It is better to be feared than to be loved, if one cannot be both.

Good to be back! :) I can't tell you how excited I am to be debating on here again. Thank you for this, 9spaceking.First, I will respond to my opponent's arguments. Then I will add contentions of my own.P1. The MongolsDismissing the fact that Wikipedia is not a reputable (nor reliable) source, my opponent cites the success of Mongolian wartime tactics as an example supporting his side. However, while fear definitely makes for far more effective warfare, does this really mean we should pursue fear over love?The Mongolians were extremely skilled warriors, but were also heartless imperialists. The fact that they conquered such a huge land mass carries with it the somber reminder that many died by Mongolian steel. It is estimated that the Mongolians killed about 40-60 million people at a minimum.[1] The fear of that steel kept the people in line, sure. But within less than a century, the empire fractured.[2] No one held any allegiance to their Mongolian rulers. They did not love them.So yes. Fear may have aided in the accomplishment of a historical feat. But is the fractured fate that the Mongolian empire soon suffered really something to be desired?P2. FluttershyWhen asked privately about this point, my opponent stated that he believed this to show that, even in the fictional world, fear trumped love. However, there is are two problems...... it's fictional.I once wrote a short story about a character with PTSD from a former armed conflict. In the end, said character only was able to overcome the fear and trauma of his past through his love for his wife. (True fictional story.)Does that prove love conquers fear? Absolutely not! I thought it made for a great story, though.In the same fashion, we can clearly see that the message MLP's creators wanted to convey was one of fear being a good tactic for gaining desired results, but those are simply the creators' views, not facts.But that leads me to my second issue with this. Pro presumes that the ultimate goal is to achieve one's desires.This shows us that, in his eyes (and the Mongols and Shutterfly's), fear is just a means to an end. No one is satisfied with simply being feared. They use fear to gain other things. But I will come back to this later.P3. Rap BattlesI fail to see how this is a point for Pro, in spite of his insistence on the matter. Rap battles have little to nothing to do with fear, so far as I see. In the end, the winner is whoever was more loved by the audience for their performance. That's all I think I can say on the matter.Except for this: Again, winning rap battles seems to be a petty accomplishment to value oneself upon (as much as I respect those who have the talent to win them). P4. Draconian LawsYes, Draconian laws existed. They're the reason why, nowadays, we use the term "draconian" in a very negative light.Regardless, this is probably the strongest point Pro makes. Draco's infamous laws did keep the people of Athens in line. But the fear that these laws provided were due to the threat of disproportionate and severe punishments. Such punishments cost Athens (and even the modern world) many great men. One example is Socrates. Socrates was the first great philosopher and opened the eyes of the world (and even humanity today) to things we had never previously considered. He also tutored great minds such as Plato (and indirectly, Aristotle). But he, and all his wisdom, were lost to us when Draconian law required he be put to death for being charged with petty crimes he didn't commit.The end result: We lost one of the wisest men the world may ever know. Why? Fear.So we see that fear brings us destruction. Fear can only be used for selfish gain.But what about love?This is where I'll be introducing my contentions.C1. Being loved is an end, not a meansBeing loved is its own prize. Society has demonstrated an innate desire to be loved that is lodged deep within the heart of humans across the globe. Whether it be in music, movies, games, or even your day-to-day life... being loved is a common goal amongst chracters both fictional and material.Why? Because All You Need is Love.[3] Kidding! ;) But the point still stands. When we're loved, we feel happy.[4] With fear, one must try and get other things to be happy. So in the end, why would we value a tool over the finished project? With this in ming, we see that choosing fear over love would be akin to buying all the parts to your new PC when you could have the finished product for the same price. There's no point.C2. But even as a means, love conquers fearWhat does one do with being feared? They use it. We discussed this in my response to P2, I believe. Basically, being feared is a tool. Through it, we may be able to temporarily gain riches, power, or praise... but ultimately, we only possess that power so long as we can maintain fear.Love, while fulfilling in its own right, is also a tool. We can use love, and the fact that others love us, to fulfill personal desires and wishes. We can also help others with it, something fear cannot be used for.But the best part is... love, true love, is not contingent on what we can or can't do.Love is patient, love is kind, etc. etc.[5][6] If love is conditional, it isn't love. So, by definition, to be loved is ot be loved unconditionally. This means that it isn't temporary, it is permanent... and can permanently benefit us as a tool. We don't need to use fear for personal gain when others hold our needs above theirs.C3. Logic > ExamplesMy opponent has relied heavily on examples thus far into our debate. Now, if there's one thing being a debater has taught me... it's that logic is always more reliable than examples. Always.Yes, my opponent could show that, in some cases, being feared benefitted someone. However, I've shown by logic that being loved is always preferrable because 1. Being loved is a goal, and makes us happy. 2. Being loved is a better tool for gain that being feared. Those cannot be denied and should be valued above any examples shown thus far or in the future.Back to you, Pro.[1] http://necrometrics.com...[2] http://afe.easia.columbia.edu...[3] http://www.youtube.com...[4] http://education-portal.com...[5] http://www.huffingtonpost.com...[6] http://www.biblegateway.com...