48 Laws Flashcards
1
Q
Law 1
A
“Never outshine the master
Make those above you feel superior. Do not show your talents too much, it’ll make them insecure.
Make the master appear more brilliant than they are”
2
Q
Law 2
A
“Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies
Friends will quickly betray you as they can easily be roused to envy.
Hire former enemies, they’ll be loyal as they have more to prove. “
3
Q
Law 3
A
“Conceal your intentions
Keep people off-balance. They cannot prepare if they don’t know. Guide them down the wrong path.”
4
Q
Law 4
A
“Always say less than necessary
When trying to impress, the more you say the more common you look and less in control.
Be vague.
Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less.
Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike.
The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
“
5
Q
Law 5
A
“So much depends on reputation – guard it with your life
Reputation is the cornerstone of power.
Reputation alone will make you win.
Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations.
Destroy enemies by attacking their reputation. Then stand aside and let the public hang them.
“
6
Q
Law 6
A
” Court attention at all cost
Everything is judged by appearance, what is unseen counts for nothing.
Never get lost in a crowd.
Be mysterious, appear more colorful than the masses.”
7
Q
Law 7
A
“Let others to do the work for you, but always take credit
Use the skills of others to do the work for you, never do yourself what others can do for you.
Your efficiency will appear god-like.”
8
Q
Law 8
A
“Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary
When you force others to act, you’re in control.
It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process.
Lure with gains, then attack.”
9
Q
Law 9
A
“Win through your actions, never through argument
You can only win a Pyrrhic victory through argument.
The resentment you will stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion.
It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate.
“
10
Q
Law 10
A
“Infection: Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky
You’ll die from other’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as diseases.
The unfortunate draw misfortune on themselves and will draw it on you.
Associate with the happy and fortunate.”
11
Q
Law 11
A
“Learn to keep people dependent on you
To maintain independence you must be needed and wanted.
The more you’re relied on, the more freedom you have.
Make people depend on you for happiness.
Never teach them enough so they can do without you.”
12
Q
Law 12
A
“Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim
One sincere move will cover over a dozen dishonest ones.
Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. A timely gift – a Trojan horse – will serve the same purpose.
“
13
Q
Law 13
A
“When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy
Do not remind people of past deeds.
Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself.
“
14
Q
Law 14
A
“Pose as a friend, work as a spy
Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself.
In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying.
“
15
Q
Law 15
A
“Crush your enemy totally
More is lost through stopping halfway.
The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.
“
16
Q
Law 16
A
“Use absence to increase respect and honor
Too much circulation makes the price go down.
If you are already established in a group, temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired.
You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity.
”
17
Q
Law 17
A
“Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability
Being predictable gives control to others.
Behavior that isn’t consistent will wear people out, and they’ll stop trying to explain things.
When used to the extreme, you’ll intimidate and terrorize.
“
18
Q
Law 18
A
“Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous
Isolation cuts you off from valuable information.
Its better to mingle, find allies.
You are shielded from your enemy in a crowd.”
19
Q
Law 19
A
“Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person
Never assume everyone will react the same way.
Deceive or outmaneuver some people and they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge. They are wolves in lambs’ clothing. Choose your victims and opponents carefully, then – never offend or deceive the wrong person.
“
20
Q
Law 20
A
“Do not commit to anyone
Fools rush to pick a side.
Do not commit to a cause but yourself
Maintain independence
Make people chase you and play people against one another”
21
Q
Law 21
A
“Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark
No one likes feeling stupider than the next person.
The trick, then, is to make your victims feel smart – and not just smart, but smarter than you are.
Once convinced of this, they will never suspect that you may have ulterior motives.
“
22
Q
Law 22
A
“Use the surrender tactic: transformer weakness into power
When you’re weaker, never fight just for honor but surrender.
Surrender gives you time to recover, time to torment and irritate your conqueror, time to wait for his power to wane.
Do not give them the satisfaction to win, surrender.
Turn the other cheek to infuriate them, use surrender as a tool of power. “
23
Q
Law 23
A
“Concentrate your forces
Conserve your forces and energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point.
Find a fat cow that’ll give you milk for a long time”
24
Q
Law 24
A
“Play the perfect courtier
He has mastered the art of indirection; he flatters, yields to superiors, and asserts power over others in the mot oblique and graceful manner.
Assert power gracefully to avoid jealousy. “
25
Law 25
"Re-create yourself
Create an identity that commands attention and never bores.
Be the master of your own image rather than letting others or society define it for you.
Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life.
"
26
Law 26
"Keep your hands clean
You must seem a paragon of civility and efficiency: Your hands are never soiled by mistakes and nasty deeds.
Use others as scapegoats to disguise your involvement"
27
Law 27
"Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following
People want to believe in something
Become the focal point of this and offer them a cause, a new faith
Keep your words vague but full of promise
Emphasize enthusiasm over rationality
Give your new disciples rituals to perform and ask them to make sacrifices"
28
Law 28
"Enter action with boldness
If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution.
Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity.
Everyone admires boldness, no one honors the timid"
29
Law 29
"Plan all the way to the end
The ending is everything.
Plan all the way to it, taking into account all the possible consequences, obstacles, and twists of fortune that might reverse your hard work and give the glory to others.
Guide fortune by thinking far ahead
"
30
Law 30
"Make your accomplishments seem effortless
Your actions must seem natural and executed with ease.
All the toil and practice that go into them, and also all the clever tricks, must be concealed.
When you act, act effortlessly, as if you could do much more.
Avoid the temptation of revealing how hard you work – it only raises questions.
Teach no one your tricks or they will be used against you.
"
31
Law 31
" Control the opinions: get others to play with the cards you deal
The best deceptions seem to give the other person a choice.
Your victims feel they are in control, but are actually your puppets. Give people options that come out in your favor whichever one they choose. "
32
Law 32
"Play to people’s fantasies
The truth is unpleasant, avoid it.
Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them.
There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses."
33
Law 33
"Discover each man’s thumbscrew
Everyone has a weakness,
That weakness is usually an insecurity, an uncontrollable emotion or need; it can also be a small secret pleasure.
Either way, once found, it is a thumbscrew you can turn to your advantage.
"
34
Law 34
"Be royal in your own fashion: act like a king to be treated like one
The way you carry yourself determines how you’re treated
Appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you
Kings respect themselves and inspire the same in others
By acting confident you make yourself destined to wear a crown"
35
Law 35
"Master the art of timing
Never seem in a hurry, always seem patient
Sniff out the spirit of the times, find the trends that’ll give you power
Learn to stand back when not ready, and then strike fiercely when it has reached fruition."
36
Law 36
"Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them if the best revenge
Acknowledging petty problems gives them existence
When you acknowledge an enemy you make them stronger
The more you a mistake visible, the worse it gets
If you want something but can’t have it, disdain it
The less interest you reveal, the more superior you seem"
37
Law 37
"Create compelling spectacles
Striking imagery and symbolic gestures create the auro of power and people respond
Stage spectacles for those around you and heighten your presence
Dazzled by appearances, no one will notice what you are really doing.
"
38
Law 38
"Think as you like but behave like others
By flaunting your unconventional ways and ideas people will only think you want attention
They will find a way to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch.
Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness.
"
39
Law 39
"Stir up waters to catch fish
Anger and emotion is counterproductive
Stay calm and objective
Make enemies emotional while you stay calm. Find the chink in their vanity through which you can rattle them and you hold the strings.
Rattle your enemies. "
40
Law 40
"Despise the free lunch.
What is offered for free is dangerous – it usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation.
Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power.
"
41
Law 41
"Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes
What happens first always appears better and more original than what’s next
If you succeed a great man or have a famous parent, you will have to accomplish double their achievements to outshine them. Do not get lost in their shadow, or stuck in a past not of your own making:
Gain power by shining in your own way
"
42
Law 42
"Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
Trouble can be traced to a single individual
These people will influence others
Do not wait for the troubles they cause to multiply, do not try to negotiate with them – they are irredeemable.
Neutralize their influence by isolating or banishing them. Strike at the source of the trouble and the sheep will scatter.
"
43
Law 43
"Work on the hearts and minds of others
Coercion will work against you after a while.
Seduce others into wanting to move in your direction
Seduce others by operating on their individual psychologies and weaknesses
Soften them by working their emotions and what they fear
Ignore the hearts and minds and they will grow to hate you"
44
Law 44
"Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect
When you mirror exactly what your enemies do, they cannot figure out your strategy
The mirror effect mocks and humiliates them, making them overreact
Hold a mirror to their psyches and you’ll seduce them and they’ll think they share your values
Mirror their actions and they learn lessons"
45
Law 45
"Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once
Everyone wants change but too much is traumatic
If you are new to a position of power, or an outsider trying to build a power base, make a show of respecting the old way of doing things.
If change is necessary, make it feel like a gentle improvement on the past."
46
Law 46
"Never appear too perfect
Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies.
It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. "
47
Law 47
"Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory know when to stop
In the heat of victory, arrogance and overconfidence can push you past the goal you had aimed for, and by going too far, you make more enemies than you defeat. Do not allow success to go to your head.
Set a goal, achieve it, then stop"
48
Law 48
" Assume formlessness
By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack.
Stay adaptable and on the move
Accept that nothing is certain and no law fixed
The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. "
49
"Never outshine the master
Make those above you feel superior. Do not show your talents too much, it’ll make them insecure.
Make the master appear more brilliant than they are"
Law 1
50
"Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies
Friends will quickly betray you as they can easily be roused to envy.
Hire former enemies, they’ll be loyal as they have more to prove. "
Law 2
51
"Conceal your intentions
Keep people off-balance. They cannot prepare if they don’t know. Guide them down the wrong path."
Law 3
52
"Always say less than necessary
When trying to impress, the more you say the more common you look and less in control.
Be vague.
Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less.
Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike.
The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
"
Law 4
53
"So much depends on reputation – guard it with your life
Reputation is the cornerstone of power.
Reputation alone will make you win.
Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations.
Destroy enemies by attacking their reputation. Then stand aside and let the public hang them.
"
Law 5
54
" Court attention at all cost
Everything is judged by appearance, what is unseen counts for nothing.
Never get lost in a crowd.
Be mysterious, appear more colorful than the masses."
Law 6
55
"Let others to do the work for you, but always take credit
Use the skills of others to do the work for you, never do yourself what others can do for you.
Your efficiency will appear god-like."
Law 7
56
"Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary
When you force others to act, you’re in control.
It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process.
Lure with gains, then attack."
Law 8
57
"Win through your actions, never through argument
You can only win a Pyrrhic victory through argument.
The resentment you will stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion.
It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate.
"
Law 9
58
"Infection: Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky
You’ll die from other’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as diseases.
The unfortunate draw misfortune on themselves and will draw it on you.
Associate with the happy and fortunate."
Law 10
59
"Learn to keep people dependent on you
To maintain independence you must be needed and wanted.
The more you’re relied on, the more freedom you have.
Make people depend on you for happiness.
Never teach them enough so they can do without you."
Law 11
60
"Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim
One sincere move will cover over a dozen dishonest ones.
Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. A timely gift – a Trojan horse – will serve the same purpose.
"
Law 12
61
"When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy
Do not remind people of past deeds.
Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself.
"
Law 13
62
"Pose as a friend, work as a spy
Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself.
In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying.
"
Law 14
63
"Crush your enemy totally
More is lost through stopping halfway.
The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.
"
Law 15
64
"Use absence to increase respect and honor
Too much circulation makes the price go down.
If you are already established in a group, temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired.
You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity.
"
Law 16
65
"Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability
Being predictable gives control to others.
Behavior that isn’t consistent will wear people out, and they’ll stop trying to explain things.
When used to the extreme, you’ll intimidate and terrorize.
"
Law 17
66
"Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous
Isolation cuts you off from valuable information.
Its better to mingle, find allies.
You are shielded from your enemy in a crowd."
Law 18
67
"Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person
Never assume everyone will react the same way.
Deceive or outmaneuver some people and they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge. They are wolves in lambs’ clothing. Choose your victims and opponents carefully, then – never offend or deceive the wrong person.
"
Law 19
68
"Do not commit to anyone
Fools rush to pick a side.
Do not commit to a cause but yourself
Maintain independence
Make people chase you and play people against one another"
Law 20
69
"Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark
No one likes feeling stupider than the next person.
The trick, then, is to make your victims feel smart – and not just smart, but smarter than you are.
Once convinced of this, they will never suspect that you may have ulterior motives.
"
Law 21
70
"Use the surrender tactic: transformer weakness into power
When you’re weaker, never fight just for honor but surrender.
Surrender gives you time to recover, time to torment and irritate your conqueror, time to wait for his power to wane.
Do not give them the satisfaction to win, surrender.
Turn the other cheek to infuriate them, use surrender as a tool of power. "
Law 22
71
"Concentrate your forces
Conserve your forces and energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point.
Find a fat cow that’ll give you milk for a long time"
Law 23
72
"Play the perfect courtier
He has mastered the art of indirection; he flatters, yields to superiors, and asserts power over others in the mot oblique and graceful manner.
Assert power gracefully to avoid jealousy. "
Law 24
73
"Re-create yourself
Create an identity that commands attention and never bores.
Be the master of your own image rather than letting others or society define it for you.
Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life.
"
Law 25
74
"Keep your hands clean
You must seem a paragon of civility and efficiency: Your hands are never soiled by mistakes and nasty deeds.
Use others as scapegoats to disguise your involvement"
Law 26
75
"Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following
People want to believe in something
Become the focal point of this and offer them a cause, a new faith
Keep your words vague but full of promise
Emphasize enthusiasm over rationality
Give your new disciples rituals to perform and ask them to make sacrifices"
Law 27
76
"Enter action with boldness
If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution.
Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity.
Everyone admires boldness, no one honors the timid"
Law 28
77
"Plan all the way to the end
The ending is everything.
Plan all the way to it, taking into account all the possible consequences, obstacles, and twists of fortune that might reverse your hard work and give the glory to others.
Guide fortune by thinking far ahead
"
Law 29
78
"Make your accomplishments seem effortless
Your actions must seem natural and executed with ease.
All the toil and practice that go into them, and also all the clever tricks, must be concealed.
When you act, act effortlessly, as if you could do much more.
Avoid the temptation of revealing how hard you work – it only raises questions.
Teach no one your tricks or they will be used against you.
"
Law 30
79
" Control the opinions: get others to play with the cards you deal
The best deceptions seem to give the other person a choice.
Your victims feel they are in control, but are actually your puppets. Give people options that come out in your favor whichever one they choose. "
Law 31
80
"Play to people’s fantasies
The truth is unpleasant, avoid it.
Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them.
There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses."
Law 32
81
"Discover each man’s thumbscrew
Everyone has a weakness,
That weakness is usually an insecurity, an uncontrollable emotion or need; it can also be a small secret pleasure.
Either way, once found, it is a thumbscrew you can turn to your advantage.
"
Law 33
82
"Be royal in your own fashion: act like a king to be treated like one
The way you carry yourself determines how you’re treated
Appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you
Kings respect themselves and inspire the same in others
By acting confident you make yourself destined to wear a crown"
Law 34
83
"Master the art of timing
Never seem in a hurry, always seem patient
Sniff out the spirit of the times, find the trends that’ll give you power
Learn to stand back when not ready, and then strike fiercely when it has reached fruition."
Law 35
84
"Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them if the best revenge
Acknowledging petty problems gives them existence
When you acknowledge an enemy you make them stronger
The more you a mistake visible, the worse it gets
If you want something but can’t have it, disdain it
The less interest you reveal, the more superior you seem"
Law 36
85
"Create compelling spectacles
Striking imagery and symbolic gestures create the auro of power and people respond
Stage spectacles for those around you and heighten your presence
Dazzled by appearances, no one will notice what you are really doing.
"
Law 37
86
"Think as you like but behave like others
By flaunting your unconventional ways and ideas people will only think you want attention
They will find a way to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch.
Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness.
"
Law 38
87
"Stir up waters to catch fish
Anger and emotion is counterproductive
Stay calm and objective
Make enemies emotional while you stay calm. Find the chink in their vanity through which you can rattle them and you hold the strings.
Rattle your enemies. "
Law 39
88
"Despise the free lunch.
What is offered for free is dangerous – it usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation.
Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power.
"
Law 40
89
"Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes
What happens first always appears better and more original than what’s next
If you succeed a great man or have a famous parent, you will have to accomplish double their achievements to outshine them. Do not get lost in their shadow, or stuck in a past not of your own making:
Gain power by shining in your own way
"
Law 41
90
"Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
Trouble can be traced to a single individual
These people will influence others
Do not wait for the troubles they cause to multiply, do not try to negotiate with them – they are irredeemable.
Neutralize their influence by isolating or banishing them. Strike at the source of the trouble and the sheep will scatter.
"
Law 42
91
"Work on the hearts and minds of others
Coercion will work against you after a while.
Seduce others into wanting to move in your direction
Seduce others by operating on their individual psychologies and weaknesses
Soften them by working their emotions and what they fear
Ignore the hearts and minds and they will grow to hate you"
Law 43
92
"Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect
When you mirror exactly what your enemies do, they cannot figure out your strategy
The mirror effect mocks and humiliates them, making them overreact
Hold a mirror to their psyches and you’ll seduce them and they’ll think they share your values
Mirror their actions and they learn lessons"
Law 44
93
"Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once
Everyone wants change but too much is traumatic
If you are new to a position of power, or an outsider trying to build a power base, make a show of respecting the old way of doing things.
If change is necessary, make it feel like a gentle improvement on the past."
Law 45
94
"Never appear too perfect
Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies.
It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. "
Law 46
95
"Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory know when to stop
In the heat of victory, arrogance and overconfidence can push you past the goal you had aimed for, and by going too far, you make more enemies than you defeat. Do not allow success to go to your head.
Set a goal, achieve it, then stop"
Law 47
96
" Assume formlessness
By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack.
Stay adaptable and on the move
Accept that nothing is certain and no law fixed
The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. "
Law 48
97
"Law 23 - Concentrate your forces
Example: Focus, don't spread out your resources in business or in war. "
Law 23 & Example
98
Law 23 & Example
"Law 23 - Concentrate your forces
Example: Focus, don't spread out your resources in business or in war. "
99
"Law 24 - Play the perfect courtier
Example: Don't be overly affectionate as this could have caused other people in the organization might to resent you. But once above these others you can under the protection of the King pander further, and this is playing the courtier game well also. "
Law 24 & Example
100
Law 24 & Example
"Law 24 - Play the perfect courtier
Example: Don't be overly affectionate as this could have caused other people in the organization might to resent you. But once above these others you can under the protection of the King pander further, and this is playing the courtier game well also. "
101
"Law 25 - Recreate yourself
Example: As you have since rebirth April 2016, recreate personality, ambission, confidence. Your own identity is your own. "
Law 25 & Example
102
Law 25 & Example
"Law 25 - Recreate yourself
Example: As you have since rebirth April 2016, recreate personality, ambission, confidence. Your own identity is your own. "
103
"Law 26 - Keep your hands clean
Example: Stay holier than though. Don't get personal or get into the mud, let others do that for you. Never compromise your class as Harry does sometimes, or you have sometimes with Ed.
Example: Ts’ao had two options during food crisi and army potential mutiny: apology and excuses, or a scapegoat. Understanding the workings of power and the importance of appearances as he did, Ts’ao did not hesitate for a moment: he shopped around for the most convenient head and had it served up immediately"
Law 26 & Example
104
Law 26 & Example
"Law 26 - Keep your hands clean
Example: Stay holier than though. Don't get personal or get into the mud, let others do that for you. Never compromise your class as Harry does sometimes, or you have sometimes with Ed.
Example: Ts’ao had two options during food crisi and army potential mutiny: apology and excuses, or a scapegoat. Understanding the workings of power and the importance of appearances as he did, Ts’ao did not hesitate for a moment: he shopped around for the most convenient head and had it served up immediately"
105
"Law 27 - Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following
Example: Like the people at Educo who don't get it, barely do the recording but still want the results and were lulled into the belief element.
"
Law 27 & Example
106
Law 27 & Example
"Law 27 - Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following
Example: Like the people at Educo who don't get it, barely do the recording but still want the results and were lulled into the belief element.
"
107
"Law 28 - Enter action with boldness
Example: If you walk up a a girl timidly / half shy she will never give you anything, to start something timidly is messing if up, you need to get 100% sure then 100% go for it. Grow fast or die slow in start up lingo.
"
Law 28 & Example
108
Law 28 & Example
"Law 28 - Enter action with boldness
Example: If you walk up a a girl timidly / half shy she will never give you anything, to start something timidly is messing if up, you need to get 100% sure then 100% go for it. Grow fast or die slow in start up lingo.
"
109
"Law 29 - Plan all the way to the end
Example: Know your end game, this will keep you on track and motivated and able to manouvre if issues pop up. Knowing you end goal is essential in your start up currently.
Exmaple: Balboa a Spaniard did all the hard work and exploring in the Americas, but had no clear end game so an opponent had him charged with treason and took his place to excute his own precise plan to capitalise on the gains of his misdirected colleague. "
Law 29 & Example
110
Law 29 & Example
"Law 29 - Plan all the way to the end
Example: Know your end game, this will keep you on track and motivated and able to manouvre if issues pop up. Knowing you end goal is essential in your start up currently.
Exmaple: Balboa a Spaniard did all the hard work and exploring in the Americas, but had no clear end game so an opponent had him charged with treason and took his place to excute his own precise plan to capitalise on the gains of his misdirected colleague. "
111
"Law 30 - Make your accomplishments seem effortless
Example: The meeting you had with $300m value Kaz is all the more impressive as peopel don't really understand how you access people like that with such ease. The same with Graham Weston a billionaire.
"
Law 30 & Example
112
Law 30 & Example
"Law 30 - Make your accomplishments seem effortless
Example: The meeting you had with $300m value Kaz is all the more impressive as peopel don't really understand how you access people like that with such ease. The same with Graham Weston a billionaire.
"
113
"Law 31 - Get others to play with the cards you deal
Example: in keeping with keeping you hands clean, like giving someone bad news to deliver for you, people always associate bad news with the deliverer no matter who caused it.
"
Law 31 & Example
114
Law 31 & Example
"Law 31 - Get others to play with the cards you deal
Example: in keeping with keeping you hands clean, like giving someone bad news to deliver for you, people always associate bad news with the deliverer no matter who caused it.
"
115
"Law 32 - Play to people’s fantasies
Example: Girls want to be dazzled, and people want to be entertained and seduced like guys for example being complimented by a girl. People want to make believe and be seduced so do this for them, play up to their imaginations.
"
Law 32 & Example
116
Law 32 & Example
"Law 32 - Play to people’s fantasies
Example: Girls want to be dazzled, and people want to be entertained and seduced like guys for example being complimented by a girl. People want to make believe and be seduced so do this for them, play up to their imaginations.
"
117
"Law 33 - Discover each man’s thumbscrew
Example: You got rid of your need for appreciation or ego pandering, but many other have this, or an insecurity over being cool, or over girls, or over their reputation being impeccable. Exploit this weaknes, it was there in EC and TM.
"
Law 33 & Example
118
Law 33 & Example
"Law 33 - Discover each man’s thumbscrew
Example: You got rid of your need for appreciation or ego pandering, but many other have this, or an insecurity over being cool, or over girls, or over their reputation being impeccable. Exploit this weaknes, it was there in EC and TM.
"
119
"Law 34 - Act like a king to be treated like one
Example: Alex did this telling two other lawyers to keep it down when they were arguing, giving him higher up status. The way you carry yourself will often determine how you are treated: In the long run, appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you. For a king respects himself and inspires the same sentiment in others. "
Law 34 & Example
120
Law 34 & Example
"Law 34 - Act like a king to be treated like one
Example: Alex did this telling two other lawyers to keep it down when they were arguing, giving him higher up status. The way you carry yourself will often determine how you are treated: In the long run, appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you. For a king respects himself and inspires the same sentiment in others. "
121
"Law 35 - Master the art of timing
Example: Making people wait is a powerful way of forcing time, as long as they not figure out what you are up to. You control the clock, they linger in limbo — and rapidly come unglued, opening up opportunities for you to strike.
The opposite effect is equally powerful: You make your opponents hurry. Start off your dealings with them slowly, then suddenly apply pressure, making them feel that everything is happening at once. People who lack the time to think will make mistakes — so set their deadlines for them."
Law 35 & Example
122
Law 35 & Example
"Law 35 - Master the art of timing
Example: Making people wait is a powerful way of forcing time, as long as they not figure out what you are up to. You control the clock, they linger in limbo — and rapidly come unglued, opening up opportunities for you to strike.
The opposite effect is equally powerful: You make your opponents hurry. Start off your dealings with them slowly, then suddenly apply pressure, making them feel that everything is happening at once. People who lack the time to think will make mistakes — so set their deadlines for them."
123
"Law 36 - Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them if the best revenge
Example: Craving is unhealthy for a women or for a thing, and give much control and energy over to that person or addiction, yours is girls and food. Ignorance is the best strategy conjuring up demand from people for your attention.
"
Law 36 & Example
124
Law 36 & Example
"Law 36 - Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them if the best revenge
Example: Craving is unhealthy for a women or for a thing, and give much control and energy over to that person or addiction, yours is girls and food. Ignorance is the best strategy conjuring up demand from people for your attention.
"
125
"Law 37 - Increase presence with compelling spectacles
Example: Gatsby does this very effectively with his massive parties, massively enhancing his presences and aura.
"
Law 37 & Example
126
Law 37 & Example
"Law 37 - Increase presence with compelling spectacles
Example: Gatsby does this very effectively with his massive parties, massively enhancing his presences and aura.
"
127
"Law 38 - Think as you like but behave like others
Example: When you were 16 you liked to be a contrarien as Ed still does, this gets others to simply think you want attention.
"
Law 38 & Example
128
Law 38 & Example
"Law 38 - Think as you like but behave like others
Example: When you were 16 you liked to be a contrarien as Ed still does, this gets others to simply think you want attention.
"
129
"Law 39 - Stir up waters to catch fish
Example: Get someone angry in negotiations so they reveal some part of their plan or outlook you can then capitalize on, find their thumbscrew perhaps. Alex St James did this to Kim at One Re, hefound her tuhmb screw and stirred up her waters so she cracked and stopped using her intelligent brain. "
Law 39 & Example
130
Law 39 & Example
"Law 39 - Stir up waters to catch fish
Example: Get someone angry in negotiations so they reveal some part of their plan or outlook you can then capitalize on, find their thumbscrew perhaps. Alex St James did this to Kim at One Re, hefound her tuhmb screw and stirred up her waters so she cracked and stopped using her intelligent brain. "
131
"Law 40 - Despise the free lunch.
Example: People often just want to ask a favour down the line, like TM with going over the contract for shareholders, giving away the yorkshire holiday, or having your claim looked at in the US.
Example: What is offered for free is dangerous — it usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation. What has worth is worth paying for. By paying your own way you stay clear of gratitude, guilt, and deceit. It is also often wise to pay the full price — there are no cutting corners with excellence. Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power."
Law 40 & Example
132
Law 40 & Example
"Law 40 - Despise the free lunch.
Example: People often just want to ask a favour down the line, like TM with going over the contract for shareholders, giving away the yorkshire holiday, or having your claim looked at in the US.
Example: What is offered for free is dangerous — it usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation. What has worth is worth paying for. By paying your own way you stay clear of gratitude, guilt, and deceit. It is also often wise to pay the full price — there are no cutting corners with excellence. Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power."
133
"Law 41 - Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes
Example: Alexander the Great had an intense dislike for his father, King Philip of Macedonia. He hated Philip’s cunning, cautious style of ruling, his bombastic speeches, his drinking, and whoring, and other wastes of time he had preoccupied himself with. Alexander knew that he had to make himself the very opposite of his domineering father. He would force himself to be bold and reckless. He would control his tongue and be a man of few words, and he would not lose precious time in pursuit of pleasures that brought no glory. Alexander also resented the fact that Philip had conquered most of Greece. “My father will go on conquering until there is nothing extraordinary left for me to do,” he once complained.
"
Law 41 & Example
134
Law 41 & Example
"Law 41 - Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes
Example: Alexander the Great had an intense dislike for his father, King Philip of Macedonia. He hated Philip’s cunning, cautious style of ruling, his bombastic speeches, his drinking, and whoring, and other wastes of time he had preoccupied himself with. Alexander knew that he had to make himself the very opposite of his domineering father. He would force himself to be bold and reckless. He would control his tongue and be a man of few words, and he would not lose precious time in pursuit of pleasures that brought no glory. Alexander also resented the fact that Philip had conquered most of Greece. “My father will go on conquering until there is nothing extraordinary left for me to do,” he once complained.
"
135
"Law 42 - Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
Example: Like ostracisim of leaders of annoying movements in the ancient Athens.
"
Law 42 & Example
136
Law 42 & Example
"Law 42 - Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
Example: Like ostracisim of leaders of annoying movements in the ancient Athens.
"
137
"Law 43 - Work on the hearts and minds of others
Example: A person you have seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will grow to hate you.
"
Law 43 & Example
138
Law 43 & Example
"Law 43 - Work on the hearts and minds of others
Example: A person you have seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will grow to hate you.
"
139
"Law 44 - Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect
Example: Ed backing down in arguement when he knows he can't win. Neutralizing and narcissus effect.
"
Law 44 & Example
140
Law 44 & Example
"Law 44 - Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect
Example: Ed backing down in arguement when he knows he can't win. Neutralizing and narcissus effect.
"
141
Law 45 & Example
"Law 45 - Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once
Example: Like a billiard ball hit too hard against the cushion bouncing back on itself, your need for change and your reforms can often result in catastrophic circumstances that you do not have control over or you did not envision.
"
142
"Law 45 - Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once
Example: Like a billiard ball hit too hard against the cushion bouncing back on itself, your need for change and your reforms can often result in catastrophic circumstances that you do not have control over or you did not envision.
"
Law 45 & Example
143
Law 46 & Example
"Law 46 - Never appear too perfect
Example: The envy Morris stirred up at Newcastle by giving the appearance of perfection. "
144
"Law 46 - Never appear too perfect
Example: The envy Morris stirred up at Newcastle by giving the appearance of perfection. "
Law 46 & Example
145
Law 47 & Example
"Law 47 - Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory know when to stop
Example: Tasting the sweet elixir of success puts you in a vulnerable position, especially if you haven’t tasted it before. So when other people come to challenge your success and achievement, it can reveal insecurities."
146
"Law 47 - Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory know when to stop
Example: Tasting the sweet elixir of success puts you in a vulnerable position, especially if you haven’t tasted it before. So when other people come to challenge your success and achievement, it can reveal insecurities."
Law 47 & Example
147
Law 48 & Example
"Law 48 - Assume formlessness
Example: Train yourself to take nothing personally. Never let anyone get your back up. Be like a slippery ball that cannot be held. Let no one know what gets to you, or where your weakness lies. Like a stealth bomber take no form so no one can see you, what they cannot see they cannot plot ot attack. "
148
"Law 48 - Assume formlessness
Example: Train yourself to take nothing personally. Never let anyone get your back up. Be like a slippery ball that cannot be held. Let no one know what gets to you, or where your weakness lies. Like a stealth bomber take no form so no one can see you, what they cannot see they cannot plot ot attack. "
Law 48 & Example
149
Law 22 & Example
"Law 22 - Use the surrender tactic: transformer weakness into power
Example: Don't get emotional, bide your time wait for when they're weaker or simply don't fight at all, focus on your goals. When arguing with Ed get equally pissed off, or about similar things get just as angry. "
150
"Law 22 - Use the surrender tactic: transformer weakness into power
Example: Don't get emotional, bide your time wait for when they're weaker or simply don't fight at all, focus on your goals. When arguing with Ed get equally pissed off, or about similar things get just as angry. "
Law 22 & Example
151
Law 21 & Example
"Law 21 - Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark
Example: Play dumb to put people you're socialising with or negotiating with off their game, so they lax and stop concentrating, and let certain parts of information slip. "
152
"Law 21 - Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark
Example: Play dumb to put people you're socialising with or negotiating with off their game, so they lax and stop concentrating, and let certain parts of information slip. "
Law 21 & Example
153
Law 20 & Example
"Law 20 - Do not commit to anyone
Exampe: In an arguement doing this makes both people arguing attempt to pursued you, making you seem more powerful and above the others.
Example: In the mid 1500s Queen Elizabeth I ascended the throne of England. For many years the issue of who she would marry was debated in Parliament. In this era it was expected that a queen must marry as soon as possible so she could continue the succession, bare children and rule. After many years of debating the Queen had many noble bachelors come to her side all attempting to prove their worthiness as a potential husband. She never marries anyone and maintained her throne knowing any King would dilute and take her power. "
154
"Law 20 - Do not commit to anyone
Exampe: In an arguement doing this makes both people arguing attempt to pursued you, making you seem more powerful and above the others.
Example: In the mid 1500s Queen Elizabeth I ascended the throne of England. For many years the issue of who she would marry was debated in Parliament. In this era it was expected that a queen must marry as soon as possible so she could continue the succession, bare children and rule. After many years of debating the Queen had many noble bachelors come to her side all attempting to prove their worthiness as a potential husband. She never marries anyone and maintained her throne knowing any King would dilute and take her power. "
Law 20 & Example
155
Law 19 & Example
"Law 19 - Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person
Example: Greene gives the example of the man cheated by a ring of con artists out of $40,000, and he then spends the next 5 years tracking them all down one by one, not our of a sense of honour or duty, but one of insecurity and embarrassment at having been cheated.
- Watch out for highly insecure people, they hold grudges the longest."
156
"Law 19 - Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person
Example: Greene gives the example of the man cheated by a ring of con artists out of $40,000, and he then spends the next 5 years tracking them all down one by one, not our of a sense of honour or duty, but one of insecurity and embarrassment at having been cheated.
- Watch out for highly insecure people, they hold grudges the longest."
Law 19 & Example
157
Law 18 & Example
"Law 18 - Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous
Example: Greene gives the example of the Emperor who never met anyone and crept around the palace in hallways whilst his aids ran the country. He had no idea what was going on in the world, and was assassinated by his aids who were effectively in charge. "
158
"Law 18 - Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous
Example: Greene gives the example of the Emperor who never met anyone and crept around the palace in hallways whilst his aids ran the country. He had no idea what was going on in the world, and was assassinated by his aids who were effectively in charge. "
Law 18 & Example
159
Law 17 & Example
"Law 17 - Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability
Example: Stalin created this in Russia and this helped consolidate all the power with him. "
160
"Law 17 - Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability
Example: Stalin created this in Russia and this helped consolidate all the power with him. "
Law 17 & Example
161
Law 16 & Example
"Law 16 - Use absence to increase respect and honor
Example: You do this socially currently, you have much more to talk about when you rejoin the group, and people wonder what you're up to, with minor facebook posts here and there. "
162
"Law 16 - Use absence to increase respect and honor
Example: You do this socially currently, you have much more to talk about when you rejoin the group, and people wonder what you're up to, with minor facebook posts here and there. "
Law 16 & Example
163
Law 15 & Example
"Law 15 - Crush your enemy totally - Totally consolidate your power position
Example: Greene gives the example of Empress Wu who smothers her own to frame the Empress at the time, she then kills the Emperor. Every opportunity she has she coldly and immediately pounces on.
Example: Greene gives the example of an aggressive talented combat general in China vs a cunning weaker opponnent her corners 3 times and allows to escape whilst they discuss a surrender. Then, in one off chance when the weaker opponent has the upper hand, he takes his single shot and goes in for the kill straight away, no mercy. He will not let his opponent slip away as his former friend and now enemy had. "
164
"Law 15 - Crush your enemy totally - Totally consolidate your power position
Example: Greene gives the example of Empress Wu who smothers her own to frame the Empress at the time, she then kills the Emperor. Every opportunity she has she coldly and immediately pounces on.
Example: Greene gives the example of an aggressive talented combat general in China vs a cunning weaker opponnent her corners 3 times and allows to escape whilst they discuss a surrender. Then, in one off chance when the weaker opponent has the upper hand, he takes his single shot and goes in for the kill straight away, no mercy. He will not let his opponent slip away as his former friend and now enemy had. "
Law 15 & Example
165
Law 14 & Example
"Law 14 - Pose as a friend, work as a spy
Example: Do this with Joost constantly, and Joost attempts to do this with you. "
166
"Law 14 - Pose as a friend, work as a spy
Example: Do this with Joost constantly, and Joost attempts to do this with you. "
Law 14 & Example
167
Law 13 & Example
"Law 13 - When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy
Example: When asking people to introduce you to investors appealed to either their care for the enviromental cause (Hayer,Pearly's friend), solving transport issues (Devin), or just straight cash, giving Pearly a % of anything raised. "
168
"Law 13 - When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy
Example: When asking people to introduce you to investors appealed to either their care for the enviromental cause (Hayer,Pearly's friend), solving transport issues (Devin), or just straight cash, giving Pearly a % of anything raised. "
Law 13 & Example
169
Law 12 & Example
"Law 12 - Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim
Example: When selling to a customer for example telling them something bad about the product seems more honest meaning what follows after this point would be more trusted. "
170
"Law 12 - Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim
Example: When selling to a customer for example telling them something bad about the product seems more honest meaning what follows after this point would be more trusted. "
Law 12 & Example
171
Law 11 & Example
"Law 11 - Learn to keep people dependent on you
Example: In the work place this will ensure you stay close to leadershi and in a downturn you would be the last to go. "
172
"Law 11 - Learn to keep people dependent on you
Example: In the work place this will ensure you stay close to leadershi and in a downturn you would be the last to go. "
Law 11 & Example
173
Law 10 & Example
"Law 10 - Infection: Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky
Example: Like the lady in the book all of whom's husbands end up dethroned, dead or in poverty. "
174
"Law 10 - Infection: Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky
Example: Like the lady in the book all of whom's husbands end up dethroned, dead or in poverty. "
Law 10 & Example
175
Law 9 & Example
"Law 9 - Win through your actions, never through argument
Example: Instead of drawing out arguement with Ed, you just beat him.
Example: Instead of discussing if you could do an Iron Man with no traiining you just did one. "
176
"Law 9 - Win through your actions, never through argument
Example: Instead of drawing out arguement with Ed, you just beat him.
Example: Instead of discussing if you could do an Iron Man with no traiining you just did one. "
Law 9 & Example
177
Law 8 & Example
"Law 8 - Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary
Example: The way you carry yourself will often determine how you are treated: In the long run, appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you. For a king respects himself and inspires the same sentiment in others. "
178
"Law 8 - Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary
Example: The way you carry yourself will often determine how you are treated: In the long run, appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you. For a king respects himself and inspires the same sentiment in others. "
Law 8 & Example
179
Law 7 & Example
"Law 7 - Let others to do the work for you, but always take credit
Example: Upwork used effectively would achieve this. Also, there are usually people free who are happy to help out for the sake of it."
180
"Law 7 - Let others to do the work for you, but always take credit
Example: Upwork used effectively would achieve this. Also, there are usually people free who are happy to help out for the sake of it."
Law 7 & Example
181
Law 6 & Example
"Law 6 - Court attention at all cost
Example: Peacocking with clothes in the game, or an exceptionally smart suit acheives this, or casual to make an impact if your presence can carry it off in a meeting. "
182
"Law 6 - Court attention at all cost
Example: Peacocking with clothes in the game, or an exceptionally smart suit acheives this, or casual to make an impact if your presence can carry it off in a meeting. "
Law 6 & Example
183
Law 5 & Example
"Law 5 - So much depends on reputation – guard it with your life
Example: Your reputation and presence makes people want to show you off as a friend, or as a business associate."
184
"Law 5 - So much depends on reputation – guard it with your life
Example: Your reputation and presence makes people want to show you off as a friend, or as a business associate."
Law 5 & Example
185
Law 4 & Example
"Law 4 - Always say less than necessary
Example: Overtelling joke, or following a joke with another one was a past habit, now you trip the conversation onto the other person instead of seeming needy for attention or praise. "
186
"Law 4 - Always say less than necessary
Example: Overtelling joke, or following a joke with another one was a past habit, now you trip the conversation onto the other person instead of seeming needy for attention or praise. "
Law 4 & Example
187
Law 3 & Example
"Law 3 - Conceal your intentions
Example: In military strategy if the enemy does not know you objective they cannot predict what you might do and prepare as a result.
Example: It's more seductive, people find it more fun and interesting. Greene gives the example of a man pursuing a women perfectly after tuition seducing her, then suddenly declaring his love, he did not follow the rules and broke the spell and made himeslf seem disingenuous. "
188
"Law 3 - Conceal your intentions
Example: In military strategy if the enemy does not know you objective they cannot predict what you might do and prepare as a result.
Example: It's more seductive, people find it more fun and interesting. Greene gives the example of a man pursuing a women perfectly after tuition seducing her, then suddenly declaring his love, he did not follow the rules and broke the spell and made himeslf seem disingenuous. "
Law 3 & Example
189
Law 2 & Example
"Law 2 - Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies
Example: A rebel king in China captured plotted the overthrow of the Emperor, he then recieve evidence showing the Emperor new of this and spared him, he then felt obliged doubly to be loyal.
Example: Stable boy in Italy was Prince's servant, and eventually became very powerful, due to the Prince being a friend Prince never suspected his treachery until it was too late. "
190
"Law 2 - Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies
Example: A rebel king in China captured plotted the overthrow of the Emperor, he then recieve evidence showing the Emperor new of this and spared him, he then felt obliged doubly to be loyal.
Example: Stable boy in Italy was Prince's servant, and eventually became very powerful, due to the Prince being a friend Prince never suspected his treachery until it was too late. "
Law 2 & Example
191
Law 1 & Example
"Law 1 - Never outshine the master
Example: King Louis's Finance minister's splendid party dedicated to Louis just made Louis feel inferior. "
192
"Law 1 - Never outshine the master
Example: King Louis's Finance minister's splendid party dedicated to Louis just made Louis feel inferior. "
Law 1 & Example
