The 48 Laws Of Power

Eventually

Ludwig’s

ministerswrotehimaletter:“Your

Majesty

now

standsatafateful
parting

ofthe

ways:you

havetochoosebetweenthelove

and
respect

of

your

faithful

people

andthe

‘friendship’

ofRichard

Wag-

ner.”InDecemberof
1865,

Ludwigpolitely

askedhisfriendtoleaveand

neverreturn.

Wagner

had

inadvertently

placed

himselfinLolaMontez’s

reflection.Once

there,

everything

hedidremindedthestoliclBavariamsof

thatdread
woman,
andtherewas

nothing

hecoulddoaboutit.

Avoidsuchassociation-effectslikethe

plague.

Inamirroredsituation

you

havelittleornocontroloverthereflectionsandrecollectionsthatwill

beconnectedto
you,

and

any

situation

beyondyour

controlis

dangerous.

Evenifthe
person

oreventhas

positive

associations,

you

willsufferfrom

not

being

abletolive

up

to

them,

sincethe

past

generallyappearsgreater

thanthe

present.

If

you

evernotice

peopleassociatingyou

withsome

past

eventor
person,

do

everythingyou

canto

separateyourself

fromthat

memory

andtoshatterthereflection.

LAW 44 39 I