“The heaviest penalty for declining to rule &is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.” Book 1, 347-C

via:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Talk:Plato

“The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
– Plato

Though I see the above quoted often, I personally cannot find that precise quotation. I like the above, and think it may be a more succinct translation (summary) of the following passage from The Republic.

“That is perhaps why to seek office oneself and not await compulsion is thought disgraceful. But the chief penalty is to be governed by someone worse if a man will not himself hold office and rule.”
– Plato, The Republic

OOH! And Palin was on the news again tonight! She’s got herself a nifty new campaign video about “mama grizzlys.” Everyone can bury their heads in the sand, but don’t blame me when she ends up in charge of something.

It’s funny and sad. Afer I posted the “fork” comment, Stacy emailed me a note saying he thought she’d be back as the darling of the tea party. Turns out he was right… she *is* back and spoke at their convention.

This is all to reminiscent of the time Stacy warned me taht Bush was sure to be re-elected. I thought he was crazy then,too. So the point is, don’t count him out… we’re suckers for idiots. Of course Stacy also thought Howard Dean would get the nomination…

Since everybody wants to quote something here, I’ll remind you of the quotation “The price of apathy toward public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” Or women. Or by idiots of either gender. Sometimes if you dismiss your enemy because you’re sooooo much smarter then them, you’re setting yourself up for a nasty surprise. I know Stacy;he thinks these people are idiots, too. That doesn’t mean they aren’t a threat.

[Editor's Note: A chapter of La vie de Gargantua et de Pantagruel inserted here has been deleted. Everyone who reads this blog can be assumed to be quite familiar with the works of François Rabelais in the original French. There is no need to post translations here.]