The 48 Laws Of Power

themtodeathwithan
AC
current.When
thiswasn’t

enough,

in 1890 he

got

NewYorkState
prison

authoritiesto

organize

theworld’sfirstexecution

by

electrocution,

using

anACcurrent.ButEdison’selectrocution

experiments

hadallbeenwithsmall
creatures;
the

charge

wastoo

weak,

andtheman

was

only

halfkilled.In

perhaps

the

country’s

crueleststate-authorizedexe

cufion,

the

procedure

hadtobe

repeated.

Itwasanawful

spectacle.

Although,

inthe

long

run,

itisEdison’snamethathas

survived,

at

the

timehis

campaigndamaged

his

own

reputation

morethanTesla’s. He

backedoff.Thelessonis

simple-—never

go

toofarinattackslike

these,

for

thatwilldrawmoreattentionto
your

own

vengefulness

thantothe

person

you

are

slandering.

When

your

own

reputation

is

solid,

usesubtler

tactics,

suchassatireand
ridicule,

to

weaken

youropponent

while

makingyou

out

asa

charmingrogue.

The

mighty

lion

toys

withthemousethatcrosseshis

path—any

otherreactionwouldmarhisfearsome

reputation.

Image:

AMineFullof

DiamondsandRubies.

You

dug

for

it,

you

found

it,

and

your

wealthis nowassured.

Guarditwith

your

life.Robbersandthieves

will

appear

fromallsides.Nevertake

your

wealth

for

granted,

and

constantly

renewit—time

will diminish the

jewels’

luster,

and

bury

them from

sight.

Authority:

ThereforeIshouldwishourcourtiertobolster

up

hisinherent

worthwithskilland
cunning,

andensurethatwheneverhehasto

go

where

heisa
stranger,

heis

precededby

a

goodreputation.

4. .Forthe

lame

which
appears

torestonthe

opinions

of

many

fostersa

certain

unshak-

ablebeliefinaman’sworthwhichisthen

easilystrengthened

inminds

already

thus

disposed

and

prepared.

{BaldassareCastiglione,

1478—

1529)

REVERSAL

Thereisno

possible

Reversal.

Reputation

is

critical;

thereareno

excep-

tionstothislaw.

Perhaps,

not

caring

whatothersthinkof

you,yougain

a

reputation

forinsolenceand

arrogance,

butthatcanbeavaluable

image

in

itself—0scarWildeuseditto

greatadvantage.

Sincewemustliveinsoci-

ety

andmust

depend

onthe

opinions

of

others,

thereis

nothing

tobe

gainedby

neglectingyourreputation. By

not

caring

how

you

are

per»

ceived,

you

letothersdecidethisfor

you.

Bethemasterof

your

fate,

and

alsoof

yourreputation.

LAW 5

‘

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