Thursday, July 17, 2008

LAW 6: COURT ATTENTION AT ALL COST

Recipe for

LAW 6: COURT ATTENTION AT ALL COST

Ingredients:
1 whole piece of BEING
1 Yottagram of ATTENTION
Best with: spice of scandal

Procedures:
Shake two bottles of milk for an infant not to cry.
Add 1 spoon of toy for a toddler not to call out for his mom.
Stir ¾ cup of sharpened Crayolas for a kid not to wail.
Steam for 360 days.
Put 88 pints of Girl’s glance for a high school boy not to weep, low medium heat.
Mix a kilo of man who chooses not DOTA for a high school girl not to scream.
Lastly, turn to high heat for 39.9 seconds and pour 10 exaliters of comments in a college History student’s blog for him not to roar.
Puff! Serve hot and enjoy. J

Indeed, man has sought attention on people around him since the very day he is born. Babies cry while adults get miserable when they are being disregarded. Law 6 states then that doing such (courting one’s attention) is significant for all of us. Robert Greene even emphasized: “The worst fate in the world for a man who yearns fame, glory, and of course, power is to be ignored.” Thus, people must hunger to be noticed. Stand out! It is a man’s way of empowering himself. If it needs to be scandalous, do it. Why? It is better to be attacked, even slandered, than ignored (43).

In this world, competition arises intensely in seconds. Hence, you will never win if you never have a name and become just like the “bland and timid masses.” Controversy then is a tactic to spell your title in bold letters. This is what the great scientist Thomas Edison did to remain in the public eye. More than creating experiments and inventions, Edison was known before for the rumors that he and his great rival Nikola Tesla would be joint recipients of the 1915 Nobel Prize in physics (What an honor!). However, the prize was then given to a pair of English physicists. That is because Edison told the prize committee that he did not want to share the prize with Tesla (Huh?).

His reason: HE THOUGHT IT IS BETTER TO REFUSE THE HONOR THAN TO ALLOW HIS RIVAL ATTENTION THAT WOULD HAVE COME EVEN FROM SHARING THE PRIZE (48).
Also, to get the people’s attention, one must create an enigmatic image. Surely, mystery builds curiosity and attraction. One should not just show the others his name but to let them read in spaces. That would excite the others’ imagination and make the people eagerly watch what could happen next. This then will put others in the inferior position. Mao Tse-tung is a very good example of the cleverly cultivated mysterious people. He did not even care if he is contradicting himself. No one seems to be able to understand and read his actions, not even his own wife. Thus people paid so much attention on him, looking forward to see his next move.

Now, I think the table is set. It is all up to you if you will be indulging into the spice of this choice. Will you be like P. T. Barnum who even wrote anonymous attacks on his own work or someone like Pablo Picasso who made new series of paintings that went against all expectations?

WARNING: Attention seeking could be dangerous to your being (too). Know WHEN and WHERE to taste the luscious dish of LAW 6. J

- Joanne Atienza, HI18 - N

32 comments:

nico said...

well, you sure did catch my attention with that weird recipe.
theres an old saying that goes "esse est percipi"
translated, it means, - to be is to be perceived -
i think it holds relevant to your topic because even the smallest recognition of a person leaves a slight or powerful influence on the audience. if nobody knew of you, you'd actually cease to exist, for what is life, but a material realm by which we perceive by our senses.
A perfect example of powerful beings are celebrities. in all honesty, they are as normal as normal people can get, some are awesome actors, some are horrible. but the plain fact that EVERYONE will recognize a name like brad pitt and gives him such great power. sure, he's good looking and married to the queen of hotness, but in all honesty, he's just a man. but whatever he does, we watch meticulously and try to imitate.
in a nutshell, the more people that know you, or know of you, the more influence you have, therefore, more power. :)

Carl Siy said...

The thing about having all eyes on you is that all eyes are on you. One wrong move and everyone will see it, one wrong word and everyone will hear it.

Also, appear too hungry for attention and you risk attracting the ire of your peers. And while enemies aren't always a bad thing (read: law 2) the risk is still there.

Carl Siy, Hi 18 N

Jam Yusun said...

True, Nico, that being talked about actually affirms our very existence. Of course we despise rumors and being talked about. But, no matter how wrong it may seem, these rumors are in fact evidences that we live. I actually hate it when I hear people talking about me, but then again I think to myself that I'm actually worth talking about. I exist! HAHA Visibility and presence are a big factor in being a leader. Like here in the Phils, you'd actually know who Bayani Fernando is through the humongous tarpaulin he has of himself posted under the flyover. Or like the super amazing Joker in the current Batman movie who used the media to threaten the Batman and the citizens of Gotham City. And he succeeded! It's just like campaigning; you have to let yourself be seen.

Courting attention does have its limits though but that's a different story.

Jam Yusun
Hi18-O

Jedd Emille Chua said...

Nice post! You caught people's attention yourself!
For me, catching someone's or everyones's attention must be use in moderation. There must be a user-beware sign whenever cathing attention is to be used. First of all, we can catch someone's attention if we will use it to make yourself withstanding. A lack of it is mediocrity. However, an excess of it is hypocrisy. Why? Because being the center of attraction would make people think of his.her pride, hypocrisy, and especially, EGOISM. Colloquially, we call these people "KSP", meaning to say that he/she wants that attention just because he/she wanted to, and not for a cause. For me, use this law if you are using it for a cause.
-Jedd Emille Chua
Hi 18 O

luigiramirez said...

Thats some recipe, great combination.

Some people love attention, some do not.
Some people work better in front of people than others. All in the right place and time. Yes i agree jedd, use it in a good cause, the right cause, not just for yourself.

Luigi Ramirez Hi18-O

Fonsywonsy said...

Nice post!

I also agree with the others that even though attention can level up your stature, it is also very dangerous because you're screwed by everyone once they find out you slip up on something. Sometimes it is way better to be discreet than to be known.

But sometimes attention can be very powerful. Since you're well known, many people may highly regard you. This may lead to having more allies and gain respect among your peers.

Alfonso S. Laviña
II AB MEC
HI 18 Section O
Use wisely.

tashie_melevo said...

this is indeed a very catchy recipe :)

as we all know, something can only be harmful when its too much, in this case i dont think that attention is a negative thing, but it is with how this law defines it. this law says that in whatever situation you are in you must be an attention seeker.. i dont think that thats right,
first, "too much of anything is bad" its cliche but its true. second, attention can be both beneficial and a detriment to you, its not always the case that its beneficial. like in negative popularity, people do court attention coz they get called KSP (kulang sa pansin).

Nastashja Melevo
II BSLM
HI18-o

mike orlino said...

hahaha, i like your post here! it's really creative and just like what the others are saying, it catch my attention.

i agree that gaining attention is important to retain your power. however, i think a good leader should also put in mind that in ruling he is not just the focus of the attention. a good leader should know that the people whom he is serving is more important and more worthy of attention than him. by doing so, he will be much closer to people, thus gaining him more power.

mike orlino
hi 18 O

ninefingertips said...

hey! guys who play dota aren't that bad.. X)

I think the main point of catching attention is to create a presence. It is not all about capturing praise or scorn, since, well power is not built upon feeble things such as outside opinion. It deals with currency far simpler i think. Catching attention is the whole point of courting it. a person who is known and can control how he is known, can most completely alter his own identity. Fame or infamy, loved or hated, attention gained is an image created. You are suddenly worth the time and the consideration. You inevitably control what others see and in effect, what they think and believe. You become something limitlessly evolving as you grow beyond who you are.

Catching attention gets you to transcend yourself.

you get romanticized.

In a sense. You become more than you're supposed to be. and people will swear they can attest to it.

lovers,haters, fans, enemies, followers and assassins. everyone caught is your unwitting slave.

:)

go get some slaves >:) haha

Mark Bantayan
IIBSMIS
Hi18 - N

ninefingertips said...

I disagree with the side effect being called KSP.

its not about hoarding attention, as what these kind of people do.

its about "courting" it. baiting it to walk at the palm of your hands.

you have to make sure they will barely even notice that you're asking for any attention

you of course don't do it blatantly. as people are not so inclined to pay you any, if they clearly believe you are asking for it.

subtlety and impact. you get them once, and get them coming back for more. its manipulation.

you will have people think you're not even getting the attention they believe you merit

most of what the book circles on is the many ways of tricking people into doing things.

i don't think this is any different. its about being everywhere, to the point that you are actually an accepted reality.

and that's power.

Unknown said...

Nice recipe. Interesting. True. :)

I agree with Mark in saying the main point of catching attention is to create a presence. I think everyone, even the most apathetic of apathetics, would want recognition of existence. Not only does it hold a bit of power, there's also the pride factor that yes, someone knows your name. Just make sure though the attention you get by whatever you do is the attention you'd want. Yes it's understandable that you'd rather be remembered for something unnerving or detestable than not at all, but wouldn't it be much better if you weren't? :)

-Bianca Michaela Bes, Hi 18-O

Eric Andres said...

Well, looks like you really applied your law. :)

You did catch our attention by formatting your entry creatively.

I agree with Nastashja Melevo's comment: Too much of something is bad. Positive or negative attention IS attention, and attention may be good sometimes. To be noticed, to be visible, to make your presence felt, is good, but at the same time, you should be careful with your actions all the more now that all eyes are on you.

Eric Andres
HI 18 Section N

Unknown said...

Once you do get the attention you want is when the real challenge begins. It is difficult to keep the spotlight on you; people tend to get tired of things easily. I think this goes hand-in-hand with a few laws such as law 16 (the use of absence), law 17 (keeping others on their toes) and law 25 (re-creating yourself). We have to be conscious of our actions to keep from being fads or "one-hit wonders", who become forgotten after a period of time.

Also, like what Carl had mentioned, once we have their attention, everything we do is seen, whether we want them to or not. We have to be on guard at all times not to reveal information that can be used against us.

To Mark: while it may be good that we get romanticized, we have to be careful to keep others from knowing the truth, because, then, we become forgotten and resented even for our deception. We have to keep our distance and avoid revealing too much. An air of mystery is what we should aim for in this case.

Patty Geollegue
Hi18-N

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

you got my attention there.

attention doesn't truly mean power. seeking attention is good as long what they will attend to is good for them. And seeking attention may mean a lot of things. Maybe you are seeking enemies, friends, etc. You'll only gain power if the people listen to you and agree with what you're trying to influence.

Don Faylon
Hi18N

Marcy Leonora V. Pilar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marcy Leonora V. Pilar said...

True, courting attention can't be brought about by seeking popularity all the time, and (as pointed out by Mark) seeking attention is not the same as courting attention ("of course you don't do it blatantly"). In addition to what Nico said (nice comment), when asked about what determines one's existence, two words should be said: myself, and others. It just can't be through me and, at the same time, it just can't be through other people.
In following this law, one should also keep in mind that initial impressions matter not just because these last, but also because these lead to the 'first-est' of interpretations that are still to come. As human beings, we always take the past into account in the hopes of comparing it to the present and (maybe) to the future. How we first appeared as to our friends, for example, will always be remembered.
An excess in attention violates freedom and privacy. Imagine a wild animal in a zoo (and then picture it running freely in the wild). I don't think it still has the freedom to do what is natural, what is true to its 'animal nature' because of all the attention. Similarly, I think that it'll be hard to still act and behave as who we really are in the midst of attention.
In such a modern world where stalkers, gossipers, and the like abound, excessive attention is scary. With the internet and devices more advanced than we can ever imagine, being the talk of the town must be unimaginable! How different do you think this situation will be if it were in the ancient times in terms of difficulty, necessity, etc?

LAW 25

Dexter Tanengsy said...

I believe that seeking attention will not necessarily assure you power. It just means that people know you which in turn might give you power but still, it is unsure. This is the reason why in our home org, they'd say the external cluster benifits students most in their race for future employment. It is in the external cluster that people try to get sponsorship by talking with huge companies. If you were the one negotiating, then the presidents and the CEOs of those companies would know your name which means in the near future, if ever you apply for a job, they wouldn't think that much of either accepting or rejecting you since they've met you already.

Dexter Tanengsy, Hi18-N

Pia Maske said...

On the manner by which you presented your entry, it really did catch my attention. Marshall McLuhan did say, "the medium is the message".

On courting attention at all cost, I guess this is reflective of the idea that only in the presence of the other do I affirm my existence. As it was mentioned by the comments above, it's not totally bad to be talked about because it is a sure sign that they know you exist, and that you are worth their time.

What seems problematic, at first, is how attention translates to power. Take Britney Spears as an example: she shaved her head, got married, divorced, was tried in court, fought a custody battle, and the like (in whichever order), and in every part of it, the attention was all hers. Some would say it's bad publicity. Others would retort that bad publicity is [good] publicity.

It might seem weird, but the moment we switch to the entertainment news, Britney Spears controlled our lives. She made us want to know what was going on in her own life. And it is in this way she wields power, whether she is aware of it or not.

Pia Angela J. Maske
II AB-MA Political Science
Hi 18, Section O
Law 33: Discover Each Man's Thumbscrew

Cooky Araneta said...

I agree that whether we admit it or not, we all want to be noticed. I mean, I doubt that being ignored brings happy, tingly feelings. Of course, it hurts. It somehow diminishes how you see yourself, and it makes you look at yourself more to see what's "wrong". Though I don't believe in doing anything just to gain attention (even things that negatively affect other people), I do agree that we all need attention. I guess it's a challenge to all of us to be more sensitive to those around us, especially to those who are already screaming, "Hey, mind me!"

Anonymous said...

Dexter has a point there. It depends on what attention you'll get. It's pretty unsure if they'll give you power or just trouble or just no reaction. But still, how will people know that you exist? using this law seeks the power to be recognized and socialize to people.

Don Faylon
Hi18N

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