This law advises against being entirely dishonest or selfish, and instead using honesty and generosity selectively to disarm others and gain their trust.

Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim

This law advises against being entirely rational or logical, and instead using emotions and beliefs to create a loyal following.

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

This law advises against being directly involved in violent or illegal actions, and instead using proxies or allies to do one's bidding.

Keep your hands clean

This law advises against appearing to work too hard or struggle too much, and instead making one's accomplishments appear effortless.

Make your accomplishments seem effortless

This law advises against being too focused on reality or practicality, and instead appealing to people's fantasies and desires.

Play to people's fantasies

This law advises against being overlooked or ignored, as it can lead to a lack of power and influence.

Court attention at all costs

This law advises against offending those who are more powerful or influential than oneself, as it can lead to serious consequences.

Know who you are dealing with - Don't offend the wrong person

This law advises against being too hasty or slow, and instead mastering the art of timing to strike at the most opportune moment.

Master the art of timing

Part 1. - Laws of Self-preservation

This law advises against being too trusting of friends and allies, and instead learning how to use one's enemies to achieve one's goals.

Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies.

This law advises against revealing one's true intentions, as it can leave one vulnerable to manipulation and sabotage.

Conceal your intentions

This law advises against being too loyal or committed to any one person or group, as it can limit one's options and make one vulnerable.

Do not commit to anyone

This law advises against revealing too much information, as it can be used against one in the future.

Always say less than necessary

This law advises against damaging one's reputation, as it is a valuable asset that can be used to gain power and influence.

So much depends on your reputation-  guard it with your life

This law advises against doing all the work oneself, and instead delegating tasks to others while taking credit for their successes.

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

This law advises against engaging in arguments or debates, and instead focusing on taking action to achieve one's goals.

Win through your actions, never through  argument

This law advises against associating with negative or unlucky people, as it can lead to a decline in one's fortunes.

Avoid the unhappy and unlucky

Part 2. - Laws of Politics

This law advises against expecting others to help solely out of goodwill, and instead appealing to their self-interest.

When asking for help, appeal to people's self-interest

This law advises against being entirely trusting of others in political situations, and instead using espionage to gather information and protect oneself.

Pose as a friend, work as a spy

This law advises against leaving one's enemies alive or able to cause further harm, and instead using overwhelming force to eliminate them.

Crush your enemy totally

This law advises against being too present or available, and instead using absence to increase one's perceived value.

Use absence to increase respect and honor

This law advises against isolating oneself completely, as it can lead to a lack of information and resources.

Do not build fortresses to protect yourself - Isolation is dangerous

This law advises against allowing others to become too independent, and instead fostering a sense of dependence on oneself.

Learn to keep people dependent on you

This law advises against being too predictable or easily read, and instead keeping others in a state of uncertainty and fear.

Keep others in suspended terror

This law advises against being too crude or obvious in one's pursuit of power, and instead using grace, charm, and cunning to win favor.

Play the perfect Courtier

This law advises against viewing surrender as a weakness, and instead using it as a strategic move to gain power or control.

Use the surrender tactic: Transform Weakness into power

This law advises against revealing one's true intelligence or intentions, and instead appearing less intelligent or capable to lull others into a false sense of security.

Play a sucker to catch a sucker - Seem dumber than your mark

This law advises against overshadowing one's superiors in any way, as it can lead to resentment and jealousy.

Never Outshine the Master

Part 3. - Laws of War

This law advises against being timid or hesitant, and instead entering into action with confidence and boldness.

Enter action with boldness

This law advises against allowing others to dictate the terms of a conflict, and instead controlling the options available to them.

Control the actions: get others to play the cards you deal

This law advises against becoming too fixated on things that cannot be obtained, and instead focusing on what is within one's grasp.

Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge

This law advises against chasing after people or opportunities, and instead creating situations where others come to you.

Make other people come to you, use bait if necessary

This law advises against spreading oneself too thin, and instead focusing one's resources and efforts on a single goal or objective.

Concentrate your forces

Act like a king to be treated like oneThis law advises against being too humble or meek, and instead projecting an image of royalty and power to be treated accordingly.

Be royal in your fashion

This law advises against being too mundane or unremarkable, and instead creating compelling spectacles that capture people's attention.

Create compelling spectacles

This law advises against being too predictable or stagnant in one's approach to warfare and instead constantly evolving and adapting to new situations.

Re-create Yourself

This law advises against treating all opponents the same, and instead discovering their weaknesses and exploiting them.

Discover each man's thumbscrew

This law advises against being too focused on immediate gains, and instead planning for the long-term and considering all possible outcomes.

Plan (all the way) to the end

"The 48 Laws of Power" is a book that explores the nature of power and its importance in our lives. Robert Greene argues that power is ultimately a product of strategy and manipulation, and understanding it is critical to achieving success in any sphere of life. Throughout the book, Greene draws on historical examples to illustrate the principles of power and the strategies used by those who have attained it. He believes that power is a neutral force, and it is up to the individual to decide how to use it. This book is a guidebook for anyone seeking to master the art of influence and control.

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature. In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum.   Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness”), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. In a bold and arresting two-color package, The 48 Laws of Power is ideal whether your aim is conquest, self-defense, or simply to understand the rules of the game.

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Robert Greene is an American author of books on strategy, power, and seduction. He has written six international bestsellers, including The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature.

Use the surrender tactic: Transform Weakness into power

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