The 48 Laws Of Power

290 LAW 34

REVERSAL

Theideabehindthe

assumption

of

regal

confidenceistoset

yourselfapart

fromother

people,

but

if

you

take

this

too

faritwill

be

yourundoing.

Nevermakethemistakeof

thinking

that

you

elevate

yourselfby

humiliat-

ingpeople.

Also,

itisnevera

good

ideatoloomtoo

high

abovethe

crowcl—you

makean

easytarget.

Andtherearetimeswhenanaristocratic

pose

is

eminentlydangerous.

Charles

I,

king

of

Englandduring

the

16405,

faceda

profoundpublic

disenchantmentwiththeinstitutionof

monarchy.

Revolts

erupted

through»

outthe

country,

led

by

OliverCromwell.HadCharlesreactedtothetimes

with

insight,supporting

reformsand

making

ashowof

sacrificing

someof

his

power,historymight

havebeendifferent.Insteadherevertedtoan

evenmore

regalpose,seemingoutragedby

theassaultonhis

power

and

onthe

divineinstitution

of

monarchy.

Hisstiff

kingliness

offended

people

and

spurred

ontheirrevolts.And

eventually

Charleslosthis

head,

literally

Understand:Youare

radiatingconfidence,

not

arrogance

ordisdain.

Finally,

itistruethat

you

cansometimesfindsome

powerthrough

af-

fecting

akindof

earthyvulgarity,

whichwill

proveamusingby

itsextreme-

ness.Buttotheextentthat

you

winthis

gamebygoingbeyond

the

limits,

separatingyourself

fromother

peopleby

appearing

evenmore

vulgar

than

they

are,

the

game

is

dangerous:

Therewill

always

be

people

more

vulgar

than

you,

and

you

will

easily

be

replaced

the

following

season

by

someone

younger

andworse.