Certain events in history show us that the most powerful people are those who seem to have a spotless reputation. People with a good reputation are easily loved by his/her constituents, therefore giving him/her greater power over them.
But then again, powerful people are STILL people. Therefore, they definitely aren’t excluded from major lapses of judgment which, if revealed to the public, would easily lead to the downfall of a once powerful people.
Don’t fret, people. There is a way to keep an untarnished and God-like reputation even if we all make mistakes. It’s just as simple as using others to your advantage, making them your scapegoats and cat’s paws.
Before we move on, let us first define what scapegoats and cat’s paws are. Scapegoats are people to whom the blame is given to whenever you commit a mistake. On the other hand, cat’s paws are people who are manipulated to do the dirty work, just so you would still be the kind and peaceful ruler of the people.
One of the people who used the tactic of using people as cat’s paws is Cleopatra, probably the most famous ruler of Egypt. Contrary to popular thought, Cleopatra didn’t really seduce both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. Instead, she cleverly manipulated the two men to her advantage, making them her cat’s paws. Her seductive charms may have been part of the package, but her wit eventually made her achieve what she wanted.
This tactic may be a useful tool, but, when overused, will have negative repercussions on you. Remember, subtlety is key. As cliché as it may seem, anything in excess is bad. Therefore, we have to remember that apology is the best way to go at times, don’t you think?
Pauline Purugganan
Hi18-N
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29 comments:
Oh wow. It's like this law is saying that we must save ourselves at the expense of others. :| In my opinion, the true powerful person is the one who knows how to admit to his mistakes. While it is true that it's important to keep your mistakes from the public's knowledge as much as possible, one cannot avoid the instance wherein it COULD happen that the shortcomings or even bad decisions made by a leader WILL reach the public. In such an event, the truly powerful person will know how and when and to whom he should apologize.
Regarding what this law is trying to assert, however, I do not believe that it will be beneficial to the "powerful person" if he shall save face at the expense of another person's reputation.
- Kiara Lagrisola, Hi 18 O
Kiara, you're absolutely right. It really isn't "beneficial to the 'powerful person' if he shall save face at the expense of another person's reputation."
However, a truly powerful person should know when to use scapegoats and cat's paws and when to take the blame for his/her mistakes.
- Pauline Purugganan
Hi18-N
i agree that leaders should have a good reputation and spotless ruling, and i agree that these leaders are also human, thus prone to error. however, i just don't like the idea of blaming the leaders' fault to other people. if he/she is really a good leader, i think, he/she should be responsible to every mistakes that he/she will make. by doing so, people will admire them more.
mike orlino
hi 18 O
Being too perfect can become a very negative thing. Remember Mr./Mrs. Goody-Too-Shoes? People hated him/her for being uncommonly good. Everybody makes mistakes. And when they have shortcomings, they blame it on other things, more often than not, the people who despise them. It is usually better to swallow your pride and admit mistakes.
Alfonso S. Laviña
II AB MEC
HI 18 Section O
I think it's bad to blame other people for your own mistakes. It's unethical and wrong. :P
However, in the modern world, almost every leader runs on favours for lots of different reasons (one of them is 'disaster' management). In exchange, they do something else to repay their debt. So I guess it's just a trade-off, like a note payable to the bank
Just an opinion. :D
Miguel Rojas
Hi18O
Personally, I think this law is one of the scariest. It involves two things. First, when you use others to your advantage, you bring them down. Second, as they go down, you grow even more powerful. Yes, it is true. A spotless reputation will bring you to places.Then again, sometimes we might overuse this technique so what better way to use the cliche, "Tao lang po ako." Right? Apologize and move on. As Pauline mentioned, subtlety is the key.
Dexter Tanengsy, Hi18-N
This is certainly politics. In politics, as how my best friend would put it, you should always appear clean to the public.
---
But wait. Apology? That might work, but I personally think it wouldn't be effective when you are in power. As how people may put it, "Never apologize, never explain".
I agree with iancadelina when he said that apology isn't really the best way to go. However, it could be used as something like a last resort. When you know that there is no other way to get out of a tricky situation, I think it's best to swallow your pride and apologize.
But then again, we can't always apologize for our actions. Taking fault for something could give your constituents an image of instability.
The best way to remain in power is to strike a compromise between apologizing and putting the blame on others.
-Pauline Purugganan
Hi18-N
True enough that a leader should keep his/her reputation clean, but just like what most of you said, I really, really, don't agree with the use of scapegoats and cat's paw. If you had done wrong, all you can do is to appeal for mercy, and reason out your actions. Using a scapegoat would just make the matters worst. As for cat's paw, it doesn't make your hands clean, it make your hand dirtier. Others hand at your command is your hand as well, and you don't have a control of it! For me, to keep your hands clean, don't touch any dirty stuffs.
-Jedd Emille Chua
Hi 18 O
Well, Jedd, if that's what you think, then fine. Let's play along with it. Assuming but not conceding that your hands do get dirtier even if you used a cat's paw, it is important to note that no one would ever be able to actually point the finger at you. It would be very difficult to trace all these things back to you, since your cat's paw acted out of his own accord. You didn't actually force the person to do it for you. He chose to do it, therefore it's not entirely your action.
As for the scapegoat, I believe that it could turn out to be useful. BUT, as I keep on repeating, we have to use not only this but any other tactic in moderation. Actually, you could turn out to be a really fine leader if you know when, where, and how you would use different tactics so as to preserve status quo or what-not. It just shows how wise you are.
-Pauline Purugganan, Hi18-N
I believe in this law. To become powerful you must appeal to the people and people like clean. I do not agree however on having to have scapegoats or the use of other people to your advantage. I feel that someone who is truly powerful can weasle his/her way out of any problem on their own. I need to however clarify that a third party may be implicated for one weasel his/herself out of a situation but in general it was the individual who managed to keep their hands "clean".
For me the most simple form of this would be BS'ing your way out of a situation. I am willing to admitt that I myself have done this and it was indeed effective. I know also that I am not a celebraity or an icon that everyone watches over and therefore keeping my hands clean is a lot easier. So now how do big figures manage to do this?
Well I think the beauty is not on how they can talk themselves out of the situation or be able to put the blame on someone else but it is the way they have positioned themsevles throughout the whole process.
I think true power from keeping your hands clean also comes from not the post act but everything leading up to the act. I sense that people who keep their hand clean already know their hands are going to be dirty therefore they plan for it and so by the time the deed is done, they have already positioned themselves so well that there is no need to put the blame on other people.
So how about the powerful people like Hitler who put the blame on the Jews and George Bush Sr and Jr who put the blame on Iraq. How did they keep their hands clean? They don't have clean hands and we can all see the dirt, just noone is speaking up.
Who are the powerful people who have kept their hands clean? Ghandi and the Dalai Lama. Those guys have had their hands dirty at one point in time but they planned for it therefore we never saw it.
Niko Falcon
II BS Management
H18- N
I agree with what Kiara said: "I do not believe it will be beneficial to 'the powerful person' if he shall save face at the expense of another person's reputation".
Proverbs 12:1b says, "...he who hates reproof is stupid."
A person who covers his or her mistakes by pointing his or her finger to other people is an arrogant fool because he or she doesn't want to accept his or her mistakes, and be corrected by others. And a fool hates correction (Prov.12:1b) Thus, this particular person doesn't deserve to be called a leader.
I believe that a true leader is someone who makes right decisions that is beneficial to the people he or she is leading. It's true that he or she is still a person, still human, and because of that he or she is not free from making mistakes. But a true leader also admits his or her faults, accepts correction, and then after knowing his or her wrong, seeks to make things right.
Moreover, I believe that a person who truly is a leader is someone who strives to do his or her best on the tasks presented to him, makes the right decisions, accepts his or her blunders, and stands up each time he or she falls. Now, that is a leader that will attract other people to himself and herself, and most probably, throughout the process, he or she will become an inspiration and a model for the people to follow.
Kira Gochuico
HI 18 N
Keeping one’s hands clean doesn’t necessarily mean, one must be perfect, but to do one’s best to do the right thing in everything he or she encounters.
We all unintentionally get our hands dirty once in a while (literally), but it’s also a fact that there’s also water and soap around. When we make mistakes, let’s do our best to make things right and not point our fingers to other people; we can always wash our hands (figuratively, of course :D) and start over. (Use clean water and soap! :D)
Kira Gochuico
HI 18 N
Realistically speaking, it is indeed impossible to keep our hands clean. Since we are human persons and not God, we will always come to a point (or points) in our lives that we makes mistakes. It is through mistakes that we human persons learn to become better.
I do agree with Kiara when she said that being clean is not beneficial to the supposedly powerful person who tries to be clean at the expense of others. Being such would mean being a user to your friends just to keep your reputation clean, which is indeed wrong in the first place; in fact, doing so is a concrete evidence of a fake and plastic friendship.
As for Niko's remark, however, it is possible to become clean despite doing dirty deeds or corrupt acts. I guess it is just a matter of being clever that really matters with regards to this law.
Duey T. Guison
Hi18N
Kira, you speak of washing our hands whenever it gets dirty. Don't you think that those scapegoats and cat's paws aren't the necessary water and soap that you need? Think about it.
Pauline Purugganan
Hi18 N
I agree with what Jamie Bauza said, "I don't believe that a spotless reputation is a requirement for great power, although it helps."
When you make a big mistake, people get mad at you, but when you correct it, people also notice it. People notice the change in your actions and may even regard it as" changing for the better." They will now think that you are an improved person and would not make so much mistakes anymore because you have learned from them.
Alex Salaveria
HI18-N
To keep you hands clean, you have to play dirty.
I think this law is not really about blaming other people. It's more about staying blameless and letting someone take the fall. It's underhanded, but hey! It's the fault of your victim for falling into the trap.
I don't know about you guys, but a very apologetic leader can seem weak. I like a leader with strong personal convictions.
♦Alex: You have to remember that before you could 'change for the better,' you would first have to concede to the fact that you are flawed. Conceding to this is very risky. It could eventually lead to your downfall.
-Pauline Purugganan
Hi18-N
♦Camille: Thank you for agreeing with me! It is so much better to use others to cover up your own faults than to concede that you yourself are flawed.
Come on, guys! Let's think about human nature. Would you be willing to serve a leader who is always admitting that he committed mistakes?
Let's give a more concrete example. Did you become more loyal to the Arroyo administration after she said her infamous "I am sorry." speech?
At Jedd's comment
If you appeal to others' mercy after you had done something wrong, and you subject yourself under them, doesn't that make you a weak person?
Marie Dacquel
HI18-O
Keeping your hands clean, while making you look blameless, immaculate and clean, while giving you that respectable and dignified image, can make you "annoyingly perfect." It makes you more human for people to see you as one of them--as imperfect, as down-to-earth. It would help you get along better with other people if you get a little dirt under your fingernails too. :)) I'm not saying wallow in mud; just allow SOME your imperfections to show to make people feel you're still one of them. =)
Eric Andres
HI 18 Section N
This law isn't about your personal philosophy of what's nice- it's a habit that has been observed in powerful, successful people throughout history. Scapegoats are a tool to displace the population's dissatisfaction, while cat paws are the tools to influence people and the outcome of events to your benefit. Admitting a mistake and being humble is a separate affair.
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