultery and kills, in order to gain greater control and justifies his actions by promoting the notion that sometimes unpleasant things must be done because they are necessary. This clearly shows that sometimes, morality may not only be secondary for the state in its policy formation, as outlined by Morgenthau, however, it may also be of a little concern to human beings in their everyday lives and decision making.
Although a comparison between an academic piece of writing and a television series may not be the most scholarly thing to write about, however, the comparison depicts the authors point of view in a different light which is why it seemed like a worthy endeavor.
I love the analogy and it is very apt. Don't worry if it isn't "scholarly" enough because, in fact, I think you draw an excellent comparison between House of Cards and Morgenthau's vision of realism. Good job!
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