Law 33: Discover Each Man's Thumbscrew

Are you Mr. Insecurity? If not, then you're the man!

You are brave, dependable and dauntless. You are strong, in mind and in spirit; honored by your peers, feared by your enemies. There is absolutely nothing that can break the walls you have tried so hard to build. Battle after batlle, you emerge victorious. Argument after argument, your opponents end up concurring to your point of view.

And you congratulate yourself, celebrate with a delectable bar of dark chocolate. This delightful blend of almonds, cherries and cocoa might as well be your Achilles' heel – your weakness – and admittedly so.

However, is it really a weakness, or but the illusion of a weakness?

No matter, it is a thumbscrew the observant, the manipulative, and the all-powerful can put their thumb in, and turn you with at will. At her call, your walls will crumble, and you will be a great monument turned lap dog, doing anything and everything she commands.

Pity. All she had to do was pay attention to gestures and unconscious signals. Once she disclosed a fairly insignificant secret to you, there you were pouring your heart out, revealing the helpless child within, going on and on about how your mother never loved you and how your father did not care. Once she got close to your lover, little did you know she has already taken control of your life by finding the weak link, by getting to the persons closest to you. Once she trained herself to be more attentive, she discovered that you boast about your achievements, no matter how little they are, and you host high society parties often because you are a sucker for social validation.

Despite the dangers in playing on your weaknesses – that is, stirring up actions she cannot control – by planning several steps ahead and anticipating the consequences of exploiting your vulnerabilities, she will have you bend at her will until she is satisfied with the power she has achieved and not simply the thrill of control.

In the end, she will give you what you need, what you crave for. She will embrace you like a mother embraces her child. She will compliment you endlessly (knowing that your ears are clapping and your heart skips a beat every time), and she will spoil you, pleasure after pleasure, be it for the soul, the mind, or the body.

Catherine de' Médicis, wife of French king Henri II, knew exactly how this is done. By unleashing her 'flying squadron', composed of the loveliest women in the court, she was able to spy on her detractors, and keep them too occupied to plot against her. She knew that the stronger the passion, the more vulnerable the person. The stronger the weakness for women, for example, the more likely a man would play victim in her ploy. What secret pleasure they cannot control, Catherine controlled for them.

By example, Catherine de' Médicis of France played on the weaknesses of the males close to the throne and illustrated exactly how it is she can play with the strong desires, strong pleasure, and strong emotions you cannot conceal. Catherine turned men's susceptibility to give in to their carnal desires to her advantage – and that is the way to do it.

That is how you stick it to the man