Back in the 1800’s, Napoleon discovered that his foreign minister Talleyrand had conspired against him. While they were holding their meeting, Napoleon started talking about people who were plotting against him. Simultaneously, Talleyrand stood there, looking unmoved by Napoleon’s rambling, as if he had nothing to do with the matter. Napoleon was pushed to the edge at the sight of Talleyrand’s nonchalance and just blew up. He started yelling at him and later exclaimed, “What about your wife? You never told me that San Carlos was your wife’s lover!”. Now, did Talleyrand’s betrayal have to do anything with his wife? I don’t think so.
Napoleon clearly displayed weakness when he got enraged. He directed his anger towards his enemy. Whenever these kinds of occurrences take place, a person should bear in mind that a treacherous act is not directed exclusively at him/her. The cause is much bigger and is not worth the trouble to comprehend. Napoleon took everything personally so he let his fury get the best of him.
It would be best to stay calm when your enemy is angry. It is then that you ultimately gain an advantage. So stir the waters, let the fish go up the surface, get them to act before they are ready, and let hold of the situation. Beware however, because some are best left at the bottom of the pond. There are those who never fall prey even to the sneakiest of acts.
Monica Copuyoc Hi18- L
27 comments:
this law reminds me of a short depiction from the movie, Gladiator, where a senator is advising the evil emperor on how to catch his enemies in the act:
"I have been told of a certain sea snake which has a very unusual method of attracting its prey. It will lie at the bottom of the ocean as if wounded. Then its enemies will approach, and yet it will lie quite still. And then its enemies will take little bites of it, and yet it remains still."
monica ang, L
getting angry should not be one's first option. it definitely does not shows one's authority. it makes others question his or her power. in dealing with problems, i like what you said about remaining calm. one should really be calm because getting angry is a very unpleasant thing. also by getting angry, it is like giving satisfaction to you enemy because it shows that your enemy got the better of you, that you allowed yourself to be bothered by your enemy. so before getting angry, assess the situation first and think of better ways of solving the problems.
-Philip Albert T. Verde
Hi18 K
I think that one can take this law to his or her advantage. Anger is counterproductive. If one can manage to make his or her opponent angry WHILE she or himself can stay calm and entirely rational, he or she will definitely gain the upper hand.
Anger often overblows a simple nuisance or an argument out of proportion, so a person who submits to anger and rage only submits him or herself to lack of control in a given situation.
Chio Cebrero
Hi 18 L
Reading this actually reminded me of myself. :D My folks would always tell me (every now and then) to: "Keep your temper, dear child."
Anyways, one more thing I realize about this entry is that this law isn't just applicable to battling against one's enemies; it's also something everyone in the world should practice...or at least for me. It's because keeping your cool not only helps you avoid starting a fight, but it also allows your mind to think properly and decisively. When you're overcome by anger, so much emotions are running through your body that it overpowers your mind's capability to think. ( I gotta admit, among all the 48 laws, this one struck me the most haha).
Oh btw, has anyone mentioned patience? It goes hand in hand with keeping your cool. I think that in order to succeed at this law, you also need to master the skill of perseverance.
Chua Rojas, Serica
Hi 18 - L
I strongly believe in this law. More often than not when people are enraged and propelled by emotions, they fail to achieve success. Just like a boxing match, the fighter must not be driven by his emotions but by his head. It may be difficult for man to hold back his/her emotions, especially in a time of tragedy, but it is still important to think before you act. Weaknesses are surfaced whenever one fails to control his or her self.
Richard Hahn
L
I also agree with this law. As mentioned, I think the best way is to stay calm at all times, especially when the enemy is angry and emotional. It is very hard to make logical and regret-free decisions when you are very emotional (angry, sad, too happy). Even during the times when other people are emotional, it is best to be left calm and let the enemies make the rash decision. Being patient and less-emotional when the others are very emotional, can bring us a lot of advantages. But I think this requires a lot of time and practice, before we can make it happen. We have to know how to hold our tempers.
Yu Chin Hong
Hi18-K
i agree w serica in the whole keeping your cool helps you think better. and i guess it's not only patience and perseverance. to keep your cool, you need to be detached from whatever you're doing. so that you don't have emotions to show. but if passion is needed to be a good leader, is it really possible to be passionate and detached from what you do at the same time?
ocampo 18-k
Philip has a point when he says that your enemies get the better of you when in such a state. They should be treated with nonchalance, as if you don't feel threatened. Otherwise, you expose all your weak points and this puts them one step ahead of you.
You should definitely guard yourself especially when it comes to emotions which can be damaged a great deal.
Reading through this article, I couldn't help but remember the Filipino saying "Talo lagi ang pikon." This saying holds true, and actually supports this law.
Those blinded by fury and anger tend to lose most of their rationality, thus leaving them vulnerable to physical or verbal assault. It was clear that Napoleon was no longer thinking straight the moment he started bashing Talleyrand with matters outside the actual issue. This was an obvious mistake on his part, and it just made him look like a fool.
I agree with the others, in saying that one should always keep their cool. By doing so, their judgments don't get messed up, and they are able to make perfectly rational decisions that would actually be beneficial to them.
Paolo Banaga
Hi 18 L
I agree with the previous comments, showing anger only signifies weakness and instability. A person must be able to level his own emotions, doing so shows supremacy and control. Being calm helps a person collect more structured thoughts and thus is able to think and act better. I don't think something would turn out well because of outrage and anger. And besides, bursting into infuriation only eats up energy
Czarina Kathryne Masagca
Hi18-L
If you show your anger, then you're showing a sign of weakness. People will start to question your authority and your own capabilities. They will end up re-assessing their assumptions on you.
It is best to stay calm and take whatever hits you rationally instead of being aggravated readily. Anger and frustration leaves us to thinking illogically, leaving us as irrational creatures unable to comprehend and manage hard situations. Not only does calmness show confidence in one's self but it also shows confidence in one's abilities as well.
Teri Marcelo
Hi 18-K
I agree with you that it would be best to stay calm when your enemy (you, yourself, can be your own enemy) is angry. For one, your silence and composure will further enrage the enemy which you can use to your advantage. Also, when you stay calm, you are not in danger of fully exposing yourself, you are able to think of things properly, and you don't act impulsively.
Tom Manahan
Hi 18-K
Everyone has a comfort zone. Sometimes the best way to lead someone to error is to take him out of his comfort zone. I think that's what this law is about, taking away someone's comfort zone. Shake up your enemy and he will be confused and be more prone to error.
Denis Flores
Hi 18k
Most of the time it's best to practice a little self control. Acting rashly, abruptly and irrationally will not get you anywhere -- other than failure, of course. In fact, short-tempered and radical people are most susceptible to this law. When faced with a certain situation, one must think before acting. Being rash in judgment and action leads to defeat and utter humiliation due to loss.
Observe your enemy carefully and invest in time to examine their moves. Uncertainty and impatience would just pave the way to your grave.
Gliza Marasigan
Hi18-L
First of all, I disagree that a treacherous act is not to be taken personal. By all means, it is personal. If it was done to do something greater then so be it but i think any form of treachery is personal. What's important is how to react to this personal attack. If you become enraged by hate, then the enemy was successful in stirring up your waters. You lose your reason and act on blind rage. Therefore this law can only apply if the person you're trying to attack is ill-tempered or if not, you should really know how to stir him up. If not, you might meet an enemy so wise and strong that he uses his hate as inspiration to beat you rather than him being blinded by it. So before anything else, it is important to understand your enemy completely.
Ayo Canlas
Hi 18 L
I think anger is one of the most genuine emotions one can feel. But not necessarily a feeling you'd readily express in the presence of your enemies. You'd probably want a variant - "focused anger" or "limited infuriation". It could be your ally or just as much be your undoing if unchecked.
Joey Palma
Hi18-K
i agree with ayo canlas. yes, it might lead the enemy to act without thinking and work on "blind rage", but it could also push him to focus more and give him enough motivation to give it all he's got and actually win over you. got to be careful with this law. it probably usually works though. when people act impulsively out of anger, they usually act first and think later, which isn't good at all for them, obviously, and great for whoever applies this law.
kristina tan hi18 k
Like it was mentioned in the first part of the law, I agree that there are really a lot of people who believe that "their outbursts indicate power" over others. I think that those outbursts make their demeanor decrease in quality. I think it is really wise to stay in put and calm when most people are in anger / ravage. Being angry with them will do us no good, because it will just make the conversation be more emotional than rational. It will be likely that people will make rash decisions that would make them regret a lot when they become rational again (when their emotions and angers finally decrease after some time).
Yu Chin Hong
Hi18-K
Outbursts? Bitchfits? These will just incur the ire of a lot of people that they would just lose their respect for you. How would they trust a leader who can't even control his emotions? I just came from a miting de avance of an org. A lot of the questions raised by the voters were directed to this candidate. She got annoyed somehow and she could not conceal her being "mataray". She showed incompetency at that and many of the voters actually opted for abstain rather than voting her.
Rhea Entuna
section L
Anger usually signifies weakness since, if you get angry, it means some kind of harm has been done unto you. This is especially not good to let out if you’re a powerful person because they others will think you’re vulnerable. They will think you’re weak to be angry about just a certain event or another’s deed. It would be best not to show it.
The law is about the control of anger, and I think it is also about manipulating other people’s anger. Like what happened with the Napoleon story, Talleyrand led or “manipulated” Napoleon into getting angry over Talleyrand’s nonchalance. I’m not sure whether he intended it to happen but it showed Napoleon’s weakness – he took Talleyrand’s conspirator acts personally. This law is also about preserving a good image. As Napoleon is carrying out his outbursts, Talleyrand coolly stood there. Now, who would you think acted favorably there? Surely there’s only one choice.
Chris Macalinao
Hi18 – L
@Ayo: I beg to disagree with you. A treacherous act may NOT ALWAYS be personal. In the example I gave, Talleyrand didn't conspire against Napoleon to simply spite him. He did that because he wanted to gain the upper hand. He had nothing against Napoleon; he simply wanted to get a grip of his power. So that could be a case in point.
You'd probably say that Napoleon's outburst was something to be taken personally. Well, it could be. However, Talleyrand may have realized that Napoleon's anger wasn't solely directed towards him. There could be a million factors as to where Napoleon's fury is directed at. He could've simply gotten enraged at the thought of losing his power, and nothing else. His anger could otherwise stem from various factors that are beyond our comprehension and therefore, could lead to nothing personal.
Take note of the exact words I used: "...a person should bear in mind that a treacherous act is not directed EXCLUSIVELY at him/her". So yes, it could possibly be geared towards one's enemy but there are a lot more factors that should be put into consideration in trying to decipher these kinds of things.
Monica Copuyoc
Hi18- L
As a leader, letting your anger take hold of you usually signifies immaturity. You are right, it will make people question your authority, whether you are mature enough to handle the [country] or not. Not only that, but in those situations (the one you mentioned about Napoleon bringing up the scandal about Talleyrand's wife) people may also question your intelligence.
Holding your anger does not only give you the benefit of looking mature, but it also saves you from being a laughingstock.
~Sydney Arbilo
HI18-L
to bea: it's hard, but i believe it is. if you're truly passionate about something you will have thought of it a great deal. you probably know what's best for it. it's hard to say this, but you know how it feels when you've been in love with something (like a story or a mission) for a long time? at first it's passion. you'll desert your life and move to the middle of nowhere to live that story and fulfill that mission. but after you've really lived that love, it has become so much a part of you that you know it and are able to manipulate it, coldly even. at first you're two separate entities. you sacrifice yourself for it's sake. as you merge, then your self sacrifice entails some sacrifice of IT too. you can look at it coldly then, abandon some principles along the way, and still be passionate about it, so passionate that it's part of you, and you'll still want the same ultimate goal. a good leader embodies the goal.
Du, L
Very good law. It plays very well on temper, which we all know is a good tool to be used against a person. More than being able to manipulate someone else's temper, though, you should also focus on controlling yours, so that you won't have the bad end of the deal whenever someone else notices you getting mad.
Peep Warren
Hi18-L
I couldnt agree more. Composure, in this sense, is key. Blowing up, throwing a tantrum, and exhibiting irrational behavior simply show how much youve lost control. On one hand, you waste precious time, which you could have easily used to plot your come back. On the other, you lose the respect of your followers. It is still best, when it comes down to it, to stay calm, think twice, and act out only when you are sure of the consequences.
-Angelo Mendoza, His18-L
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