The 48 Laws Of Power

MostastuteofallwasDiane’s

appropriation

ofthe

goddess

Diana.

Hereshetookthe

gamebeyond

physical

imagery

intotherealmofthe

psy-

chic

symbol.

Itwas

quite

afeattotransforma

king’s

mistressintoanem-

blemof
power

and

purity,

butshe

managed

it.Vfithouttheresonanceof

the

goddess,

Dianewas

merelyanraging

courtesan.

With

the

imagery

and

symbolism

of

Dianaonher

shoulders,

sheseemed

a

mythic

force,

destined

for
greatness.

Youtoocan

play

with

images

like

these,

weaving

visualcluesintoan

encompassinggestalt,

asDianedidwithhercolorsandher

insignia.

Estab-

lishatrademarklikethesetoset

yourselfapart.

Thentakethe

game

fur

ther: Findan

image

or

symbol

froml'.l1e

past

thatwill

neatly

fit

your

situation,
and
put

iton

your

shoulderslikea

cape.

Itwillmake

you

seem

larger

thanlife.

Because

of

the

light

itshinesontheotherstarswhichmake

up

akind

of

courtaround

it,

became

ofthejust

and

equal

distribution

of

its

rays

to

all

alike,

because

of

the

good

it

brings

toall

places,[zmducinglife,joy

and

action,

bemuse

of

its

wnstamyfrom

whichitnever

varies,

Ichose

themmasthemost

magnificentimage

to

represent

a

great

leader.

Louis

XIV

theSun

King,

16384715

KEYSTOPOWER

Using

words

to

pleadyour

caseis business:Wordsare

dangerous

in-

struments,

andoften

goastray.

Thewords

people

useto

persuade

usvirtu-

ally

inviteustoreflectonthemwithwordsofour

own;

wemullthem

over,

andoftenend
up

believing

the

opposite

ofwhat

they

say.(That

is

part

of

our
perverse

nature.)

Italso

happens

thatwordsoffend

us,

stirring

up

asso-

ciations
unintended
by

the

speaker.

The

visual,

ontheother

hand,

short-circuitsthe

labyrinth

ofwords.It

strikeswith
an
emotional
power

and

immediacy

thatleaveno

gaps

forre-

flecfion anddoubt. Like
music,

it

leaps

right

over

rational,

reasonable

droughts.Imagine

theMoonDoctor

trying

tomakeacaseforhismedical

practice,trying

toconvince

theunconverted

bytelling

themaboutthe

healingpowers

ofthe

moon,

andabouthisown

special

connectiontoadis-

tant

object

inthe

sky.Fortunately

for

him,

hewasabletocreateacom-

pellingspectacle

thatmadewords

unnecessary.

Themomenthis

patients

enteredthebeer

hall,

the

image

ofthemoon

spokeeloquentlyenough.

Understand:Words

putyou

on

thedefensive.If

you

haveto

explain

yourselfyourpower

is

already

in

question.

The

image,

ontheother

hand,

imposes

itselfasa

given.

It

discouragesquestions,

createsforcefulassocia-

tions,

resists unintended

interpretations,

communicates

instantly,

and

forges

bonds

thattranscendsocialdilferences.Wordsstir

uparguments

and

divisions;

imagesbringpeopletogether.They

arethe

quintessential

in-

strumentsof

power.

The

symbol

hasthesame

force,

whetheritisvisual

(the

statueof

Then:wasaman

named

Saknmoroyn

Hechigwan

who[wed

in

upperKyoto.

.

.

.

When

[Emperor]

Hideyor/zigave

his

greatChmno-yu[ma

ceremony]meeting

at

Kimnointhetemh

month

of

1588.

Her:hig-

wrm

rel

up

a

grant

red

mnhrellnnine

feet

acrossmountedona

stickseven

feethigh,

The

circunrferenceof

thehandlelu-

.-rurrourzdedfor

allow

two

feetby

areed

fence

insucha

way

thatthe

raysof

therimwere

reflectedfrom

itand

difjizsed

thecolour

of

theumbrellaall

around.'1‘}ri.rdevice

pleasedHide}-oshi

so

muchthatheremitted‘

Hechigwuniv

laxexasa

reward.

can-no-yo:

run.3/\PANESFTEA

¢‘léRl?M(\NY.

A.L.Sm»;-.n.

1962

LAW 37 313