48_laws_of_power_flashcards.md

• 1. Never Outshine the Master.

• To ensure your ideas are positively received by a superior, they should be presented as if they were {{cloze an echo of your master's thoughts or could be ascribed to your master}}. #card

• If you are more intelligent than your master, how should you act? #card

  • As if you are not.

• What should never be taken for granted in a professional setting? #card

  • Your position.

• What should be the approach towards the favors you receive? #card

  • They should not go to your head.

• How is discreet flattery more effective in a professional environment? #card

  • By making it seem like you are seeking expertise and advice from your superior.

• 2. Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends, Learn how to use Enemies.

• Why should you not put too much trust in friends, according to the excerpt? #card

  • Friends are not totally honest and avoid disagreements, while enemies can be surprisingly loyal if treated generously.

• How can sparing an enemy be more beneficial than maintaining a friendship? #card

  • An enemy spared will be more grateful and keep you sharp, alert, and focused.

• When hiring, why is it advised to prioritize skill over friendship? #card

  • Because skill and competence are more important than friendly feelings and hiring friends can limit your power.

• What effect does maintaining a distance in working situations have? #card

  • It is required for keeping professional relationships effective.

• How do you effectively destroy an enemy in a professional context? #card

  • By making a friend of him.

• 3. Conceal your Intentions.

• What happened to the countess' interest in Marquis after his admission of love? #card

  • She lost interest and avoided him.

• To mislead others, what should you use? #card

  • Decoyed objects of desire, red herrings, and smoke screens.

• What is a powerful tool to send rivals on a wild goose chase? #card

  • False sincerity.

• How can blending in affect people's perception of you? #card

  • People will be less suspicious.

• 4. Always say less than necessary.

• What is the advantage of saying less than necessary? #card

  • It prevents saying something foolish or dangerous and makes others reveal more about themselves.

• 5. So much depends on reputation -- guard it with your life.

• How did Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol handle their interviews to maintain interest in their work? #card

  • By talking less and giving vague, ambiguous answers.

• Why is reputation crucial to protect? #card

  • It increases your presence, exaggerates strengths, and is vital for maintaining power.

• How should you react to slander against yourself? #card

  • Never appear desperate in your self-defense.

• Why is it important to be cautious when attacking another's reputation? #card

  • To avoid going too far and facing negative consequences.

• 6. Court attention at all cost.

• What should you surround your name with to court attention? #card

  • The sensational and scandalous.

• Creating an air of mystery can lead to being {{cloze attacked and slandered}} which is better than being ignored. #card

• What is the effect of appearing larger than life? #card

  • It brings power and makes you seem more notable.

• 7. Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit.

• What is the strategy behind getting others to do work for you? #card

  • To save time and energy, while taking the credit.

• 8. Make other people come to you -- use bait if necessary.

• Why is it beneficial to make people come to you for negotiations? #card

  • It gives the illusion that they are in control and sets traps for them.

• What is often the most effective action in manipulation? #card

  • Staying back, keeping calm, and letting others be frustrated by traps you set.

• 9. Win through your actions, never through argument.

• How did Michelangelo convince the mayor about the sculpture's nose? #card

  • By pretending to correct it while asking the mayor to view it from a different perspective.

• What is more effective than arguing to demonstrate the correctness of your ideas? #card

  • Demonstrating indirectly.

• When should you avoid demonstrating your point? #card

  • When time and experience will eventually teach the other person.

• 10. Infection: Avoid the unhappy and unlucky.

• Why is it important to avoid associating with the unhappy and unlucky in the game of power? #card

  • They can negatively impact your own fortunes and reputation.

• What type of people should you gravitate towards in power dynamics? #card

  • Prosperous, cheerful, and gregarious people.

• 11. Learn to keep people dependent on you.

• Why was Michelangelo in a strong position in relation to the pope? #card

  • Because the pope knew he could not find another Michelangelo.

• According to Machiavelli, what is better to be: feared or loved? #card

  • Feared, because fear can be controlled.

• How can you ensure job security according to the excerpt? #card

  • Be the only one who can do what you do and entwine your fate with those who hire you.

• What should ambitious individuals seek out for a beneficial power dynamic? #card

  • Weak masters to create a relationship of dependency.

• What can set you apart from the crowd in a competitive environment? #card

  • Possessing a unique talent or creative skill.

• Keeping other people's secrets can {{cloze seal your fate with theirs}}, enhancing mutual dependency. #card

• 12. Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim.

• What can distract and disarm people according to the excerpt? #card

  • An act of kindness, generosity, or honesty.

• What should you do before taking? #card

  • Give.

• How can overt deceptiveness be justified in power dynamics? #card

  • By being consistent, playing the rogue, which is interpreted as being yourself.

• 13. When asking for help, appeal to people's self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude.

• When seeking help, to what should you appeal? #card

  • People's self-interest, not their mercy or gratitude.

• How did Yelu Ch'u-Ts'ai persuade Genghis Khan to benefit from conquering China? #card

  • By advising him to tax the people of the newly conquered territory.

• What is a common mistake when appealing to pragmatic people? #card

  • Bringing up the need for gratitude for past deeds; it's better to emphasize future benefits.

• How can you appeal to someone who wants to appear charitable? #card

  • By appealing to their need to display charity publicly.

• 14. Pose as a friend, work as a spy.

• What tactic did Joseph Duveen use to monopolize the art-collecting market? #card

  • Spying on potential clients by placing their household employees on his payroll.

• Where is it effective to gather information due to lowered guards? #card

  • At social events.

• How can you use misinformation to your advantage? #card

  • Mislead others with false information, then watch their reactions to plan your next move.

• Using {{cloze selective honesty and generosity}} can disarm your victim, turning them into gullible children. #card

• 15. Crush your enemy totally.

• Why should you crush your rivals totally? #card

  • To prevent them from regrouping and plotting revenge.

• What should be left to your enemies after a conflict? #card

  • No options.

• What risk does thinking of reconciliation with an enemy pose? #card

  • It opens you up to attack.

• 16. Use absence to increase respect and honor.

• How can scarcity create value for a person? #card

  • By making yourself less accessible to increase respect and honor.

• 17. Keep others in suspended terror: Cultivate an air of unpredictability.

• How does a person of power use unpredictability? #card

  • By unsettling those around him to keep the initiative on his side.

• What behavior is characteristic of the terminally subordinate? #card

  • Acting in a predictable manner.

• 18. Do not build fortresses to protect yourself - isolation is dangerous.

• Why is isolation considered dangerous for a person in power? #card

  • It may lead to conspiracies and turns into a prison, while power depends on social interaction.

• How did Shakespeare avoid the pitfalls of isolation? #card

  • By constantly producing plays for the masses.

• What protects you from plotters more effectively than isolation? #card

  • Mobility and social contact.

• 19. Know who you're dealing with -- do not offend the wrong person.

• What are the five dangerous types of people to recognize? #card

  • Arrogant/proud, hopelessly insecure, suspicious, serpent with long memory, plain and unassuming but unintelligent.

• What is crucial before measuring up your opponent? #card

  • Doing research on their character and history, not relying on instinct.

• Why should you never trust appearances? #card

  • Because they can be deceptive and lead to misjudging someone.

• 20. Do not commit to anyone.

• How did Queen Elizabeth I use the possibility of marriage to her advantage? #card

  • By dangling marriage prospects to courtiers, forging alliances without committing.

• What does refusing to commit but allowing courtship achieve? #card

  • It makes you powerful and ungraspable, increasing your desirability.

• How can you secure your position regardless of battle outcomes? #card

  • By seeking promises from both sides, ensuring a secure position no matter what.

• How can staying neutral but supportive in quarrels benefit you? #card

  • It gains power as a mediator between quarreling parties.

• 21. Play a sucker to catch a sucker -- seem dumber than your mark.

• Why play naive or less intelligent than your opponent? #card

  • To reassure their superiority and find opportunities to deceive.

• 22. Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power.

• Why should you not fight aggression with aggression? #card

  • Yielding can put your opponent off-guard and give you control over the situation.

• How can surrender be a strategic advantage? #card

  • It mocks your enemies, disguises your real motives, and gives you time to plan.

• 23. Concentrate your forces.

• How did the Rothschild banking family ensure the success of their empire? #card

  • By concentrating its wealth within a tight-knit structure and dividing control among five brothers in different cities.

• What overwhelms the enemy according to the principle of concentrating forces? #card

  • Single-mindedness of purpose and total concentration on one goal.

• What can be a downside of being too single-minded in the arts? #card

  • It can make you an intolerable bore.

• 24. Play the perfect courtier.

• Why should you talk less about yourself in court? #card

  • Because modesty is generally preferable and more effective.

• What should your hard work appear as to others? #card

  • Effortless, practicing nonchalance.

• How should flattery be used according to the perfect courtier? #card

  • Sparingly, be frugal with flattery.

• Why is it important to alter your style and language? #card

  • To suit the person you are dealing with.

• What should you never be the bearer of? #card

  • Bad news.

• How should you handle criticism of those above you? #card

  • Never criticize them directly.

• What is advised against in terms of humor? #card

  • Joking about appearances or taste.

• How can you be a source of pleasure in court? #card

  • By fitting the spirit of the times and mastering your emotions.

• 25. Re-create yourself.

• How did Julius Caesar enhance his public image? #card

  • By incorporating drama and theatrics in his speeches and appearances, and sponsoring extravagant events.

• What pseudonym did Aurore Dupin Dudevant assume to defy societal roles? #card

  • George Sand.

• What is crucial in controlling your image according to the principle of re-creating yourself? #card

  • Controlling your appearances and emotions, playing sincere without necessarily being sincere.

• How can you create a memorable character? #card

  • By not limiting yourself to the role society assigns you.

• 26. Keep your hands clean.

• How did Cleopatra ensure her manipulation was unnoticed? #card

  • By getting people to do her bidding without them realizing it.

• What is more important for maintaining a good name, according to this principle? #card

  • What you conceal is more important than what you reveal.

• What should you always have to avoid blame? #card

  • A convenient scapegoat.

• 27. Play on people's need to believe to create a cult-like following.

• How should concepts be presented to create a cult-like following? #card

  • Keep it simple and vague, using new words for concepts.

• What should be emphasized over the intellectual to attract followers? #card

  • The visual and sensual.

• What group dynamic helps to keep followers united? #card

  • An us-versus-them dynamic, identifying outsiders as enemies.

• Joining a group breaks down the tendency to {{cloze doubt and reason}}. #card

• 28. Enter action with boldness.

• What does boldness create in your opponents? #card

  • Fear, which in turn creates authority.

• Why should you avoid going halfway in your actions? #card

  • Because it may give your opponent the opportunity to destroy you.

• How does hesitation affect your chances of success? #card

  • It creates gaps; boldness obliterates them.

• What does audacity do for an individual? #card

  • It separates you from the herd.

• 29. Plan all the way to the end.

• Why is it important to plan for all possible obstacles? #card

  • To avoid improvisation that can deviate from your plan.

• What advantage does seeing several steps ahead provide? #card

  • It eliminates the need to improvise and ensures a smoother path to your goal.

• 30. Make your accomplishments seem effortless.

• What principle did Sen no Rikyu emphasize in the art of Cha-no-yu? #card

  • That the whole process must look natural and easy, imitating nature's effortless appearance.

• Why should you never show work until it is finished? #card

  • Because seeing the effort and process can spoil the magic of the final piece.

• 31. Control the options: Get others to play with the cards you deal.

• How can you make people feel they have control while actually controlling them? #card

  • By giving them options that both serve your purpose.

• What strategy can force a resister to do what you want? #card

  • Presenting options but coloring the one you prefer as the best solution or by advocating the opposite.

• What is the effect of shrinking options on people? #card

  • It forces them to act now or miss out, leveraging fear and urgency.

• How does involving your victim in your scheme keep them tied to you? #card

  • They cannot expose you without also being exposed.

• 32. Play to people's fantasies.

• How did Abraham Lincoln appeal to the common man? #card

  • By creating an image of himself as the homespun country lawyer with a beard.

• What do people need from fantasies? #card

  • An escape from everyday life, with promises of instant gratification over gradual improvement.

• Why is it important to keep your distance in the context of fantasies? #card

  • So the fantasy remains intact.

• 33. Discover each man's thumbscrew.

• What can be used to your advantage in every person? #card

  • A weakness or insecurity.

• How can you find a person's unfulfilled childhood need? #card

  • By probing for weaknesses in everyday conversations.

• What often reveals a person's true weakness? #card

  • The opposite of the qualities they reveal to you.

• 34. Be royal in your own fashion: Act like a king to be treated like one.

• How does carrying yourself with confidence affect how others treat you? #card

  • It makes you more likely to be treated like royalty.

• What distinguishes a regal bearing from arrogance? #card

  • A dignified approach and not wavering on your self-worth.

• What should you do when faced with difficult circumstances? #card

  • Assume dignity as a mask, acting as if nothing can affect you.

• How should you set your price or value? #card

  • High, and do not waver from it.

• Why deal with the highest person in the building? #card

  • To ensure you are treated with the highest respect and consideration.

• 35. Master the art of timing.

• What betrays a lack of control according to the art of timing? #card

  • Looking as though you are in a hurry.

• What is essential for striking at the right moment? #card

  • Standing back, being patient, and striking only when the time is right.

• What does forced time involve? #card

  • Upsetting the timing of others and setting their deadlines, leading them to make mistakes.

• 36. Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them is the best revenge.

• How does paying attention to an enemy affect your power? #card

  • The more attention you give, the stronger you make him; showing less interest makes you seem superior.

• What is a powerful move when dealing with trivial matters? #card

  • Choosing to consider the matter unworthy of interest and ignoring it.

• 37. Create compelling spectacles.

• Why should you never neglect the visual arrangement of things? #card

  • Because people are impressed by the superficial appearance, the grand, and what is larger than life.

• What can associate yourself with to communicate strong messages? #card

  • Colors, images, and symbols.

• 38. Think as you are but behave like others.

• What have wise and clever people learned about behavior? #card

  • That they can display conventional behavior without having to believe in the ideas.

• What is necessary when joining a new group? #card

  • Putting on the mask appropriate to the group.

• 39. Stir up waters to catch fish.

• Why is staying calm while making your enemies angry effective? #card

  • Because angry people usually end up looking ridiculous, and nothing in the game of power is personal.

• What is the strategic value of an occasional outburst? #card

  • It can be powerful, but using anger too often diminishes its power.

• 40. Despise the free lunch.

• Why should you avoid accepting things for free? #card

  • Because what is offered for free normally has a hidden obligation.

• How can generosity be used effectively? #card

  • As a sign of power and a way to give pleasure to others and win them over.

• 41. Avoid stepping into a great man's shoes.

• What should you do if you are the child of a great person? #card

  • Choose a different path and personal style to shine on your own.

• When can a new order be established? #card

  • Only after the father figure has been done away with.

• 42. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.

• How do you deal with troublemakers in a group? #card

  • Recognize them by their complaining nature and separate them from the group.

• Where is power concentrated in a group? #card

  • In the hands of one or two people around whom others will orbit.

• 43. Work on the hearts and minds of others.

• What primary emotions should you aim at to influence others? #card

  • Love, hate, jealousy.

• What should you maintain to appeal to people's hearts and minds? #card

  • A stable of artists, writers, and intellectuals.

• 44. Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect.

• How can you infuriate your enemies using the mirror effect? #card

  • By mimicking their actions, which mocks and humiliates them.

• What is the Shadow effect? #card

  • Shadowing your opponents' every move to gather information without them noticing.

• How does the Mirror effect work in understanding others? #card

  • By reflecting their innermost feelings to show understanding.

• 45. Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once.

• How should change be presented to avoid rebellion? #card

  • As a gentle improvement on the past, disguised in tradition.

• 46. Never appear too perfect.

• What should you occasionally reveal to deflect envy? #card

  • A weakness, defect, anxiety, or find new friends.

• How can envy be disguised? #card

  • As excessive praise, or slander and criticism.

• What is a strategy to win against the envious? #card

  • Ignoring the envious or displaying a weakness.

• 47. Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn where to stop.

• What is the essence of strategy according to this principle? #card

  • Controlling what comes next and knowing when to stop.

• When is the best time to stop and walk away? #card

  • After a victory.

• 48. Assume formlessness.

• How should you adapt to change according to this principle? #card

  • Be as fluid and formless as water, adapting naturally to change.

• What is crucial while being formless? #card

  • Keeping your long-term strategy in mind at all times.