The 48 Laws Of Power

LAW’ 33

page

‘.

DISCOVEREACHMAN'STHUMBSCREW

Everyone

hasa

weakness,

a

gap

inthecastlewall.That

weakness

is

usually

an

insecurity,

an

uncontrollable

emotionor

need;

itcanalsobeasmaflsecret

pleasure.

Either

may,

once

found,

itisathumbscrew

you

canturn

to

youradvantage.

LAW 734

page

252

BEROYALINYOUROWNFASHION:ACTLIKEAKING

TO

BETREATEDLIKE

ONE

The

wayyoucarryyourself

will

often

determinehow

you

aretreated:Inthe

long

run,

appearingvulgar

orcom-

monwillmake

peopledisrespectyou.

For

a

kingrespectshimself

and

inspires

thesamesentimentinothers.

By

actingregally

and

confidentofyourpowers,you

make

yourself

seem

destinedto

weara

crown.

LAVV 33

page

291

MASTERTHEARTOFTIMING

Neverseem

tobeina

hurry—hurryingbetrays

a

lack

of

control

over

yourself:

andovertime.

Always

seem

pa-

tient,

as

ifyou

knowthat

everything

willcometo

you

eventually.

Becomeadetective

of

the

right

moment;

outthe

spiritof

the

times,

thetrendsthatwill

carryyou

to

power:

Learntostandbackwhenthetimeisnot

yet

ripe,

andtostrike

fiercely

whenithasreached

fruition.

LAVV 36

page

300

DISDAINTHINGSYOUCANNOTHAVE:IGNORINGTHEMISTHEBESTREVENGE

Byacknowledging

a

petgrproblemyougive

itexistenceand

credibility.

Themoreattention

youpay

an

enemy,

the

strongeryou

make

him;

andasmallmistakeis

often

madeworse

andmore

visible

when

youtry

to

fix

it.

It

issometimesbesttoleave

things

alone.

If

thereis

somethingyou

wantbutcannot

have,

show

contemptfor

it.

'I7telessinterest

you

reveal,

themore

superioryou

seem.

LAW 37

page3()

CREATECOMPELLINGSPECTACLES

Strikingimagery

and

grandsymbolicgestures

createtheaura

of

power—e1/eryone

responds

tothem.

Stage

spec-

tacles

for

thosearound

you,

then,

fullofarresting

visualsandradiant

symbols

that

heightenyourpresence.

Dazzled

byappearances,

noonewillnoticewhat

you

are

reallydoing.

LAVV 38

page

317

THINKASYOULIKE

BUT

BEHAVELIKE

OTHERS

Ifyou

makeashow

of

goingagainst

the

times,

flaunting

your

unconventionalideasandunorthodox

ways,

people

willthinkthat

youonly

wantattentionand that

you

lookdown

upon

them.

They

will

find

a

way

to

punishyouformaking

them

feelinferior

Itis

farsafer

toblendin

andnurturethecommontouch.Share

your

originalityonh

withtolerant

friends

andthosewhoaresureto

appreciateyouruniqueness.

I./\VV 3

9

page

325

STIRUPWATERSTOCATCHFISH

Anger

andemotionare

strategicallycounterproductive.

Youmust

alwaysstay

calmand

objective.

But

ifyou

canmake

your

enemies

angry

while

staying

calm

yourselflyougain

adecided

advantage.

Put

your

enemies

off-balance:

Findthethinkintheir

vanitythrough

which

you

canrattlethemand

you

holdthe

strings.

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