The 48 Laws Of Power

lie.The

biggest

trickofallwasto

play

onthe

repressedsexuality

thatbub-

blesunderthesurfaceof

anygroupsetting.

Ina

group,

a

longing

forsocial

unity,

a

longing

older

than

civilization,

criesout

to

beawakened.Thisde~

sire
may

besubsumedundera

unifying

cause,

butbeneath

it

isa

repressed

sexuality

thatthecharlatanknowshowto

exploit

and

manipulate

forhis

own

purposes.

Thisis

thelessonthatMesmerteachesus:Our

tendency

to

doubt,

the

distancethat
allowsusto
reason,

is

brokendown

whenwe

join

a

group.

Thewarmthandinfectiousnessofthe
group

overwhelmthe

skeptical

indi-

vidual.Thisisthe
power
you

gainby

creating

acult.

Also,

byplaying

on

people’srepressedsexuality,you

leadtheminto

mistaking

theirexcited

feelings

for

signs

of

yourmysticalstrength.

You

gain

untold

powerby

working

on

people’s

unrealizeddesire fora.kind

of

promiscuous

and

paganunity.

Remembertoothatthemosteffectivecultsmix

religion

withscience.

Takethelatest

technological

trendorfadandblenditwithanoble

cause,

a

mystical
faith,

anewformof

healing.People’sinterpretations

of

yourhy—

bridcultwill
run
rampant,

and

they

willattribute

powers

to

you

that

you

hadnevereven

thought

toclaim.

Image:

The

Magnet.

/in

unseenforcedraws

objects

to

it,

whichinturnbecome

magnetized

themselves,

drawing

other

pieces

to

them.

the

magneticpower

ofmewhole

constantly

increasing.

Buttake

away

the

originalmagnet

anditallfalls

apart.

Becomethe

magnet,

theinvisibleforce

that

attracts

people’simaginations

andholdsthem

together.

Once

they

haveClusteredaround

you,

no

power

canwrestthem

away.

Authority:

Thecharlatan

achieveshis

greatpowerbysimplyopening

a

possibility

formentobelievewhat

theyalready

wanttobelieve....

The credulouscannot

keep

ata

distance;

they

crowdaroundthe

wonder

worker,

entering

his

personal

aura,

surrendering

themselves

toillusionwitha

heavysolemnity,

likecattle.

(Grete

de

Francesco)

LAW 27 2:25