[:en]The American political drama hooked us all well before Donald Trump’s election. House of Cards has been rolling on Netflix since 2013 and on May 30th we are to witness the new and improved season 5. For the newbies, the series focuses on the public/family life of this arrogant prick, Frank Underwood, and his beautiful wife Claire (even more bizarre than him, if you ask me). You either love them or hate them, but you may feel a little confused at times, as you find yourself agreeing with them on several matters. From congressman to president, Underwood has literally stepped over bodies and even managed to trade his wife in order to accede the highest function. However, in his wicked world, he owns some valuable principles to live by:

1. „After all, we are nothing more or less than what we choose to reveal.”

You may remember vaguely the theory according to which we are, in fact, the sum of all the projections other people have on us. This, or the fact that we are constantly creating a character in order to deal with the reality is turning us in mere shells and may cause us loosing our true selves.

2. „Generosity is its own sort of power.”

Generosity is empowering indeed, but the question is whether it increases your ego or not. Helping someone bearing in mind that you may also need his help at some point turns this generosity game into a long time partnership or it can generate some kind of good working atmosphere, considering you are actually a good person… who knows?

3. „There are two kinds of pain. The sort of pain that makes you strong, or useless pain. The sort of pain that’s only suffering. I have no patience for useless things.”

A wise man once said that nothing worth having comes easy and if I think about it long enough, he was in fact Theodore Roosevelt, the President of the US from 1901 to 1909 (funny find). Therefore, in life, you should learn how to discern which pain is worth going through in order to obtain the maximal results of your potential and which pain is just a useless struggle that would not take you anywhere.

4. „The nature of promises is that they remain immune to changing circumstances.”
Giving your word is like the most valuable trade you can have, besides your life, of course. However, once you are ready to make a promise, you should be convinced that you are able to keep it, because a man who breaks promises equals someone holding no solid principles.

5. „Choosing money over power is a mistake almost everyone makes. Money is the big mansion in Saratoga that starts falling apart after ten years. Power is that old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect someone who does not see the difference.”

This is the magnum opus of Underwood’s beliefs, a politician who cannot be bought with money and values power over and above his own family and friends. The core of this statement leans on the fact that in the administration’s offices, one can easily lose his reasoning to financial advantages, while the basic needs overcome the long term security.

BONUS the House of Cards season 5 trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW8Zyt8SF_U[:]