Regarding media, social media, video, news, and Napoleon

[Bird Larry]

I've been reading about Napoleon lately. When he was 19 years old, it was said he would write cringey novels, since he was ousted from the military, he didn't know what to do but write. In a funny way, these novel writings weren't a waste of time at all. One might think, when reading those novels, he wasted his time on romanticism. But the main building block for Napoleon's success in the military and politics was his writing, because one Aristocrat recruited Napoleon to be positioned in the military and a political position after reading one of his essays. The essay wasn't a novela, but it was his thoughts on what he believed the French Revolution meant for the future of France.

Napoleon was kind of a child in front of women. Josephine Napoleon comes to mind for this account. A woman soon to be his wife, she wasn't a typical beauty, and she was 6 years older than Napoleon; she had terrible black teeth. She would cheat on Napoleon from the very start of their relationship. She even cheated and made a display of meeting other men when he became Emperor. But he didn't make a show of jealousy for his pride, though. He simply had exiled Josephine's new lover to another faction.

Yet, when we think of political propaganda, none did this well other than Napoleon Bonaparte. He made excellent news stories and writing for journalists. Often portraits and paintings of him really made him look grandeur. But on the side, if we see his little letters written to Josephine, he seems like a child again. We often might think, how on Earth is this the same man? We might think one person like Napoleon, who had numerous affairs as emperor, had the public worship him, had people believe in his cause for revolution (he was a great politician, reformer, and lover of the arts), had the greatest propaganda maybe even greater than German Nazis/Stalin...etc would never be so childish with his letters.

We think social media took us by storm, and teenagers these days write and post stupid things on their accounts. No. We're wrong to think this. Social media had always existed for centuries since drawings, sheets, and writings were well-distributed. People wrote stupid things maybe not on their phones, but maybe on cave walls. One of the first drawings ever that accounts Jesus Christ was drawn by a person trying to mock people who worshipped a Jesus. 

Edited June 14, 2022 by Bird Larry

[Raptorsin7]

We all have multiple parts of ourselves.

I think Napoleon loved Josephine, and those letters display the boyish love he had for her.

The military genius was a different part. Just because he was one of the greatest leaders ever, doesn't mean he's automatically going to be emotionally secure and self actualized in all aspects.

Quote from his exile:

"Perhaps i was happiest at tilsit. I found myself victorious, dictating laws, and had kings and emperors paying me court"

He was a human being seeking happiness and love, but it just so happens he had a brilliant military mind in a chaotic time in history.

[Bird Larry]

@Raptorsin7 It seems like you've studied him quite much. 

6 hours ago, Raptorsin7 said:

He was a human being seeking happiness and love, but it just so happens he had a brilliant military mind in a chaotic time in history.

I never saw him that way. 

I do wonder if social media will reflect both are boy/girlish behavior as well as wise ones. I think at an earlier time I'd categorize people who had press or a little bit of fame as either stupid or wise. In fact, just like the real world, our essays, letters, our books, and photos show even the most talented person to show their boyish side. 

[Raptorsin7]

3 minutes ago, Bird Larry said:

@Raptorsin7 It seems like you've studied him quite much. 

I never saw him that way. 

I do wonder if social media will reflect both are boy/girlish behavior as well as wise ones. I think at an earlier time I'd categorize people who had press or a little bit of fame as either stupid or wise. In fact, just like the real world, our essays, letters, our books, and photos show even the most talented person to show their boyish side. 

Everything I know is from watching this series on youtube haha. 

There are quotes from him throughout too. In some quotes I can hear more humanity than other typical military quotes.

"Napoleon who had visited Lanne every day, wept at news of his death. What a loss for France, and for me"

It's interesting to see the mix of narcissism and grandiosity, and genuine care for another human being.