Of Great Place by Francis Bacon
The essay Of Great Place by Francis Bacon is a wonderful piece of writing. It discusses several contents that are dense with information and expression, with an emphasis on the meaning and nature of existence. It embodies a wealth of interesting philosophical concepts that are easily applicable to contemporary principles and thoughts. The essay is primarily directed at males in positions of authority. The essay’s fundamental argument is to demonstrate men’s position in great places. Bacon covers the lives, obligations, and behaviour of persons in positions of authority in society. According to him, everyone who lives in great places is a ‘thrice servant‘. They serve the sovereign or state, as well as fame and profit. Additionally, they lack independence despite their power. It is an intriguing notion that powerful people lack liberty, but it is true. They wield authority over others who have a lower position in society, but they ‘lose authority’ over themselves.
The essay provides high moral precepts intended to guide men in positions of authority. Bacon is portrayed as a great moralist and philosopher in this essay. Bacon, being a great philosopher, not only understands human nature well, but also teaches others to share his knowledge with those around him. He discusses the issue of other people’s perceptions of ‘great men’ in this essay. He asserts that great men should ‘steal other men’s opinions’ in order to obtain a plethora of intriguing and significant items for themselves. The great men are incapable of judging themselves. They should become aware of what others think of them in order to maintain their position at the top of the ladder. Bacon has provided some rules for human beings in positions of authority in this essay. He asserts that a man should work diligently to obtain a high position; he should work even harder to maintain that position, as each high position has a great deal of responsibility and necessitates ongoing labour. Occasionally, a man must endure humiliation in order to attain a high position. He must pocket insult in order to advance to a position of high dignity. He also asserts that if a guy has excellent thoughts, God will respect him; but, if a man’s good thoughts are not converted into good acts, they have no meaning for other men. Additionally, he states that a man should emulate the best examples.
For him, authority affords him the position to do both good and evil. He asserts that a man in a position of authority has high opportunity to do both good and evil. The ability to do evil is unquestionably a curse. It is preferable for a man to have no power at all than to have power that enables him to commit evil. However, the fundamental and legitimate goal of all endeavours is the capacity to do well. The goal of a man’s efforts should be to accomplish good and deserving things. When carrying out official tasks, a man should keep the best examples of the past in mind. Bacon also cautions an authority figure against the vices that are certain to befall him. He identifies four major authority vices that must be avoided: delays, corruption, roughness and facility. A man should avoid his forefathers’ errors. He should periodically examine his own performances to ensure that he is not degrading. He should ensure that his policies and procedures are consistent.
He should wield his authority quietly rather than making a spectacle of himself. He should avoid feeling excessively self-important in private conversations and refrain from frequently reminding others of his position. Indeed, this is one of the finest pieces in terms of the moral lessons included inside.
In summary, Bacon not only demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of the society’s great men in this essay, but also makes some recommendations regarding their way of life, behaviour, and ideas. He is fascinated by the study of human nature. His natural philosophy is highly regarded since he pioneered whole new philosophical concepts regarding the nature of life.
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