48 laws of power cheat sheet, Cheat Sheet of Political Philosophy

Download 48 laws of power cheat sheet and more Cheat Sheet Political Philosophy in PDF only on Docsity! 48 Laws of Power Cheat Sheet Law 1: 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 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies  Friends will quickly betray you.  Hire former enemies, they’ll be loyal. Law 3: Conceal your intentions  Keep people off-balance. They cannot prepare if they don’t know. Guide them down the wrong path. Law 4: 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. Law 5: So much depends on reputation – guard it with your life  Reputation is the cornerstone of power.  Reputation alone will make you win.  Destroy enemies by attacking their reputation. Then stand aside and let the public hang them. Law 6: 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 7: 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 8: Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary  When you force others to act, you’re in control.  Make opponents come to you.  Lure with gains, then attack. Law 9: Win through your actions, never through argument  You never win through argument.  The resentment last long.  It’s more powerful to agree with actions.  Demonstrate, do not explain. Law 10: 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 11: 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 12: Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim  One sincere move will cover over a dozen dishonest ones.  Honesty can bring down the guard of suspicious people.  Open their shield with honesty, then deceive. Law 13: When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy  Do not remind people of past deeds.  Find something that will benefit them and emphasize it out of proportion. Law 14: Pose as a friend, work as a spy  Learn to probe and find valuable information.  Ask indirect questions.  Every occasion is a chance to spy. Law 15: Crush your enemy totally  More is lost through stopping halfway.  Crush your enemy in body and spirit. Law 16: Use absence to increase respect and honor  Too much circulation makes the price go down.  If you’re already established in a group, temporarily withdraw to make people talk.  Create value through scarcity. Law 17: 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 18: Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous  Isolation cuts you off from valuable information.  Its better to mingle.  You are shielded from your enemy in a crowd. Law 19: Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person  Never assume everyone will react the same way.  Choose your victims carefully.  Never offend the wrong person. Law 20: 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 21: Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark  Don’t be stupid, but make your mark appear smarter than you  Making them appear smarter hides your motives Law 22: Use the surrender tactic: transformer weakness into power  When you’re weaker, never fight just for honor but surrender  Do not give them the satisfaction to win, surrender  Turn the other cheek to infuriate them Law 23: Concentrate your forces  Intensity defeats extensity every time  Find a fat cow that’ll give you milk for a long time Law 24: Play the perfect courtier