‘No one sees the source of your power, and what they cannot see they cannot fight.’
The key to power and to success is foreknowledge. Great armies will lose if they went to battle knowing nothing about their enemies. Vietnam War ring a bell? The Americans stood no chance against the Vietnamese.
The trick here is to understand that espionage isn’t really limited to those spies you see on television. It’s something everyone is capable of. A simple conversation with your target can give you all the information you need: his strengths, weaknesses, secrets, everything. Be careful though, you don’t want them to know you’re fishing for information. It might backfire. The article mentions a French politician, Talleyrand. He had the ability to suppress himself in the conversation, to make others talk endlessly about themselves and inadvertently reveal their intentions and plans. He had a gift. People said he was a superb conversationalist yet he actually said very little.
There’s a trick you see, make them feel your worthy of their trust. Give them a fake confession and you might just get a real one. In conversations you must learn when to say the truth and when to tell lies. False information can and will protect you from practitioners of law 14. In fact you can both collect information and protect yourself in conversations. By planting information of your choice, you control the game.
‘While spying gives you a third eye, disinformation puts out one of your enemy’s eyes.’
We Filipinos are familiar with this law, we’ve even created a perfect term for these types of people. Plastic. It makes you wonder, who are your real friends? Or better yet, do you even have any?
Jaime Lizada
Hi18 K
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39 comments:
I think now I have to think twice about my friends... :P hahaahha...
but really,if everyone just "poses" as friends, then friendship must be taken out of the dictionary... it's kinda scary to think that everyone you know might just be posing in order to get whatever they need or want from you... soon people might no longer trust anyone...
how this this supposed to help you gain power, when people will no longer trust each other?
AnneAndreaLacson
Hi18 K
It would be a terribly sad world if everyone was a spy. But for someone making his way to the top of the food chain, I agree that this is an indispensable rule. Knowledge is power - the more you know, the more capable you are.
It's also unhealthy to think of everyone around you as spies. Unreasonable paranoia is not good, look at Nero.
Denis Flores
Hi 18K
i agree with anne. there's no point in making a bond that takes days or years to form and it is basically senseless to earn someone's trust when at the end, your goal is to lose a friend. I wouldn't want to live in a world that follows this kind of trend.
Krizia Javate
Hi18-K
i agree with anne. there's no point in making a bond that takes days or years to form and it is basically senseless to earn someone's trust when at the end, your goal is to lose a friend. I wouldn't want to live in a world that follows this kind of trend.
Krizia Javate
Hi18-K
@the_dood_abides
I have read in a novel that honor is absolutely useless in warfare. As our topic mostly concentrates on power which war is either a metaphor or a corollary, deception and trickery may be part of the game.
However, this is politics, and the choice to bring politics in our friendships is our choice. >_> Trust is existentially acknowledgment and power, control.
D Valerio
Hi18L
yeah, i'd like to think that friendship is as powerful as, if not more powerful, espionage.
i think some of the great people rose up to power not through spying and destroying each other, but being friends. that's what you call FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS.
hmmm.... take PGMA and JdeV. they were good friends. she as the president, him as her spokesperson. (i don't want any controversy here) but i know, they were very good friends.
jaclyn yap
hi18 K
@ jaki
It's good to take note of the fact that they WERE good friends. Let's not forget it was the administration majority, under the rule of her majesty the president, that decided to replace JDV as Speaker of the House. Also just recently, JDV managed to file a case for impeachment in Congress.
You see, I honestly doubt there are true friends when it comes to politics. Everyone has an agenda of their own and they will do everything to get it. Look at the current squabble in the Senate. And when it comes to attaining your own goals, what better way to coerce your opponents than have their secrets ready at your disposal. Blackmailing is a very very powerful tool in politics.
Jaime Lizada
Hi 18K
jaime
yeah... i think there aren't true friends when it comes to politics... and it seems to me that those politicians have a hard time trusting each other... it comes to a point where even their family members are accused...
with regards to blackmailing... i don't know if it's ethical, but what the hell.. there's so much dirt in politics nowadays anyway...
AnneAndreaLacson
Hi18 K
Hmmm. I agree with the law. I guess the only worry is, what if the person you're spying on is also a spy? What if you're feeding each other stories? What if you act on what you thought was an important/significant fact--but was actually a trap or a lie?
@ D:
I agree. For them, the end justifies the means. You might've trampled people along the way, but at least you got there.
The question remaining is: How long will you stay there?
Sorry. Forgot to put my name in the previous post.
Theresa Tan
Hi18K
i admit this law makes far more sense than i'm morally obliged to welcome.
keep your friends close, but your enemies closer anyone?
i have one qualm: this law operates on the assumption that everyone is dangerous, that everyone is grappling for the same power as you are. there are people in society -- we can't help it, society is large and boundless -- that won't matter in the pursuit of our goals and these people, i believe, we won't need to spy on.
this law is guilty of a hasty generalization.
whoops,sorry
kyra ballesteros, hi18k
@ Kyra:
No, I don't think the law applies to everyone. I mean, I think it's your call who you want to "spy" on. I guess my point is, what if the one you're spying on is also spying on you? (Since you're both probably going for the same goal/power/etc)
Theresa Tan
Hi18k
@ theresa
i understood your point, but i think you misunderstood mine.
first -- i disagree with the latter part of your statement (Since you're both probably going for the same goal/power/etc). My point is that NOT EVERYONE is grappling with you for the SAME POWER.
i.e. not everyone is in competition with you for, say, a raise, a new car, a grade, etc. therefore espionage is not required for everyone.
people have different goals.
second: i don't think the law applies to everyone -- i'm sorry, i don't understand how this applies to my statement. i never said the law applied to everyone. i said the law assumes everyone is dangerous.
kyra ballesteros
hi18k
Sorry, wrong choice of words. This law doesn't assume that everyone is dangerous. Again, I think you apply it when you feel the need to. That's probably just my opinion, though.
My point was: the people you're "spying" on are probably the people you want to compete against. Otherwise, why spy on them? I said this with my assumption that the law isn't universal in that you don't think everyone is dangerous. I didn't go by your statement that you believe the law assumes that everyone is dangerous. Instead, I assumed that you apply the law ONLY TO THOSE YOU DEEM DANGEROUS.
Theresa Tan
hi18k
I agree with Kyra when she says, "not everyone is grappling with you for the same power." Though I understand that people can be ruthless when it comes to attaining power, be it over one another or just power in general, I think that any smart person would think that there is only so much power one can attain. I think that generally, people who seek power, also have a specific goal in mind. With this said, I think that it is possible for two power-hungry people, no matter how ruthless, to work together to help each other achieve his respective goal as long as their goals are different from one another.
Regina Yulo
Hi18 L
Misinformation and deceit is at the heart of any cut-throat individual. I read "Perfume" by Patrick Suskind last summer. It narrated the exploits of the impish, manipulative Jean-Baptiste Grenouille and his rise in old France as a perfumer. Many times in the book he was described as a 'tick', a parasite that stirs only when all the resources of his current situation have been depleted. Then Grenouille would move on to richer pastures to take advantage of. When opportunities presented themselves, he would completely overlay past realities by embracing the new states that would further thrust him into greatness. And he did that by being conniving, untruthful, and quick-minded.
I agree with the opinions which seek to go against the law. This kind of behavior may have been acceptable during times of war when saving your skin because danger could be lurking around any corner. But nowadays, most institutions governing our society (e.g. school, Church, etc.) devalue this kind of thinking. I think it's only right to get rid of this frame of mind because there are better MO's.
Joey Palma
HI18 K
I agree, too, that this law shouldn't be taken literally. I mean, I don't think any of the laws should be. None of them are absolute, after all. This law does make a point though. I guess it's all about just being wary of who you're talking to, what they're saying and if they have ulterior motives or not. I should think that that would only apply to strangers and people we're not comfortable with. The problem lies in the whole "friends" department. Who really is your friend and who's just a poser? In my opinion, it's a risk that needs to be taken in order to gain something, be it valuable information or cheesy as it is, a real friend.
Bea Ocampo
Hi18-K
I believe that we shouldn't doubt each and every one of our friends, especially those to whom we are closer to. We shouldn't really even let any negative thought (that this particular friend of ours is a poser) enter our mind for this might turn us away from our true friends. This way of thinking might even turn us into a spy as well, for we would start investigating our friends' real intentions and motives.
Being a true friend entails trust. If you can't trust anybody, then you, most probably, wouldn't have much friends who would be there to support you, who would be there to guide you, and who would simply be there even if you don't trust him/her that much.
However, in cases wherein a friend of yours turns out to be a poser, then I'm sorry but just like what Bea said, "it's a risk that needs to be taken in order to gain something." You may cry or "mukmok" about it, but you shouldn't let yourself get affected for so long. At the very least, you gain something from this experience: that that poser wasn't really your friend and that you have other friends whom you should value more.
Besides, you can't have everything or everyone, for this matter.
Tom Manahan
hi18k
In the world we're living in right now, it's all about deceit, lies.. and don't you think a lot of people now - you, me, him, her - might just be feeding the people what WE want them to know? What WE want them to think of us?
AND I agree with Denis.
This law actually applies to a lot of people. Have you been spying lately?
AnnaSantos
Hi18-K
If you trust your friend enough, maybe you shouldn't let this thing bother that much. Maybe it's more bothersome if you're doing the same, then you finally realize that you're not the only "smart one" who could work against a friend ("friend"?)
AnnaSantos
Hi18 K
with what the account stated, deceit is mandatory to gain power, but with the comments of a few saying, what use is that power if you no longer have the trust of the person you tricked?
then.. what if you didn't need the trust of that person anymore? and you wouldn't care less of those he tells because you got what you needed?
A spy is a spy. They are trained to
be fraudulent with no strings attached. Get what is needed and then get out.
With the friends issue, ff he / she is a "spy" then... No conscience, yes. Guileful, yes. Got what you needed? YES. works both ways.
I agree with the others; being plastic doesn't necessarily mean that you're spying on whoever you're "friends" with.
I also like the part in the post that says,"By planting information of your choice, you control the game." This is probably used by a lot of politicians who have friends in politics as well. They know they need friends in politics, even if these might be plastics because they don't want to isolate themselves and be powerless. So it's okay with them to have these spies around them because they know they can also learn something from these spies and spy on them at the same time.
monica ang
L
@ the law
I don't agree with this law. I believe that being true to other people will let you gain trust.
How can we live harmoniously in this world if we lie to each other or pose as a friend?
If that's the case, it'll be more difficult to trust anyone and share secrets.
Clarice Manuel
Hi18K
what Raf said made me think --
you gain power when you have people's trust and the popular adage "you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar" applies in that having society's trust will enable you to maneuver within society, turn people's opinions to aid you when the time comes.
in order to illustrate my point, i think the fictional character of Mr. Wickham from Jane Austen will suffice -- when he was present in town, everyone trusted him to the extent that people overlooked the fact that he had shabbily covered up a wicked past. the opposite is true for Mr. Darcy who turned everyone against him -- he trusted and befriended no one -- and was supremely disliked. his fortune and rank could not spare him from society's general disapproval.
kyra ballester hi18K
I personally think that spying is wise, especially for those who want to stay in power. Just as the States has intelligence agencies and agents based around the world to learn about potential theats to U.S. security, spying, when used for the welfare of society, has a lot of advantages.
To present a less literal example, knowing your friends better and "spying" on their strengths and weaknesses does not necessarily entail that you use them selfishly in the future. Friendship's foundation, after all, is ideally an open relationship. If anything, I think knowing everything about a friend can actually help foster a friendship.
Chio Cebrero
Hi 18 L
Friendship is a special relationship you share with people of same interests. You call each other friends because one way or another you have established a sort of deep concern for each other. And with that deep concern, you become aware of your friends' strengths and weaknesses. You help him or her in honing those strengths and defying those weaknesses. FRIENDS HELP EACH OTHER attain goals setting aside vested self-interest to topple down the other. This is real friendship - friendship to power.
@Rei, I agree with all things that she says about what friendship is. However, the Law does say to POSE as a friend. That is exactly what a spy does. Spies pose as so many different things; they pretend to be someone you aren't. We should not live in fear that all our friends are fake, because that would make everyone a spy, and really, what good is that? Why would any intelligent government agency hire the majority of the population to be spies? This would rule out the objective of being secretive and stealthy.
Not everyone is a spy, but also, not everyone is your friend.
Regina A. Yulo
Hi 18 L
I believe that in war, this is a really powerful weapon. During world war 2, English speaking Germans dressed as American soldiers infiltrated enemy lines and created havoc among the Allied forces. They switched road signs, falsified documents and perhaps, they even gave away vital allied intelligence. Despite its uses in war, i believe that under normal circumstances, It is not a feasible law. If we live in a world where we lie and deceive people, we would not have friends or have lasting relationships.
Sean Co
HI 18K
i like this law because it allows you to extract useful and important information from others, while still appearing like a friend. if done the right way, this law you can make you successful. just like what you said, it is important to gain the trust of the other person so you can get the information you desire. if the person feels you are fishing, he might give out misleading information or might not even talk at all. that is why one should not take this law to extreme. you must be subtle with your intentions and make it appear like you are really trustworthy. also, it is important to know which pieces of information are reliable, and which ones are not. some might just be lies.
-Philip Albert T. Verde
Hi18 K
deception. yes, deceiving others is a major key in acquiring ultimate power. this is also similar and/or can coincide perfectly with the 31st law of power.
friendships do create peaceful communities/atmospheres, but what if your friends are working as spies to bring you down?.. you cannot trust anyone fully, as even family ties can be broken in a single snap of a finger.
@kyra - "keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.." from the godfather hehe cool :D
John Kristoffer M. Gomez
hi18 - section L
That's an interesting thought. Learning to give the enemies fake confessions might be very helpful but what if they do the same thing on you. What of all along, both sides have gone ends on telling false information and all the time for a conversation went to waste. Befriending your enemy poses both a warning and a reward. If one can fish out crucial information then that would be great.
Oh and yeah, I think I do have real friends.
Czarina Kathryne Masagca
Hi18-L
I have to admit, your final question really made me think.
Talleyrand has got such talent. I also used him as an example in my law (Law 39: Stir Up Waters to Catch Fish). I mean, he didn't really exert any effort in trying to get people to say things. He just remained mum and bam! He got what he wanted. He instantly got people to tell him their plans and intentions even without lifting a finger.
You say he's a spy? I say he's a genius.
Monica Copuyoc
Hi18- L
On the bright side, kung marami kang plastik na kaibigan, ibig sabihin mayaman ka (whether in military secrets or actual money). Congratulations
Nikka Du, L
I would like to point out that thinking of everyday life in terms of warfare and powerplay DOES NOT WORK. Although I have said that human relationships are governed by the dynamics of dominance and submission, treating people like they're either your enemy or your ally, like they're assets or liabilities just doesn't make for a very fulfilling existence. And honestly, I don't think people really do that. Not that this is directly aimed at the post; it just came to mind while I was thinking of having plastik friends. This law is supposed to give perspective. If you're not currently engaged in a war, it really wouldn't be logical for people to spy on you. If you do have plastik friends you're probably rich, can do their homework, or some other variation of powerful.
Du, L
In the realm of battle and rising to the top, you really can't risk having friends because the vulnerability in them is too great. It really is hard to discern who your real friends are from the phonies so it's easier to not take the chance of making friends at all.
The power of knowledge is really great. It can easily destroy people and put you at an advantage over everyone else. It's sad to think that people have succumb to this game of false pretenses only to achieve greater power and glory for themselves. In order to be ahead of the game, you have to say goodbye to your conscience and enter a world wherein pretenses are what you live for.
Teri Marcelo
Hi 18-K
I agree with some of the commenters here. I'd rather make friends to have diplomatic ties with them, to be able to trust them in the future, rather than destroy them. In this sense, strong bonds seem preferable to broken ones.
Peep Warren
Hi18-L
I also agree with the most people who commented under this law. I prefer to be loyal and truthful to be friends rather than thinking of ways in how I can benefit from them. I think that approaching people for having wrong intentions would eventually make us fall, in any ways. We might also experience the same situation, us, being the victim of the scenario. I disagree with this law.
Yu Chin Hong
Hi18-K
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