LAW 31: CONTROL THE OPTIONS: GET OTHERS TO PLAY WITH THE CARDS YOU DEAL

A good illustrative instance of my assigned law is the case of the Russian ruler Ivan the Terrible. Early in his reign, Ivan had a difficult time governing his country. He did not have substantial power over his subordinates. Majority of the Russian princes rebelled against him.

Yet, instead of confronting his adversaries with brute force, he opted to step back and capitulate. As czar, he abdicated. Because of this, the citizens of Russia clamoured for his return. Ivan listened to their pleas but remained relentless at first. After a few days had passed, he offered them a choice: Either they grant him with absolute power, or they find a new leader. Faced between anarchy and tyranny, the Russians chose the latter. They accepted and rejoiced his return, not minding his dictatorial behaviour—they had chosen to give him that power after all.

Entitled “CONTROL THE OPTIONS: GET OTHERS TO PLAY WITH THE CARDS YOU DEAL”, law no. 31 teaches on how to steer people into voluntarily doing what you want them to do, even though it’s against their will. It is basically about manipulation. You play with the minds of people. Psychologize them into following your tune without them even realizing this. By providing them with a narrow range of “options”, you give them a false sense of “freedom”, of “control” over their lives, making them feel empowered and less resentful of you, the person providing them a “choice”, yet who’s actually forcing their hand.

Although this may be a good strategy, it’s not exactly fail safe. Observing this law would entail you to rely on certain expectations. This would mean that you expect people to respond to a situation in a certain way. But what if it doesn’t work out? You’ll need to have contingency plans for this.

As ingenious and cunning as the strategy may be, narrowing down the options by which people could select from (i. e. “It’s either option a, b, or c only.”) would also limit your own. Sometimes it’s better to see for yourself how would your rivals operate given a larger degree of freedom. Short term freedom for them could give you, in turn, the chance to act effectively against them in the long run.Well, actually, it all really depends on the situation.

Jennifer Stacy T. Tan

LAW 19 - Know who you're dealing with. Do not offend the wrong person.

This law is actually pretty short and direct. I've managed to compile quite a few points based on my comprehension on it as well as some learned lessons related to it in the past.
But first, a fable from Aesop:

The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a waggon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.

Little friends may prove great friends.

I remember this story vividly amongst others because it was one of the first that my parents ever taught me. Every now and then, I'd realize its importance whether I be either the mouse or the lion. As I'd repeat over and over, in-your-face and implied, we are not invulnerable.

So, let's get started then...

1. Be humble. If you think too much of yourself, the likelihood of you offending someone and burning bridges goes up. This of course, can not be a good thing. Conversely, should you respect and treat even the most inept people (whether in terms of influence, strength-in-arms, or what not) with utmost respect, you stand a much better chance at forging beneficial, long-term relationships. This is obviously a very good happening because though they may not help you directly, the very presence of a good word in your name is well worth a litle of your patience.

2. Karma. What goes around comes around. You are but mortal. There is a saying that we will all get our due someday. This in mind, what ever you impose upon even the most unassuming of your contacts would eventually work its way back to you. Very easily understood. Very difficult to remember during the right times.

3. Change. Related to Karma, this applies to times as well as people. For example, that weakling you just trod upon just happened to evolve into the biggest, baddest entity out there while you rested in your laurels. Over time, entropy has either reduced or depleted what fighting chance you have. And since he still remembers who pile-drove him into the ground when he was weak, you can't expect too many things to turn out well...

In conclusion, I must warn that this is not an exercise in domesticated docility or unfettered tolerance of anyone's behavior. It is still your call to decide whether further relations with certain people are worth pursuing or not. How you execute such decisions is also up to your will, but it would be most beneficial to you to ensure that the very worst relationship you would ever harbor would be "neutral".

Why? Well, try to remember that you are not invincible.

All it takes is one person, enraged due to an act of arrogance, to bring it all down on your head.

To build relationships is to have your own Sword of Damocles. You have the power, you have the responsibility. But all you ever need is a single act of disrespect or disregard to end you (mind, body, soul, reputation. one at a time, or all at once) instantly.

LAW 46: NEVER APPEAR TOO PERFECT

The Philippine Society claims to condone Envy, or so our morals and Christian values exclaim, but I believe that our limited and uneven allocation of resources has given birth to hybrids of envy. Comparing our local game shows to Western games shows, or American ones in particular, manifests crab mentality. The old "Game knb?" elimination round format had the "Atras powers" mechanism to pull back people who are ahead or keep them from reaching the next round. It disgusts me to watch the Filipino version of "The Wheel of Fortune" because while a contestant spins the wheel, his opponents would yell "Bankrupt! Bankrupt!" or "Lose a turn! Lose a turn!". We don't see this kind of behavior in the foreign versions it is exclusive to the Philippines or as they would say, "walang ganyan sa States" these are indirect manifestations of "unhappy admiration". Envy is no longer the "He has it I want but one too" mentality, in the Philippines, it has evolved into "He has it, i want it. The only way I could have one too is if I get the one he already has.".

"Of all the disorders of the soul, envy is the only one no one confesses to."
Plutarch, c. A.D. 46-120

I am very much sure that we have had our share of envy, but because it is deemed unacceptable, we never really talk about our "unhappy admirations". After watching the play "The Death of Memory", about characters who were trapped and forced to remember their repressed memories, I spent some time with the friend I watched it with and we thought and talked about the things we felt like we had forgoten or chosen to forget. The most interesting of which is feeling envy during the early parts of our childhood. Coming from very different backgrounds, it is funny to see how we both had the same feeling at one point or another. I believe that everyone who was once in grade school or kindergarten has had this experience. A classmate comes with a toy or something that does not seem interesting, but as people start fussing over this new thingamajig we get irritated and wonder why people are giving whatever it is so much attention then we slowly find ourselves becoming more and more attracted to that thingamajig but we still do not know what is so "cool" about it. At the end of the day you want one of your own and the next day the whole class comes to school with their own thingamajig.

We are not influenced to feel this way but influence does bring the feeling about. Given this example leads me to believe that envy is, in a way, innate but is repressed or something we refuse to admit because the confession to envy is admitting that someone is better than us and that we are inferior.

What makes envy seem so evil is that more often than not the people who see the fruits of success up close, those who are close to the people doing well are those who are filled with that deep feeling of envy. Running in the same circle, people wonder why someone who is doing the same thing becomes more successful than they are. From these circumstances, sabotage begins. The things they can tell you and their access to your resources makes things a lot easier for them to make things more difficult for you and ruin things for you. It is very difficult because it is hard to distinguish if someone is sharing your bliss with you or just saying they are. To understand the difference between true compliments and envious comments is very important. More often than not, those who envy will find grounds to criticize the person who makes him feel inferior. It can also be disguised through excessively praising that person's achievements.

Knowing and understanding that envy is innate and that one would never admit to feeling envy. You must come to terms with the fact when you start to gain success people will grow envious and you and envy will lead people to work against you.

By having people close to you feel like integral parts of your success is something that you could truly leverage off. When people feel responsible for your success and if they feel that they are rightfully given credit for the achievement, they will do what they can to help one maintain his status. There is a different with having someone feel that they need you and that you need them. The second is definitely more flattering while the first may have someone feel like a charity case - which is definitely not insulting and will stir up feelings of envy and inferiority, it will fuel their desire to bring you down.

If those who are prone to have "unhappy admiration" feel like they are better than you in certain aspects, you will reveal their true feelings for you when you hear them talking about how they better than you. This is strategic because you will know who to look out for and if someone you have in mind should be watched more closely.

The key element to leveraging off other people is showing them that you are not perfect. By displaying a flaw, they are distracted and while they pick on your flaws, they do not sabotage your operation.

Going back to the "Game knb?" elimination round concept, more often than not, the person who moves up to the next round is someone who slowly works his way toward the front steadily and quietly behind the person who is made to move back everytime someone is given the opportunity to use their "Atras Powers".

angge tioseco

LAW 23: CONCENTRATE YOUR FORCES

“Conserve your forces and energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point. You gain more by finding a rich mine and mining it deeper, than by flitting from one shallow mine to another – intensity defeats extensity over time. When looking for sources of power to elevate you, find one key patron, the fat cow who will give you milk for a long time to come.”

Law 23. Concentrate your forces. The law simply states that we need to concentrate on a single goal, on a single task in order to outshine those in distraction. It focuses on the aspect that we only need to have one goal, one master, and one plan. It teaches us five things, to never dissipate your forces on several fronts, to concentrate your power on the enemy’s weakest spot, to hold power within your clan, to affix yourself to one source of power and to learn that power, always exists in concentrated forms.

Through out history, many powerful individuals have used this tactic to achieve power. For instance, Egypt, one of the richest and most powerful civilizations in history attained its power because they do not dissipate their forces. When an Egyptian leaves Egypt for war or travel, it is very important that he goes back home. The Rothschild banking family, an international banking and finance dynasty was able to sustain power through carefully arranged marriages within the family. They were able to expand their power by keeping power within their clan. Another one is Cassanova. He was able to get success by always, always, concentrating on one single goal. When he was imprisoned, he only had one goal: to escape, and no matter how impossible it is, he never changed his goal, and then he had escaped. On numerous occasions, this is not the case. We are human, and if we get a taste of success, we keep wanting more. “Drunk with success, and sick with ambition.” A practical example would be that of Deal or No Deal. Players, prior to the game, may aim to just bring home an ample amount of money, let’s say 200, 000. But as the game progresses, greed brings them down. When banker’s offer reaches 200, 000, and they see that the million is still there, they change goals, they want more. Often than not, they go home, not victorious but losers.

A more relevant observance of the law, would be the choice of being the jack of all traits, master of none, or be an expert at one. More often than not, it is always better to be very good at something than to have little knowledge on everything. But this statement is very dangerous. We entrusted our future in the Ateneo. And what does the university teaches us? Liberal education. Ateneo teaches us to have little knowledge on everything. Unlike the University of the Philippines which pays less attention to their General Education subjects, our core subjects, are of great importance. Ateneo doesn’t make us experts, but teaches us how to be human. Good thing, Greene also puts a reversal of this law. He acknowledges the fact that there are moments where concentration is dangerous and dispersion is the better move.

As a matter of fact, Greene have included laws that seem to contradict each other. And at the last chapter, he also wrote a law that you must break all the laws previously written and think for yourself. And this is the real essence of power, and life itself. There is never an utmost truth. And this is law may be right at the right time, at the right place, at the right circumstance and for the right person -- or it could be the other way around.

Now, would you rather be a jack of all traits or a master at one? Is it quality or quantity? And for you, how can one mission be greater than a thousand options?

If you want to read the whole law by Robert Greene, visit: http://www.scribd.com/doc/489037/Robert-Greene-The-48-Laws-of-Power, page 194.

- Joan Therese C. Medalla

- Hi18 N

Law 20: DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYONE

One of the most benevolent and well-known rulers of the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I, was a follower of Law 20: DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYONE. It sounds like silly advice, especially since modern-day politics depends on your connections, but after much thought, one realizes that it is useful counsel.

We are made to believe that to succeed in politics means making the right connections and hobnobbing with the people who can give us a lift to the top. This particular law warns us to do so with caution. True commitment to any side is the easiest way to topple off the seat of power, because it opens our weaknesses to enemies and makes us vulnerable. The best course of action is to appear available to all, yet succumb to the appeals of none. Power is easily gained when the two sides of a fight both desire you for their fight and it then becomes laughably simple to push your own agenda into the fray.

In this case, emotions can be one’s worst enemy. Mastering one’s emotions is critical to following this law successfully; how can you ensure your agenda’s triumph when you are easily swayed by emotional appeals from possible allies/enemies?

It seems to me that our politicians have mastered this law beautifully. Our countrymen do not know where our politicians’ loyalties truly lie. However, I fail to see how this can better our country when the people themselves feel betrayed by and distrust our leaders. In today’s selfish world, can this law truly give nations the peace they seek?

Angeli Cruz Hi 18-O

LAW $&: Do Not Go Past The Mark You Aimed For; In Victory, Learn When To Stop

The taste of victory can really be sweet. The feeling of elation as one has achieved the goal he has worked so hard for can make him feel invincible. Yet, many get knocked off from the top they’ve worked so hard for. Why does this happen? Can we really not avoid the wheel of fortune that can hurtle us down as easily as up?

What most people forget about when reaching their goal, is that it’s not all about reaching the top, because what’s harder is staying on top.

The problem with gaining victory is all the glory and praises you get, which can disillusion some people into thinking they’re invincible. Such foolish arrogance will be the cause of their demise. Arrogance blinds people of their purposes, and also of the costs of their victories. Arrogance will propel people to recklessly move forward, when what they should be doing is to take a step back and examine the situation rationally, because it would only cause them trouble if along the way they make more enemies.

When people continue moving forward, they sometimes lose what they already have. This is because the victories you have gained can cloud your judgments and reason. Sometimes make you even think that you can gain more victories with the way you have gained your other victories. This is wrong. Each situation is different, circumstances are different, and if you keep repeating your methods of winning, you become predictable.

Like Cyrus the Great, who led the Persian Empire, he made a mistake of thinking himself as superhuman and incapable of defeat. He was unsatisfied with his numerous conquests and wanted to conquer more. And so he went up against a queen, and pursued to take her land and people from her. Even when the queen told him to quit, he knew of no such words and just enraged her. This was where Cyrus the Great met his demise. One act of arrogance undid all his other works, and his empire fell.

Cyrus is an example of someone who did not follow the law; he did not stop with his other many victories. Though it is important when crushing enemies to either crush them completely or to leave them alone entirely, because leaving an enemy half beaten will foster bitterness and revenge. But, when do we know when something is overreaching? Can’t people aim for something higher and focus on that to achieve it? When do we really know when it is time to stop?

An example of a follower of the law, who was able to achieve her goal and become even greater, was Madame de Pompadour, a great woman who kept changing her strategy in order to keep her role as the king’s mistress. She knew that the king bore easily, so she always had a plan to keep him entertained. When the king became unsatisfied with her in bed, she just encouraged the king to set up a brothel. Younger and prettier women at the king’s disposal would entertain him, but would never be able to replace her with the charm and sophistication she had.

Madame de Pompadour always kept her goal in mind, and never stepped beyond her boundaries as a mistress. She became even more cunning and strategic after her moment of triumph. She never flaunted her good fortune, and she dealt with her enemies not by fighting them, but with extreme politeness, charm, and grace, she was able to win her enemies over. This made her even more famous and able to keep her position longer than any other mistress.

For us to keep the victory we’ve obtained, we must be like Madame de Pompadour who succeeded in her plans, because she created the rhythm in which people played into; she constantly changed her pattern, which kept her enemies off balance and making it harder for them to predict her motives. She was cautious not to repeat same thing, because she knew it would bore the king, but was also cautious not to make aggressive moves, than could cause her disfavor. Most importantly, she was able to keep her power by combining cunningness and strategy by recognizing the role of luck in the circumstances she had.

-Marykris P. Uy

HI 18 - O

Reflection on the 44th Law of Power: Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect

Dino Tariman – 074248

Pleased to See YourSELF?

Everyday I meet lots of people, from the moment I wake up, go to school, attend classes until I reach back home. Lots of people, lots of personalities and surely a variety of interests. Some are serious, others are wacky or silly, while others ... well, just about any kind of personality imaginable. I too, along with others, am a unique personality with my own desires and motives.

Just like what Greene said, mirroring the other makes the other see himself and hence develop a certain fondness of his reflection. Since I got his confidence in me after a hard time of pretending that we have the same interests, I get access to his mini library and able to get his help whenever needed. We don't argue often because he sees me as a friend. It is quite a favor actually because he likes to counter argue many of the interests my real friends have.

Greene was right that others will love seeing themselves in other persons. He calles this the “Narcissus Effect.” Personally, I think it stems from a disillusioned appreciation that there is someone who wants to be like you. Especially in my case, he knew already that we won't make great friends due to our personalities but I showed him that I am interested in what he is interested. In doing so, I got the weak side of him and am now able to manipulate him into supporting my goals.

Greene also adds that some of the effect of this “mirroring” is the “Neutralizing Effect” which is basically baffling the other because the other can't see your true motives because the other is blinded by you mimicry. Another is that of the “Moralizing Effect” which is, in short, a way of correcting the other by making the other feel the bad side of his actions. This is a particularly effective way of teaching someone because it allows the other to experience the bad consequences of his actions. Lastly, mirroring the other disguises you from very observant eyes because the similarity of both (you and the other) confuses the observer making it harder to determine who did what. This Greene calls this last effect as the “Hallucinatory Effect.”

I also think that it stems from the concept of utang na loob. My “friend” will try his best not to fight with me for the sake of the friendship that has already developed. The “friend” will make efforts to repay the acts of kindness I showed him. Especially here in the context of Filipino culture, many sees these little acts of kindness as personal favors. Perhaps people are motivated to feel indebted because it's not everyday that they are appreciated for who they really are.

However, I must say that this mimicry is very hard to do because the “copy”, can only be an unfaithful copy of the original. It is, perhaps, not the wisest move but it definitely can produce the desired results. Therefore for me, mimicry is an art to master and it begins by knowing your enemy.