The 48 Laws Of Power

NeverAfiectFriendlinessand
Intimacy

withYourMaster.Hedoes

notwantafriendfora

subordinate,

hewantsasubordinate.Never

ap-

proach

himinan

easy,friendlyway,

oractasif

you

areonthebestof

ten'ns—thatishis
prerogative.

Ifhechoosestodealwith

you

onthis

level,

assume
a
wary

nhumminess.

Otherwiseerr

in

the

opposite

direction,

and

makethedistancebetween
you

clear.

NeverCriticizeThoseAboveYou
Directly.

This

may

seem

obvious,

butthereareoftentimeswhensomesortofcriticismis
necessary—tosay

nothing,

orto

give

no

advice,

would

openyou

torisksofanothersort.You

must
learn,however,
tocouch
your

adviceandcriticismas

indirectly

andas

politely

as

possible.

Think

twice,

orthree

times,

before

deciding

you

have

madethem

sufficiently

circuitous.Erronthesideof

subtlety

and

gentleness.

Be

Frugal

in

Asking

ThoseAboveYouforFavors.

Nothing

imitatesa

mastermorethan

having

to

reject

someone’s

request

Itstirs

upguilt

and

resentment.Askforfavorsas

rarely

as

possible,

andknowwhento

stop.

Ratherthan

making

yourself

the

supplicant,

itis

always

bettertoearn

your

favors,

sothattherulerbestowsthem

willingly.

Most

important:

Donotask

forfavorsonanother

person’s

behalf,

leastofallafriend’s.

Never

joke

About

Appearances

orTaste.A

lively

witandahumorous

disposition

areessential

qualifies

fora

good

courtier,

andtherearetimes

when

vulgarity

is

appropriate

and

engaging.

Butavoid

any

kindof

joke

about

appearance

or

taste,

two

highly

sensitive

areas,

especially

withthose

above

you.

Donoteven

try

itwhen

you

are

away

fromthem.Youwill

dig

your

own

grave.

DoNotBetheCourt

Cynic.

Express

admirationforthe

good

workof

others.If

youconstantly

criticize

yourequals

orsubordinatessome

of

that

criticism

willruboffon

you,hovering

over

you

like

a

gray

cloudwherever

you

go.People

will

groan

ateachnew

cynical

comment,

and

you

willirn'~

tatethem.

Byexpressing

modestadmirationforother

people’s

achieve-

ments,

youparadoxically

callattentionto

your

own.The

ability

to

express

wonderand

amazement,

andseemlike

you

mean

it,

isarareand

dying

tal-

ent,

butone

still

greatly

valued.

BeSelf-observant. Themirrorisamiraculous

invention;

withoutit

you

wouldcommit

great

sins

againstbeauty

anddecorum.Youalsoneedamir-

rorfor

your

actions.Thiscansometimescomefrom

other

peopletelling

you

what

they

seein

you,

butthatisnotthemost

trustworthy

method:Ybu

mustbethe

mirror,

trainingyour

mindto

try

tosee

yourself

asotherssee

you.

Are

youacting

too

obsequious?

Are

youtrying

toohardto

please?

Do

you

seem

desperate

for

attention,

giving

the

impression

that

you

areonthe

decline?Beobservantabout

yourself

and

you

willavoidamountainof

blunders.

LAW 24

‘

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