48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

What's the example action for law 11?

Law 11 is "Learn to keep people dependent on you." This law advises to provide valuable resources or information, in order to keep others dependent on you, and therefore in your power.

1. Actions that align with this law could include:

2. Providing valuable resources or information that others need in order to achieve their goals

3. Being an expert in a particular field and being willing to share knowledge or advice

4. Building a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy

5. Building personal relationships that create feelings of loyalty and dependency

6. Being willing to offer favors or assistance, but being careful not to be taken advantage of

7. Constantly seeking to improve and enhance the value of what you have to offer.

By providing valuable resources or information, and making others dependent on you, you can increase your power and influence over them.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being exploitative or manipulative, it's about recognizing the power of providing value and creating dependency, and taking steps to establish oneself as a valuable resource that others need in order to achieve their goals.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 11:

1. In a business setting, a manager provides critical information or resources to a subordinate, making them reliant on the manager's expertise or knowledge.

2. In a political context, a politician provides financial assistance or aid to a constituency, making them dependent on the politician's support.

3. In a creative field, a producer or director provides a steady stream of work for an actor, making them dependent on the producer's opportunities.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a student provides study materials or notes to classmates, making them dependent on the student's resources.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member organizes social events or activities, making others dependent on the member for entertainment.

By keeping people dependent on you, you can have control over them, as they will be more likely to follow your lead and comply with your requests. However, this approach can also be manipulative and unethical if it is used with malicious intent, to exploit or harm others.

It's important to remember that true control comes from mutual benefit, respect, and trust and that this law should be used in a way that aligns with ethical principles, and not to undermine the autonomy of others.

What's the example action for law 12?

Law 12 is "Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim." This law advises to use a calculated mix of honesty and generosity to disarm those who might potentially be a threat to one's power.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Being honest and open with those who are potential threats in order to build trust and disarm them

2. Offering small acts of kindness or generosity in order to create a sense of obligation

3. Being willing to make concessions in order to achieve a larger goal

4. Being willing to reveal weaknesses or vulnerabilities in order to build trust and disarm potential adversaries

5. Being willing to make sacrifices for the greater good, but only if it serves your ultimate goal.

By using a calculated mix of honesty and generosity, one can build trust and disarm potential adversaries, making it easier to achieve one's goals.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being dishonest or insincere, it's about recognizing the power of building trust and disarming potential adversaries, and using selective honesty and generosity to achieve this goal.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 12?

1. In a business setting, a manager is transparent about their intentions and goals and being generous with their time and resources, in order to gain the trust of their team.

2. In a political context, a politician disclosing certain information that is perceived as sensitive, to gain the trust of the public.

3. In a creative field, a director or producer being honest about the creative process and being generous with the credit and recognition to the team, to gain the trust and cooperation of the crew.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a student is honest about their understanding of the material and generous with their time, to help other students and gain their trust and respect.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member being honest about their intentions and being generous with their resources, to gain the trust and cooperation of others.

By using selective honesty and generosity, one can gain trust, create a positive image and disarm one's opponents, making it more difficult for them to resist or attack. However, it's important to remember that this law should be used with care and only when it serves a strategic purpose and not simply to manipulate others.

It's also important to keep in mind that being honest and generous should be inherent to your character and not just a means to an end.

What's the example action for law 13?

Law 13 is "When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest." This law advises that when seeking assistance from others, it is important to show them how helping you will benefit them.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Clearly demonstrating how helping you will benefit them

2. Tying your request for help to their personal goals or interests

3. Creating a sense of urgency and making it clear that time is of the essence

4. Making it easy for them to help you by providing all the necessary information and resources

5. Offering something in return for their help, such as future favors or reciprocation

6. Building a relationship with the person before making a request for help.

By appealing to people's self-interest, you make it more likely that they will want to help you, and by doing so you increase your chances of success.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being manipulative or deceitful, it's about recognizing the power of self-interest and understanding how to appeal to it in order to achieve your goals.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 13?

1. In a business setting, an employee asks a colleague to cover for them by highlighting how it will benefit the colleague's career development or performance.

2. In a political context, a politician asking for support from a constituent by highlighting how the politician's policies will benefit the constituent's community or personal life.

3. In a creative field, an artist asks for help from a patron by highlighting how the patron's support will help to establish the artist as a notable figure in the industry.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a student asks a teacher for extra help by highlighting how it will benefit the student's grade or future opportunities.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member asks for help from friends or family by highlighting how it will benefit the member's personal or professional goals.

By appealing to people's self-interest, you can increase the likelihood of getting the help you need. It's a strategy to make the request more appealing and increase the chances of a positive response. However, it's important to be genuine in this approach, and not to use people's self-interest to manipulate or exploit them.

It's important to consider how the request aligns with the other party's values and goals and to communicate how it will benefit them in an honest and sincere way.

What's the example action for law 14?

Law 14 is "Pose as a friend, work as a spy." This law advises to gain the trust of others by pretending to be their friend, while at the same time gathering information or intel to be used to your advantage.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Building relationships with people by pretending to be their friend, gaining their trust, and getting them to open up to you

2. Being a good listener and showing genuine interest in others

3. Offering help or advice in order to gain access to information or resources

4. Being discreet and not revealing too much information about yourself

5. Observing and taking note of everything that is said around you

6. Having a long term goal in mind and being patient to achieve it.

By pretending to be a friend, you can gain the trust of others and gather information that you can later use to your advantage.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being deceitful or betraying people's trust, it's about recognizing the power of gathering information and understanding how to gain access to it by building relationships based on trust and pretending to be someone's friend.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 14?

1. In a business setting, an employee becomes friends with a colleague to gain access to sensitive information or to learn more about the inner workings of the company.

2. In a political context, a politician cultivates a friendly relationship with an opposing politician to gain access to their inner circle or to learn more about their policies and plans.

3. In a creative field, an artist or writer becomes friends with a rival to gain access to their network or to learn about their upcoming projects.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a student becomes friends with a professor or TA to gain access to better resources or opportunities.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member becomes friends with an outsider to gain access to their network or resources.

By posing as a friend, one can gain access to people and organizations that would otherwise be inaccessible, and learn valuable information or gain other benefits. However, this approach can be viewed as dishonest and manipulative, and it's important to keep in mind that it should be used with caution.

This strategy could also come with a cost, your reputation, and trust. It's crucial to be aware of the long-term implications and the possibility that the deception may be discovered, causing damage to your relationships, reputation and potentially your integrity.

What's the example action for law 15?

Law 15 is "Crush your enemy totally." This law advises to eliminate all potential threats to one's power and position by destroying an enemy's reputation, resources and ability to resist.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Identifying and targeting an enemy's vulnerabilities

2. Attacking and undermining an enemy's reputation and credibility

3. Depriving an enemy of resources by cutting off access to funding, allies, or other support

4. Using the legal system or other means to neutralize an enemy's ability to resist

5. Using any means necessary to eliminate potential threats to one's power and position, including force or violence.

By crushing one's enemies, one can eliminate potential threats to one's power and position, and remove any obstacle to achieving one's goals.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being ruthless or vengeful, it's about recognizing the importance of eliminating potential threats to one's power and position. And it's also important to consider legal and moral implications of the actions, and to only use the level of force necessary to neutralize the threat.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 15:

1. In a business setting, a company acquires or eliminates a rival firm to ensure that they cannot compete in the marketplace.

2. In a political context, a politician working to eliminate a political rival by discrediting them or by winning a decisive victory in an election.

3. In a creative field, an artist works to undermine the reputation of a rival artist to ensure they cannot gain fame or success.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a student is working to sabotage the performance of a rival student in order to ensure they do not graduate or succeed.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member works to isolate and exclude a rival member in order to eliminate their influence.

By crushing your enemy completely, you can eliminate any potential threat they may pose, and secure your own power and position. However, it's important to remember that this law should be used with caution as it can be viewed as ruthless, cruel and inhumane.

Additionally, it's also important to consider the costs and long-term implications of this approach as it can lead to a backlash, negative reputation and loss of allies. It's also important to remember that in some cases it's better to reach a peaceful agreement or a win-win situation.

What's the example action for law 16?

Law 16 is "Use absence to increase respect and honor." This law advises to use strategic absence to create an aura of power and mystique around oneself, thereby increasing one's influence and respect.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Using silence or absence to make oneself more desirable or valuable

2. Timing one's absence to have maximum impact

3. Creating a sense of scarcity by being selective about one's availability

4. Being unavailable or difficult to reach can make people respect you more

5. Creating a sense of mystery by not revealing too much about oneself

6. Using absence to create an aura of power, making oneself appear more influential and respected.

By using absence strategically, one can increase one's respect and influence and make oneself appear more powerful and desirable.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being aloof or unapproachable, it's about recognizing the power of strategic absence and using it to increase one's respect and influence.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 16:

1. In a business setting, a CEO periodically takes a leave of absence to create a sense of rarity and desire for their leadership.

2. In a political context, a politician periodically takes time away from public life to create a sense of rarity and desire for their presence.

3. In a creative field, an artist or actor periodically takes time away from the industry to create a sense of rarity and desire for their work.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a teacher periodically takes time away from teaching to create a sense of rarity and desire for their expertise.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member periodically takes time away from the group to create a sense of rarity and desire for their presence.

By periodically withdrawing from the spotlight, one can create a sense of rarity and desire for their presence, which can increase respect and honor. However, it's important to be careful when enacting this law, as withdrawing for too long could lead to forgetfulness or even loss of relevance.

Additionally, it's important to set clear boundaries, and not to withdraw as a way to manipulate or create a sense of power over others. It's important to choose the right timing and context to make this technique effective and not to harm yourself or others.

What's the example action for law 17?

Law 17 is "Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability." This law advises cultivating an air of unpredictability in order to keep others in a state of uncertainty and fear, which makes them more susceptible to manipulation and control.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Being unpredictable in one's actions and decisions

2. Sending mixed signals and making unexpected moves

3. Keeping others guessing about one's true intentions

4. Creating a sense of unease and uncertainty

5. Being willing to make sudden changes or break agreements

6. Being willing to take calculated risks and make bold moves.

By cultivating an air of unpredictability, one can keep others in a state of uncertainty and fear, making them more susceptible to manipulation and control. This could increase your power and influence over them, as they will not be able to anticipate your next move.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being capricious or unreliable, it's about recognizing the power of unpredictability and using it to increase one's control over others. It's also important to consider legal and moral implications of the actions and not harm others in any way.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 17:

1. In a business setting, a manager periodically changes their management style to keep employees off balance and uncertain.

2. In a political context, a politician keeps voters and opponents off balance by not announcing their plans or policies until the last moment.

3. In a creative field, a director or artist keeps the cast and crew off balance by making unexpected changes to the script or project.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a teacher keeps students off balance by periodically changing the curriculum or teaching style.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member keeps others off balance by periodically changing their behavior or opinions.

By maintaining an air of unpredictability, one can keep others in a state of fear and uncertainty, which can give the impression of power and control. However, this strategy should be used with caution, as an excessive use of unpredictability can lead to mistrust, lack of respect, and destabilization.

It's also important to be aware that some people can take advantage of the situation, in order to manipulate or exploit you. It's important to use this technique in a balanced way, and to always communicate clear reasons and goals for any sudden changes.

What's the example action for law 18?

Law 18 is "Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous." This law advises against isolating oneself and building emotional or physical defenses to protect oneself, as it can make one vulnerable to attack and make it difficult to adapt to changing circumstances.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Building and maintaining a network of allies and supporters

2. Being open and accessible to others

3. Avoiding a siege mentality and being willing to engage with the world

4. Being aware of one's surroundings and staying informed about what is happening in the world

5. Being adaptable and flexible, willing to change course as needed

6. Being willing to take calculated risks and embrace change.

By avoiding isolation and building a network of allies and supporters, one can stay informed about what is happening in the world, and be better equipped to adapt to changing circumstances.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being completely unprotected or exposed, it's about recognizing the dangers of isolation and taking steps to build a support network, stay informed, and be adaptable to changing circumstances, while being aware of the potential dangers and taking measures to minimize them.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 18:

1. In a business setting, a CEO actively seeks out and fostering connections with other business leaders and not isolating themselves in their office or company.

2. In a political context, a politician actively builds a coalition of supporters and does not isolate themselves from other politicians or from the general public.

3. In a creative field, an artist or writer actively seeks out and collaborates with other artists and does not isolate themselves in their studio.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a student actively engages with their classmates and seeks out the mentorship of their professors, instead of isolating themselves in their studies.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member actively seeks out and builds connections with other members, instead of isolating themselves from the group.

By not building fortresses to protect oneself, one can avoid becoming isolated and cut off from others, which can make one vulnerable to attack. Isolation can make you miss out on potential allies, opportunities and valuable information.

It's important to remember that building and maintaining healthy relationships, networks and connections is an important aspect of personal and professional development, and it can protect you from potential threats and help you grow stronger.

What's the example action for law 19?

Law 19 is "Know who you're dealing with – do not offend the wrong person." This law advises to be aware of the power dynamics at play and to be cautious in one's actions, in order to avoid offending or alienating those who hold power or influence.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Researching and understanding the backgrounds and motivations of those one is dealing with

2. Being aware of the power dynamics at play and who holds influence

3. Being respectful and tactful in one's interactions, even with those who are lower in the hierarchy

4. Being mindful of cultural and social norms and being sensitive to the customs and traditions of others

5. Being patient, and not rushing to judgment or taking action prematurely

6. Building personal relationships with those who are powerful, or could become powerful, in order to create a sense of loyalty and trust.

By knowing who you're dealing with, and avoiding offending the wrong person, one can navigate power dynamics more effectively and avoid potential conflicts or challenges to one's own power and position.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being submissive or overly cautious, it's about recognizing the importance of being aware of power dynamics and being mindful of how one's actions may be perceived by others, as well as building relationships with key players to increase your understanding of them and their motivations.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 19:

1. In a business setting, a manager taking the time to get to know their employees and understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and personalities before making a decision or taking action.

2. In a political context, a politician researching and understanding the voting history and political ideologies of their constituents before making policy decisions or taking public positions.

3. In a creative field, an artist or writer researching and understanding the tastes and preferences of their audience before creating or releasing their work.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a teacher understanding the learning styles and backgrounds of their students before designing lesson plans or assessments.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member understanding the personality and relationship dynamics of the other members before making a decision or taking action.

By understanding who you are dealing with, you can avoid offending or alienating the wrong person and maintain good relationships. This law applies also to any situation where you need to interact with people who might have a different perspective than yours, for instance, it's crucial to be aware of cultural or social differences.

Being able to adapt and understand others can improve your communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills, making you more effective and successful in any setting.

What's the example action for law 20?

Law 20 is "Do not commit to anyone." This law advises to avoid making commitments or taking sides in order to maintain freedom of action and flexibility.

Actions that align with this law could include:

1. Being non-committal and vague in one's responses and commitments

2. Avoiding making promises or agreements that could bind one in the future

3. Keeping one's options open and being willing to change course as needed

4. Avoiding making enemies by not taking sides in conflicts or disputes

5. Being careful not to become too closely associated with any one person or group

6. Not making yourself a target by not standing out too much, keep a low profile.

By avoiding making commitments and taking sides, one can maintain freedom of action and flexibility, allowing one to adapt to changing circumstances and pursue one's goals more effectively.

It's worth noting that this law isn't about being indecisive or unreliable, it's about recognizing the importance of maintaining flexibility and freedom of action and avoiding situations that could limit one's options in the future.

Here are some example scenarios for enacting law 20?

1. In a business setting, an entrepreneur not committing to any long-term contracts or partnerships in order to maintain the flexibility to pursue new opportunities as they arise.

2. In a political context, a politician not committing to any specific policy positions in order to maintain the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances or public opinion.

3. In a creative field, an artist or writer not committing to any specific projects or collaborations in order to maintain the freedom to pursue new and different ideas.

4. In a classroom or academic setting, a student not committing to any specific career path or major in order to maintain the flexibility to explore different fields and interests.

5. Within a group or social circle, a member not committing to any specific roles or responsibilities in order to maintain the flexibility to pursue their own goals and interests.

By avoiding making commitments to others, one can maintain flexibility and freedom of action, which can allow them to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise. However, it's important to be mindful of the fact that avoiding commitments also means avoiding long-term relationships, and it can lead to missed opportunities, lack of trust, and lack of support.

Additionally, not committing can also be seen as irresponsible or unreliable, so it's important to consider the context and the consequences of your actions. It's important to strike a balance between committing and being flexible, and to communicate clearly with others about your plans and intentions.