The Fool Capers among The Dynasts and Their Loyal Retainers

Foolish Questions and Risky Discussion Prompts for Dynastic Families

• "the obligations of wealth."
• "the proper uses of riches."
• "What do you love beyond self and family?"
• "What is a dynastic family for?"
• "Dynasty or democracy - which do you prefer?"
• "Aristocracy, plutocracy, democracy - where does a family dynasty fit?"
• "Shirtleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations. How many generations of shirtsleeves has your maid's family worn?"
• "Fortune's wheel, Fortuna, Mutabilitie - all beneath the moon is slyding."
• "The talent that is death to hide." (Milton "On his Blindness")
• "What talent do you have that is death to hide?"
• "To whom do you owe a debt?"
• "To whom or what are you accountable?"
• "Given a choice for an advisor of Homme de Confiance or a first rate Fool, which would you prefer?"
• "Who on your planning team plays the Fool?"
• "Jesus or Machiavili? As role models? For you? Your advisors?"
• "Human capital - did Jesus preach the Gospel from the Money changers' table in the langauge of finance?"
• "In what way are you poor?"
• "Whom do you consider an equal, a peer?"
• "Diogenes was asked by a nobleman, 'why are you sorting those old bones?" To which Diogenes replied, 'I am trying to determine which are your father's and which are that beggar's father's."
• "Jesus went from manger to cross among criminals. How well have you done?"

Parables would include the parable of the talents, and the parable of the good Samaritan. Poems would include Frost's "Provide Provide" and "Directive." Also Wordworth's "Old Cumberland Beggar." Also, "To Penshurst" by Sir Phillip Sydney to convey the old Aristocratic vision of an ordered society under the benevolent rule of inherited wealth and privilege. If the accomplishments of European aristocracy will likely elude us, what will wealth concentrated in an influential elite of dynastic families mean for our country?