Book Review: The 48 Laws of Power

Book Author: Robert Green

11 Mar 2023

This book examines the lives of the powerful throughout history and the auther derives 48 laws of power. They are pretty fun to consider and look for them in real life. Next time someone plays the victim you can label it a power play.

That said, a lot of these laws seem disagreeable or at least short term. Cooperation and trust is humanity’s super power. It feels like these rules are for some human face wearing alien flesh monster.

Laws:

Never Outshine the Master – if you try to threaten the ego of your superior who has power over you, prepare to be punished. In your attempts to please them, make sure to make them seem brilliant so that their insecurity does not lead to your downfall. I’ll add a caveat that sometimes mutinies are necessary.
Never Trust Friends Too Much, Make Use of Enemies – this is an interesting and scary thought… I prefer long term games with long term people myself rather than fearing friends. In any case, the rule is that friends are a vulnerability that when stakes are high will eventually get exploited as they get envious and spoiled. The author goes on to say, if you don’t have enemies you should make some! I suppose you aren’t doing anything important if their aren’t any haters!
Conceal your Intentions – information is the ultimate currency and understanding motives is powerful. As Sun Tzu would say, all warfare is deception.
Always Say Less than Necessary – when trying to impress others, saying more makes you appear common. The less you say, the less likely you are to say something foolish.
Guard Reputation with your Life – reputation is the cornerstone of power, oh how this is true. For example, having the reputation of being a successful founder makes it so much easier to raise future rounds.
Court Attention at all Costs – I feel like Grant Cardone wrote this one! Attention is the ultimate human capital. If no one pays you attention, no one is helping you. What is unseen counts for nothing. Make yourself stand out.
Take the Credit for Others Work – wow, this one is messed up! I don’t agree since this is so short term. It destroys trust. How can you be a true leader if you do this? Seems like long term it’d breed resentment…
Make Other People Come to You, Use Bait if Necessary – this makes some sense, afterall if you go to someone else hat in hand it immediately puts them in a position of power. When you force the other person to act you establish your control.
Win Through Action, Argument is Irrelevant – it is much better to have others agree with you through demonstration of an example and then their following you then it is to win an argument which may upset their ego.
Avoid Vampires – the unhappy, so-called unlucky and so on should be avoided. They will drain you dry. Personally, I agree. Better to spend time with people you want to be like than those you don’t wish to be like.
Keep People Dependent on You – this is such a common power play it’s sickening. I feel like many parents and social programs do this unintentionally. Anyway, the idea here is you are always indepensable. It seems small minded though to keep someone dependent on you, it displays weakness.
Use Generosity and Honesty to Disarm your Victim – this is a nasty and manipulative law, but being sincere will create doubt that can paper over dishonest moves. I don’t know, people have pretty decently evolved BS meters.
Appeal to People’s Self-Interest – if you need to ask for help don’t bother to remind them of what they owe you or your past assistance to them. Instead uncover a reason it is in their interest to help you.
Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy – seem self-explanatory, fits the whole never trust anyone ethos, yada yada.
Crush Enemies Completely – an enemy left around is a future threat. If you are going to battle, win completely.
Use Absense to Increase Respect – hey scarcity bias applies to people as well.
Cultivate Unpredicatability – if you are an unknown you will be difficult to attack.
Isolation is Dangerous – hiding and turtling is a weak move. Stay in the herd, then you can gather information and resources and let the crowd be your fortress.
Know who you are Dealing With – take care not to offend the wrong person, tailor your actions to your audience.
Do Not Commit to Anyone – don’t join a side in a conflict, better to be neutral until a side is likely to win
Play a Sucker, Seem Dumb to your Enemy – more deceit when against an opponent, when they believe they are smarter than you, they will never see your play coming.
Surrender – don’t fight to the death when you can’t win, surrender early so that you may whittle away at your opponent from within
Concentrate your Forces – this is also a productivity technique ala The One Thing hehe, but disbursed forces can get vacumned up and divided and conquered. Intensity beats extensity.
Play the Perfect Courtier – play the politics basically.
Re-Create Yourself – do not accept the roles society throws on you, make yourself into something new, something powerful, control your own image.
Keep Your Hands Clean – if you don’t you’ll ruin your reputation! Play the paragon. Hide involvement through proxies.
Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cult Like Following – people want to be part of a cause, something greater than themselves, be the focal point.
Be Bold – if you are unsure of an action, do not take it for your timidness will infect your execution. Better to be bold, mistakes can be fixed with more audacity. No one honors the timid.
Plan to the End – the end is everything. If you don’t know where you are going you are lost.
Make Accomplishments Effortless – this will build your legend and mystique. Don’t reveal how hard you work.
Control the Options – make others play with the cards you deal. When you control, or seem to control, the menu you hedge in others decisions.
Play to People’s Fantasies – the truth is avoided because it is ugly. Never appeal to truth and reality unless you are prepared for anger. Don’t burst their bubble… but radical candor builds trust and a better team…
Discover their Weakness – everyone has one, it will give you leverage
Be Royal – act like a king to be treated like one. If you are vulgar or common you will be treated as such.
Master Timing – never be in a hurry, be patient as if you expect everything will come to you. Then move violently when the time arrives.
Disdain What you Cannot Have – don’t acknowledge enemies and petty problems, you feed them with your attention.
Create Compelling Spectacles – sounds like a good way to get attention ;)
Think as you Like, but Behave Like Others – the wolf in sheeps clothing and all that. You don’t want to get lynched afterall!
Stir the Waters – put your enemies off-balance, anger and emotion cloud judgement, this will open them to attack.
Despise the Free Lunch – what is offered freely is a trap, what is worth paying for is worth paying for.
Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes – it’s a trap! You will look worse by comparison.
Strike the Shepherd – like cutting the head off a snake! Find out who is poisoning the sheep and club them down.
Work the Hearts and Minds of Others – seduce others into wanting what you want, make them think it is their idea so they do not resent you.
Disarm with Mirroring – do what your enemies do and it will infuriate them as they see their own flaws… this one is weird!
Preach Change, but Make Change Slow – when new to power, don’t change too much or you will insight revolt because change creates stress
Never Appear to Perfect – seems a bit at odds with building your personal legend and mystique… Be an approachable human with small imperfections and vices, this will disarm envy.
Learn when to Stop in Victory – don’t overextend yourself
Assume Formlessness – also like Sun Tzu, be like water