The 48 Laws of Power PDF

THE 48 LAWS OF POWER  ROBERT GREENE has a degree in classical studies and has been an editorEsquire and oflmt magazines. at He is also a playwright and lives in Los Angeles. JOOST ELFERS is the producer of 772: 48 Laws...

THE 48 LAWS OF POWER  ROBERT GREENE has a degree in classical studies and has been an editorEsquire and oflmt magazines. at He is also a playwright and lives in Los Angeles. JOOST ELFERS is the producer of 772: 48 Laws ofPawer and also of The Sam: Language cyFB:fi-tkdays with Gary Goldschneider The Semi Languages ofReiatiansiuyu with Gary Goldschneider Play with Hmr Facet‘ with Saxton Freymann  P O W E R ROBERT GREENE A JOOST ELFFERS PRODUCTION P PROFILE BOOKS  This paperback edition published in 2000 Reprinted 200}, 2002 First published in Great Britain in 1998 by Profile Books Ltd 58A Hatnon Garden London ECIN RLX Firstpublished in the United States in 1998 by Viking, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc. Copyright ® Robert Greene aridjoost Elflers, 1998 A portion of this work first appeared in '17w Uzne Reader Typeset in BE Baskerville Printed and bound in Italy by Legoprint S.p.a. Lavis (TN) — The moral right of the authors has been asserted. Allrights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, shared or introduced into a. retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written peimission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. A CIP catalogue record for this booliis available from the British Library. ISBN 1 86197 278 4- A Iieasury of Jewish Fhlklare by Nathan Ausubel, Cnpyfight (S13 1948, 1976 by Crown Publishers, Inc. Reprinted by pemiission of Crown Publishers, Inc. 7712 C/tines: Looking Glass by Dennis Bloodworth. Copyright (C) 1966, 1967 by Dennis Bloudworth. By permission of Ferrar, Straus and Giroux. 7712 Baal: oftfw Courtier by Baldcsar Castiglione, translated by George Bull; Penguin Books (London). Copyright © George Bull, 1967. The Golden Dream: Seekers eff}! Domtla by Walker Chapman; Bobbs-Merrill. Copyright © 1967 by Walker Chapman. TIteBa1gz'as by Ivan Cloulas, translated by Gilda Roberts; Franklin Watts, Inc. Copyright ® 1987 by Librairie Artheme Faynrd. Translation copyright CC) I989 by Franklin Watts, Inc. Vézrious Fablesfiom I/Zmbus Places, edited by Diane Di Prima; Capricorn Books /’ G. P. Putnanfs Sons. (0 1960 G. P. Pulnam’s Sons. Arnmzian Fol/rtala and Fables, translated by Charles Downing; Oxford University Press. © Charles Downing 1972. 771: Little Brown Baa/c afAneca?0tes, edited by Clifton Fadiman; Little, Brown and Company. C'x>pyn'ghc (0 L985 by Little, Brown and Company (lnreediIl;,>; were they not respect the niceties, but inwardly, unless you are a fool, you learn quickly so, they wmtirl be the seals vfslzmghrer and to be prudent, and to do as Napoleon advised: Place your iron hand inside rlewluliml. I/msr who a. velvet glove. If, like the courtier of times gone by, you can master the arts now rmtle upon and of indirection, learning to seduce, charm, deceive, and subtly outmaneuver :’mlm1L'e, would uf/‘mm your opponents, you will attain the heights of power. You will be able to and mh. well other, make people bend to your will without their realizing what you have done. If mannmxs dui nor And if they do not realize what you have done, they will neither resent not iIllC¥‘[3(J.\‘e.... LORD CllI;$'l 1;lI.)-IFID, resist you. 1694-1 713’ To some people the notion of consciously playing power games—no mat- ter how indii-ect—seems evil, asocial, a relic of the past. They believe they can opt out of the game by behaving in ways that have nothing to do with power. You must beware of such people, for while they express such opin~ ions outwardly, they are often among the most adept players at power. There is nothing very’ They utilize strategies that cleverly disguise the nature of the manipulation add about lambs involved. These types, for example, will often display their weakness and ciisiiking birds ofpn-y, lack of power as a kind of moral virtue. But true powerlessness, without but this is fr»- no ranmzz any motive of selfiinterest, would not publicize its weakness to gain sympa- holding it against large br'rd.s ofpre that rluzy r thy or respect. Making a show of one’s weakness is actually a very effective carry offlmnbs. And strategy, subtle and deceptive, in the game of power (see Law 22, the Sur— when the I/mzlzx wim- render Tactic). [mr among Iheniselvex, Another strategy of the supposed nonplayer is to demand equality in “ I lww birds‘ nfprcy are evil, and zz',0e.\ this every area of life. Everyone must be treated alike, whatever their status and not give as (1 right to strength. But to avoid the taint of power, you attempt to treat everyone Say that whatever is the equally and fairly, you will confront the problem that some people do cer- «;p;m.s'im ofa bird of tain things better than others. Treating everyone equally means ignoring prey must be good.‘’'‘ there is nothing in/rm— their differences, elevating the less skillful and suppressing those who sically wrong Wil/I rut-I: excel. Again, many of those who behave this way are actually deploying rm urgummt though~ - another power strategy, redistributing people’s rewards in a way that they {he birds of prey will determine. look so/mzwlmt qmzztl Yet another way of avoiding the game would be perfect honesty and mlly and say. “We have rmtliirzg agaimi Ifiese straightforwardness, since one of the main techniques of those who seek gum! ImnI,>_9'.' in fact, we power is deceit and secrecy. But being perfectly honest will inevitably hurt love 1lu*rIz;rwIIu'Izg and insult a great many people, some of whom will choose to injure you in tastes better t/um a return. No one will see your honest completely objective and statement as " tender‘ lamb. llRllLDl{l(JH."'4'lE-.’l‘ZS(‘HI:. free of some personal motivation. And they will be right: In truth, the use l 8444 900 of honesty is indeed a power strategy, intended to convince people of one’s noble, goodehearted, selfless character. It is a form of persuasion, even a subtle form of coercion. Finally, those who claim to be nonplayers may affect an air of naiveté, to protect them from the accusation that they are after power. Beware again, however, for the appearance of naiveté can be an effective means of ;1miii PREFACE deceit Law 21, Seem Dumber Than Your Mark). And even genuine (see naiveté is not free of thesnares of power. Children may be naive in many The old)“ means in gum an elemental need to ways, but they often act from gain control over those mm is main‘ with people around them. Children suffer greatly from feeling powerless in the adult are fr7l‘1."£’ um] czmni/lg. Low a/xv, /hey say; but world, and any means available to get their way. Genuinely inno- they use [/10] is /0 wail for cent people may still be playing for power, and are often horribly effective sunshine. and life needs at the game, since they are not hindered by reflection. Once again, those moment. every‘ who make a showdisplay of innocence are the least innocent of all. or JUHANN vow (‘nomm-.. You can recognize these supposed nonplayers by the way they flaunt l749»— 1 832 their moral qualities, their piety, their exquisite sense of justice. But since all of us hunger for power, and almost all of our actions are aimed at gain- ing it, the nonplayers are merely throwing dust in our eyes, distracting us from their power plays with their air of moral superiority. If you observe them closely, you will see in fact that they are often the ones most skillful at indirect manipuiation, even if some of them practice it unconsciously. And The arrow rim! by tile they greatly resent any publicizing of the tactics they use every day. zzrdrc-rrn1l_,v or may not kill.i~/'n;:le fI(‘I'\’(m. Hm If the world is like a giant scheming court and we are trapped inside it, (I.¢rr(zI¢r;,Wn.s' rleviwri by (I there is no use in trying to opt out of the game. That will only render you Wm’ man can lull we-n powerless, and powerlessness will make you miserable. Instead of strug- hr]/)f’S in I/1:‘ womb. gling against the inevitable, instead of arguing and whining and feeling K At : rn.rA. it is far better to excel at power. In lNI.|lI\N l’ll|Lf)SUl’lll K. guilty, fact, the better you are at dealing ‘I lllltl) (’l,'\"l l?llY li.(‘. with power, the better friend, lover, husband, wife, and person you be come. By following the route of the perfect courtier (see Law 24)you learn to make others feel better aboutthemselves, becoming a source of pleasure to them.They will grow dependent on your abilities and desirous of your presence. By mastering the 48 laws in this book, you spare others the pain that comes from bungling with power—~by playing with fire without know- ing its properties. If the game of power is inescapable, better to be an artist than 2. denier or a bungler. Learning the game of power requires a certain way of looking at the world, a shifting of perspective. It takes effort and years of practice, for much of the game may not come naturally. Certain basic skills are required, and once you master these skills you will be able to apply the laws of power more easily. l The most important of these skills, and power’s crucial foundation, is the ability to master your emotions. An emotional response to a. situation is the single greatest barrier to power, a mistake that will cost you a lot more than any temporary satisfaction you might gain by expressing your feel- ings. Emotions cloud reason, and if you cannot see the situation clearly, you cannot prepare for and respond to it with any degree of control. Anger is the most destructive of emotional responses, for it clouds your vision the most. It also has a ripple effect that invariably makes situa- tions less controllable and heightens your enemy’s resolve. If you are try» ing to destroy an enemy who has hurt you, far better to keep him off—guard by feigning friendliness than showing your anger. Pl-RE FACE rile  Love and affection are also potentially destructive, in that they blind you to the often self-serving interests of those whom you least suspect of I thought to myself With what means, with playing a power game. You cannot repress anger or love, or avoid feeling what dtf(?P,‘[}!l0Il.\', with them, and you should not try. But you should be careful about how you ex- how many varied arts, press them, and most important, they should never influence your plans with what! induxzry a and strategies in any way. man sharpens his wits to zleceive another. Related to mastering your emotions is the ability to distance yourself and lhrough these from the present moment and think objectively about the past and future. variations the world is Like Janus, the double—faced Roman deity and guardian of all gates and madc more beautiful. FRA ' nsro V|;’l”l'()Rl, doorways, you must be able to look in both directions at once, the better to (‘0.\Il|1MI‘(‘IR/\RY AND handle danger from wherever it comes. Such is the face you must create for FRIFND or MAly for Ba ’al. So they procluinzerl it. And chance to get back at them. He would sell the property for $35,000 to a set- Jehu sen! throughout up man (whom it was Weil’s job to find). The financiers were too wealthy to all Israel: and all the worry about this low price. The set-up man would then turn around and worshippers 0fBzI "al mine, so that there was sell the property again for its real price, around $155,000. The uncle, Weil, not a more left who (llll and the third man would split the profits from this second sale. It was all Ami not come. they legal and for a good cause—the uncle’s just retribution. entered the house of Geezil had heard Ba’al. and the lmusc of enough: He wanted to be the set-up buyer. Weil was Ba '41! was filled from reluctant to involve him, but Geezil would not back dovmz The idea of a one end to the otlmr.... large profit, plus a little adventure, had him champing at the bit. Weil ex- Then Jehu went into plained that Geezil would have to put up the $35,000 in cash to bring the Ihe house ofBa'al... deal off. he could get the money with a snap of and he Stlitl the Geezil, millionaire, a said m his fingers. Weil finally relented and agreed to arrange a meeting between worshippers of 8u’al, “Search, and see the uncle, Geezil, and the financiers, in the town of Galesburg, Illinois. that there is no servant On the train ride to Galesburg, Geezil met the uncle—a.n impressive uftlze LORD here LAW :4 23  rmumg you, but only man, with whom he avidly discussed business. Weil also brought along a flu’ ivurshipperx of companion, a somewhat paundiy man named George Gross. Weil ex- Ba’u[,” Then he went in to offer sacrifices and plained to Geezil that he himself was a boxing trainer, that Gross was one burnt offeringx. of the promising piizefighters he trained, and that he had asked Gross to Now Jeim had come along to make sure the fighter stayed in shape. For a promising stationed eight; man outside, and said, “ The fighter, Gross was unimpressive looking—he had gray hair and a beer man who allows any of belly—but Geezil was so excited about the deal that he didn‘t really think those whom [give into about the man’s flabby appearance. your hands to escape Once in Galesburg, Weil and his uncle went to fetch the financiers "‘ shall forfezt his life. So while Geezil waited in a hotel room with Gross, who promptly put on his as soon as he had made an andofoffcring the boxing trunks. As Geezil half watched, Gross began to shadowbox. Dis- burntoffering, Jehu tracted as he was, Geezil ignored how badly the boxer wheezed after a few mill to Ihe guard and to minutes of exercise, although his style seemed real enough. An hour later, the officers, “Go in and Weil and his uncle reappeared with the financiers, an impressive, intimidat slay rhem;le1 not a man escape. ” ing gmup of men, all wearing fancy suits. The meeting went well and the fi- So when they put them nanciers agreed to sell the lodge to Geezil, who had already had the the.s'word, Ihe guard In $35,000 wired to a local bank. and the officer: cast This minor business now settled, the financiers sat back in their chairs them um and went into the inner mom oflhe and began to banter about high finance, throwing out the name ‘f]. P. Mor~ house of 81111! and they gain” as if they knew the man. Finally one of them noticed the boxer in the brought nm the pillar corner of the room. Weil explained what he was doing there. The financier that war in the house of countered that he too had a boxer in his entourage, whom he named. Weil li’a'al and burned it Ami they demolished laughed brazenly and exclaimed that his man could easily knock out their the pillar of Ba-’al arul man. Conversation escalated into argument. In the heat of passion, Weil deniolixired the house and made it challenged the men to a bet. The financiers eagerly agreed and left to get of Ba 11!, (1 their man ready for a fight the next day. [amine to this day. Thus Jclxu wiped mu As soon as they had left, the uncle yelled at Weil, right in front of Ba ‘:11 from Israel. Geezil: They did not have enough money to bet with, and once the fi- OLD TESTAMENT. nanciers discovered this, the uncle would be fired. Weil apologized for get» 2 KINGS 10:18-28 ting him in this mess, but he had a plan: He knew the other boxer well, and with a little bribe, they could fix the fight. But where would the money come from for the bet? the uncle replied. Without it they were as good as dead. Finally Geezil had heard enough. Unwilling to jeopardize his deal with any ill will, he offered his own $35,000 cash for part of the bet. Even if he lost that, he would wire for more money and still make a. profit on the sale of the lodge. The uncle and nephew thanked him. With their own $15,000 and Geezil’s$35,000 they would manage to have enough for the bet. That evening, as Geezil watched the two boxers rehearse the fix in the hotel room, his mind reeled at the killing he was going to make from both the boxing match and the sale of the lodge. The fight took place in a gym the next day. Well handled the cash, which was placed for security in a locked box. Everything was pro» ceeding as planned in the hotel room. The financiers were looking glum at how badly their fighter was doing, and Geezil was dreaming about the easy money he was about to make. Then, suddenly, a wild swing by the li- nai1cier’s fighter hit Gross hard in the face, knocking him down. When he hit the canvas, blood spurted from his mouth. He coughed, then lay still. 24 Law :1 One of the financiers, a former doctor, checked his pulse; he was dead. The millionaires panicked: Everyone had to get out before the police arrived-— ?:l:\llAI\' :\tIIi‘}SS THE they could all be charged with murder. (N l‘Ll\.\ l\ BROAD Terrified, Geezil hightailed it out of the gym and back to Chicago, leav- I)-’\\‘l.l(;llT ing behind his $35,000 which he was only too glad to forget, for it seemed This means to create :1 a small price to pay to avoid being implicated in a crime. He never wanted from that eventually to Weil or any of the others again. see becomes imbued with After Geezil scurried out, Gross stood up, under his own steam. The flilfl[VflDSfl/IE7? 0! irrtpresxian nffamilizzb blood that had spurted from his mouth came from a ball filled with chicken ily, within which the blood and hot water that he had hidden in his cheek. The whole affair had strategist may mcmeu- been masterminded better known “the Yellow Kid,” one of the while all by Weil, as ver unseen eyes are trained to sea most creative con artists in history. Weil split the $35,000 with the fi- obn'mrs faniiliarities. nanciers and the boxers (all fellow con a:u'sts)—a nice little profit for a few “’l‘!ilE 'mmTv-six days’ work. sTR;n'r.Gn-5.“ QUOTET) rs TH]: JAPANESE ARI‘ Ul“ WAR. Interpretation THOMAS Crmsv, 1991 The Yellow Kid had staked out Geezil as the perfect sucker long before he set up the con. He knew the boxingmatch scam would be the perfect ruse to separate Geezil from his money quickly and definitively. But he also knew that if he had begun by trying to interest Geezil in the boxing match, he would have failed miserably. He had to conceal his intentions and switch attention, create a smoke screen-—-in this case the sale of the lodge. On the train ride and in the hotel room Geezil’s mind had been com- pletely occupied with the pending deal, the easy money, the chance to hobnob with wealthy men. He had failed to notice that Gross was out of shape and middle-aged at best. Such is the distracting power of a smoke screen. Engrossed in the business deal, Gee-zil’s attention was easily di— verted to the boxing match, but only at a point when it was already too late for him to notice the details that would have given Gross away. The match, after all, now depended on a bribe rather than on the boxer’s physical condi~ lion. And Geezil was so distracted at the end by the illusion of the boxer’s death that he completely forgot about his money. Learn from the Yellow Kid: The familiar, inconspicuous front is the perfect smoke screen. Approach your mark with an idea that seems ordi~ nary enough—a business deal, financial intrigue. The sucker’s mind is dis tracted, his suspicions allayed. That is when you gently guide him onto the second path, the slippery slope down which he slides helplessly into your trap. OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW II In the mid-1920s, the powerful warlords of Ethiopia were coming to the re- alization that a young man of the nobility named Haile Selassie, also known as Ras Tafari, was outcompeting them all and nearing the point where he could proclaim himself their leader, unifying the country for the first time in decades. Most of his rivals could not understand how this wispy,'quiet, mild—mannered man had been able to take control. Yet in  1927, Selassie was able to the warlords, one at a time, to come to summon Amldis Ababa to declare their loyalty and recognize him as leader. Some hurried, some hesitated, but only one, Dejazmach Balcha of Sidamo, dared defy Selassie totally. A blustery man, Balcha was a great warrior, and he considered the new leader weak and unworthy. He point- edly stayed away from the capital. Finally Selassie, in his gentle but stern way, commanded Balcha to come. The warlord decided to obey, but in doing so he would turn the tables on this pretender to the Ethiopian throne: He would come to Addis Ababa at his own speed, and with an army of 10,000 men, a. force large enough defend himself, perhaps even to start a civil war. Stationing this formidable force in a valley three miles from the capital, he waited, as a king would. Selassie would have to come to him. Selassie did indeed send emissaries, asking Balcha to attend an after» noon banquet in his honor. But Balcha, no fool, knew history—he knew that previous kings and lords of Ethiopia had used banquets as a trap. Once he there and full of drink, Selassie would have him arrested or was murdered. To signal his understanding of the situation, he agreed to come to the banquet, but only if he couldbring his personal b0dyguaId—-500 of his best soldiers, all armed and ready to defend him and themselves. To Balcha’s surprise, Selassie answered with the utmost politeness that he would be honored to play host to such warriors. On the way to the banquet, Balcha warned his soldiers not to get drunk and to be on their guard. When they arrived at the palace, Selassie was his charming best. He deferred to Balcha, treated him as if he desper- ately needed his approval and cooperation. But Balcha refused to be charmed, and he warned Selassie that if he did not return to his camp by nightfall, his army had orders to attack the capital. Selassie reacted as if hurt by his mistrust. Over the meal, when it came time for the traditional singing of songs in honor of Ethiopia’s leaders, he made a. point of allowing only songs honoring the warlord of Sidarno. It seemed to Balcha that Se» lassie was scared, intimidated by this great warrior who could not be out- wittecl. Sensing the change, Balcha believed that he would be the one to call the shots in the days to come. At the end of the afternoon, Balcha and his soldiers began their march back to camp amidst cheers and gun salutes. Looking back to the capital over his shoulder, he planned his strategy—-how his own soldiers would march through the capital in triumph within weeks, and Selassie would be put in his place, his place being either prison or death. When Balcha came in sight of his camp, however, he saw that something was terribly wrong. Where before there had been colorful tents stretching as far as the eye could see, now there was nothing, only smoke from doused fires. What devil’s magic was this? A witness told Balcha what had happened. During the banquet, a large army, commanded by an ally of Selassie’s, had stolen up on Balcha’s en- campment by a side route he had not seen. This army had not come to however: Knowing that Balcha would light, /have heard a noisy battle and 26 LAW 3 hurried back with his 600-man bodyguard, Selassie had.armed his own troops with baskets of gold and cash. They had surrounded Balcha’s army and proceeded to purchase every last one of their weapons. Those who re» fusedwere easily intimidated. Within a few hours, Balcha’s entire force had been disarmed and scattered in all directions. Realizing his danger, Balcha decided to march south with his 600 sol- diers to regroup, but the same army that had disarmed his soldiers blocked his way. The other way out was to march on the capital, but Selassie had set a army to defend it. Like a chess player, he had predicted Balcha’s large moves, and had checkmatecl him. For the first time in his life, Balcha sur- rendered. To repent his sins of pride and ambition, he agreed to enter a ‘ monastery. Interpretation Throughout Selassie’s long reign, no one could quite figure him out. Ethiopians like their leaders fierce, but Selassie, who wore the front of a gentle, peaceloving man, lasted longer than any of them. Never angry or impatient, he lured his victims with sweet smiles, lulling them with charm and obsequiousness before he attacked. In the case of Balcha, Selassie played on the man’s wariness, his suspicion that the banquet was a trap— which in fact it was, but not the one he expected. Selassie’s way of allaying Balcha’s fears—letting him bring his bodyguard to the banquet, giving him top billing there, making him feel in contro1—-created a thick smoke screen, concealing the real action three miles away. Remember: The paranoid and wary are often the easiest to deceive. Win their trust in one areaand you have a smoke screen that blinds their View in another, letting you creep up and level them with a devastating blow. A helpful or apparently honest gesture, or one that implies the other persorfs supen‘ority——these are perfect diversionary devices. Properly set up, the smoke screen is a weapon of great power. It en- abled the gentle Selassie to totally destroy his enemy, without firing a single bullet. Do not underestimate the power of Tafari. He creefis like a mouse but he has jaws like a lion. fimlrim n/‘Sidmn.o’.s last ruarzls’ be/ima erztmzivcg the z:rnn.a.stary KEYS TO POWER If you believe that deceivers are colorful folk who mislead with elaborate lies and tall tales, you are greatly mistaken. The best deceivers utilize a bland and inconspicuous front that calls no attention to themselves. They know that extravagant words and gestures immediately raise suspicion. In- stead, they envelop their marlc in the familiar, the banal, the ha.rmless. In Yellow Kid Weil’s dealings with Sam Geezil, the familiar was a business deal. In theEthiopian case, it was Selassie’s misleading obsequiousness— exactly what'Balcha. would have expected from a weaker warlord. LAW 3 27  Once you have lulled your suckers’ attention with the familiar, they will not notice the deception being perpetrated behind their backs. This derives from a simple truth: people can only focus on one thing at a time. It isreally too difficult for them to imagine that the bland and harmless per~ son they are dealing with is simultaneously setting up something else. The grayer and more uniform the smoke in your smoke screen, the better it conceals your intentions. In the decoy and red herring devices discussed in Part I, youactively distract people; in the smoke screen, you lull your vic- tims, drawing them into your web. Because it is so hypnotic, this is often the best way of concealing your intentions. The simplest form of smoke screen is facial expression. Behind a bland, unreadable exterior, all sorts of mayhem can be planned, without detection. This is a weapon that the most powerful men in history have learned to per- fect. It was said that no one could read Franklin D. Roosevelfs face. Baron james Rothschild made a lifelong practice of disguising his real thoughts be hind bland smiles and nondescript looks. Stendhal wrote of Talleyrand, “Never was a face less of a barometer.” Henry Kissinger would bore his op— ponents around the negotiating table to tears with his monotonous voice, his blank look, his endless recitations of details; then, as their eyes glazed over, he would suddenly hit them with a list of bold terms. Caught off» guard, they would be easily intimidated. As one poker manual explains it, “While playing his hand, the good player is seldom an actor. Instead he practices bland behavior that minimizes readable patterns, frustrates and a confuses opponents, permits greater concentration,” An adaptable concept, the smoke screen can be practiced on a num- ber of levels, all playing on the psychological principles of distraction and misdirection. One of the most effective smoke screens is the noble gesture. People want to believe apparently noble gestures are genuine, for the belief is pleasant. They rarely notice how deceptive these gestures can be. The art dealerjoseph Duveen was once confronted with a terrible prob- lem. The millionaires who had paid so dearly for Duveen’s paintings were running of wall space, and with inheritance taxes getting ever higher, it out seemed unlikely that they would keep buying. The solution was the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which Duveen helped create in 1937 by getting Andrew Mellon to donate his collection to it. The National Gallery was the perfect front for Duveen. In one gesture, his clients avoided taxes, cleared wall space for new purchases, and reduced the number of paintings on the market, maintaining the upward pressure on their prices. All this while the donors created the appearance of being public benefactors. Another effective smoke screen is the pattern, the establishment of a se ries of actions that seduce the victim into believing you will continue in the same way. The pattern plays on the psychology of anticipation: Our behav~ ior conforms to patterns, or so we like to think. In 1878 the American robber baronjay Gould created a company that began to threaten the monopoly of the telegraph company Western Union. The directors of Western Union decided to buy Gould’s company up- LAW 3 they had to spend a hefty sum, but they figured they had managed to rid themselves of an irritating competitor. A few months later, though, Gould was it at again, complaining he had been treated unfairly. He started up a second company to compete with Western Union and its new acquisition. The same thing happened again: Western Union bought him out to shut him up. Soon the pattern began for the third time, but now Gould went for the jugular: He suddenly staged a bloody takeover struggle and managed to gain complete control of Western Union. He had established a pattern that had tricked the company’s directors into thinking goal to be his was a handsome rate. Once him relaxed and bought out at they paid off, they failed to notice that he was actually playing for higher stakes. The pattern is powerful in that it deceives the other person into expecting the opposite of what you are really doing. Anotlier psychological weakness on which to construct a smoke screen is the tendency to mistake appearances for reality-——the feeling that if some- one seems to belong to your group, their belonging must be real. This habit makes the seamless blend a very effective front. The trick is simple: You sim« ply blend in with those around you. The better you blend, the less suspi- cious you become. During the Cold War of the 1950s and ’60s, as is now notorious, a slew of British civil servants passed secrets to the Soviets. They went undetected for years because they were apparently decent chaps, had gone to all the right schools, and lit the oldvboy network perfectly. Blend~ ing in is the perfect smoke screen for spying. The better you do it, the bet- ter you can conceal your intentions. Remember: It takes patience and humility to dull your brilliant colors, toput on the mask of the inconspicuous. Do not despair at having to wear such a bland rnask~—it is often your unreadability that draws people to you and makes you appear a person of power. Image: A Sheep’s Skin. A sheep never marauds, a sheep never deceives, a sheep is magnificently dumb and docile. With a sheepskin on his back, a fox pass right can into the chicken coop. Authority: Have you ever heard of a skillful general, who intends to surprise a citadel, announcing his plan to his enemy? Conceal your purpose and hide your progress; do not disclose the extent of your designs until they cannot be opposed. until the combat is over. Win the victory before you declare the war. In a word, imitate those walk like people whose designs are not known except by the ravaged coun— try through which they have passed. (Ninon cle Lenclos, 16234706) LAW 3 $29  REVERSAL No smoke screen, red herring, false sincerity, or any other diversionary de- vice will succeed in concealing your intentions if you already have an es- tablished reputation for deception. And as you get older and achieve success, it often becomes increasingly difficult to disguise your cunning. Everyone knows you practice deception; persist in playing naive and you run the risk of seeming the rankest hypocrite, which will severely limit room to maneuver. In such cases it is better to own your up, to appear the honest rogue, or, better, the repentant rogue. Not only will you be admired for your frankness, but, most wonderful and strange of all, you will be able to continue your stratagems. As P. T. Barnum, the nineteenth-century king of humbuggery, grew older, he learned to embrace his reputation as a grand deceiver. At one point he organized a buffalo hunt in New jersey, complete with Indians and a few imported buffalo. He publicized the hunt as genuine, but it came off as so completely fake that the crowd, instead of getting angry and ask- ing for their money back, was greatly amused. They knew Barnum pulled t:ricks all the time; that was the secret of his success, and they loved him for it. Learning a lesson from this affair, Barnum stopped concealing all of his devices, even revealing his deceptions in a tell—all autobiography. As Kierkegaard wrote, “The world wants to be deceived.” Finally, although it is wiser to divert attention from your purposes by presenting a bland, familiar exterior, there are times when the colorful, conspicuous gesture is the right diversionary tactic. The great charlatan mountebanks of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe used humor and entertainment to deceive their audiences. Dazzled by a great show, the public would not notice the charlatans’ real intentions. Thus the star charla- tan himself would appear in town in a night-black coach drawn by black horses. Clowns, tightrope walkers, and star entertainers would accompany him, pulling people in to his demonstrations of elixirs and quack potions. The charlatan made entertainment seem like the business of the day; the business of the day was actually the sale of the elixirs and quack potions. Spectacle and entertainment, clearly, are excellent devices to conceal your intentions, but they cannot be used indefinitely. The public grows tired and suspicious, and eventually catches on to the trick. And indeed the charlatans had to move quickly from town to town, before word spread that the potions were useless and the entertainment a trick. Powerful peo- ple with bland exteriors, on the other hand—the Talleyrands, the Roth- schilds, the Selassies—can practice their deceptions in the same place throughout their lifetimes. Their act never wears thin, and rarely causes suspicion. The colorful smoke screen should be used cautiously, then, and only when the occasion is right. 30 LAW 3  LAW ALWAYS SAY LESS THAN NECESSARY _j UDGMENT When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the move common you appear and the less in control. Evenyou are saying something banal, it will seem miginal you make it vague, open—ended, and sphinxlike. Powerful people impress and intimidate by \ saying less. The more you say, the more likely you me to say something foolish.  TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW Gnaeus Marcius, also known as Coriolanus, was a great military hero of Down, on luck, [the his ancient Rome. In the first half of the fifth century B.C. he won many impor- S(3l‘e(?flWflf( ihcy wi.~:he(/ to imitate the rmrthotl Interpretation 14.3111 Iw [he.S'1lpn'Im.‘ " Barnum understood the fundamental truth about attracting attention: Creator, Vim Mumlvr Once people’s eyes are on you, you have a special legitimacy. For Barnum, ‘ 46 LAW 6 creating interest meant creating a crowd; as he later wrote, “Every crowd reports (/1111 (}r7s'sanlurg‘, Blood the capital of Hsien-yang. The palace had 270 pavilions; all of these were was LIA‘ A vnmr and its connected by secret underground passageways, allowing the emperor to weal-—~Ilrermi:1i:.v, mt move through the palace without anyone seeing him. He slept in a differ-— /mrmy of Inhorl. 7h€rc' ent room every night, and anyone who inadvertently laid eyes on him was Wflfl‘ sharp palms; and smldmz rlizzirmsxs‘, and instantly beheaded. Only a handful of men knew his whereabouts, and if than pro/"lure hluetlirzg they revealed it to anyone, they, too, were put to death. at the pores, with The first emperor had grown so terrified of human Contact that when dix.ioluIu,m.Aiut he had to leave the palace he traveled incognito, disguising himself care thy w/mic seizure. [)1"(7gIf.‘SA', and termiuzr fully. On one such provinces, he suddenly died. His body trip through the mm 0 f the d1'.s'c'a.\'c. were was borne back to the capital in the emperor’s carriage, with a cart packed [he iIz(‘i(l(mr.i' nfhulfau with salted fish trailing behind it to cover up the smell of the rotting hour. one was to know of his death. He died alone, far from his Bur the Prim:r* Prox- corpse-—~no pero was Iznppy and wives, his family, his friends, and his courfiers, accompanied only by a L/£tIU1Il(‘\‘S and mgzzv minister and a handful of eunuchs. cirms. When his’ domin- ians were half‘ ilefmjzulnled, Iw Interpretation Surnrnuned In his Shih Huang Ti started off as the king of Ch’in, a fearless warrior of unbri- pmtr-,nc7c u tlizmxuml dled ambition. Writers of the time described him as a man with “a waspish lmlr and Ii;:ht»Immi'd nose,eyes like slits, the voice of a jackal, and the heart of a tiger or wolf.” _/'rzrmrIx from («mung the He could be merciful sometimes, but more often he “swallowed men up koziglzrr and tlturwr of /zir court, and with without a scruple.” It was through trickery and violence that he conquered iliese retired (0 the (leap the provinces surrounding his and created China, forging a single na- own su'i'im‘rm o_,"mzc nfhis tion and culture out of many. He broke up the feudal system, and to keep t‘{L\'f{’//Ilffll (II)/JE’y,3. This Win an ex’/t»nsiw 4/ml an eye on the many members of the royal families that were scattered rnagnificewt s(rm.'tnre'. across the realm’s various kingdoms, he moved 120,000 of them to the cap- 1/21,’.s:< to (/10 sudrlmz iI17[ml.\'(*.s of even paranoid. The executions mounted. A contemporary, the writer Han- ,\‘, woman of incomparable beauty and charm. ‘/50 , LAW2n  In 1500 Louis invited Isabella to the a great party in Milan to celebrate his leisurely /keding on dead kites and crows. victory. Leonardo da Vinci built an enormous mechanical lion for the af- and then left the place fair: When the lion opened its mouth, it spewed fresh lilies, the symbols of Italy and hearty, French royalty. At the party Isabella wore one of her celebrated dresses observing, "The Ivmk (she had by far the largest wardrobe of any of the Italian princesses), and hem?/it by Ilze 1]M(lI‘I‘tf].¥ she had hoped, she charmed and captivated Louis, who ignored all of (he mighty." just as INDIAN EARLF3 the other ladies vying for his attention. She soon became his constant com- panion, and in exchange for her friendship he pledged to protect Mantua’s independence from Venice. As one danger receded, however, another, more worrying one arose, this time from the south, in the form of Cesare Borgia Starting in 1500, Borgia had marched steadily northward, gobbling up all the small king- doms in his path in the name of his father, Pope Alexander. Isabella under» Men ofgreat abilities are slow :0 act. for it is stood Cesare perfectly: He could be neither tnisted 1101' in any way easier In avoid ncca« offended. He had to be cajoled and kept at arm’s length. Isabella began by.s'irm.r for commiltirzg sending him gifts——falcons, prize dogs, perfumes, and dozens of masks, yourself than to (‘only which she knew he always wore when he walked the streets of Rome. She well nut (If a commit- mml. Such 0L'L'llSf07lS sent messengers with flattering greetings (although these messengers also testyourjudgmeut; it is acted as her spies). At one point Cesare asked if he could house some safer to avoid them troops in Mantua; Isabella managed to dissuade him politely, knowing full than to emerge victurr well that once the troops were quartered in the city, they would never nus from them. One leave. obligation loads to a greater one. and you Even while Isabella was charming Cesare, she convinced everyone the mme very neur tn around her to take care never to utter a harsh word about him, since he brink 0/'di.m.\'ter. had spies everywhere and would use the slightest pretext for invasion. BALTASAR GR/u'1A:\‘. 16014658 When Isabella had a child, she asked Cesare to be the godfather. She even dangled in front of him the possibility of a marriage between her family and his. Somehow it all worked, for although elsewhere he seized every- thing in his path, he spared Mantua. In 1503 Cesare’s father, Alexander, died, and a few years later the new pope, Julius II, went to drive the French troops from Italy. When war to the ruler of Fe1rara——Alfonso, Isabella’s brother—sided with the French, Julius decided to attack and humble him. Once again Isabella found herself in the middle: the pope on one side, the French and her brother on the other. She dared ally herself with either, but to offend either would be not equally disastrous. Again she played the double game at which she had be- come so expert. On the one hand she got her husband Gonzaga to fight for the pope, knowing he would not fight very hard. On the other she let French troops pass through Mantua to come to Ferrara’s aid. While she publicly complained that the French had “invaded” her territory, she pri- vately supplied them with valuable information. To make the invasion plausible to Julius, she even had the French pretend to plunder Mantua. It worked once again: The pope left Mantua alone. 1513, after a lengthy siege, Julius defeated Ferrara, and the French In troops withdrew. Worn out by the effort, the pope died a few months later. With his death, the nightmarish cycle of battles and petty squabbles began to repeat itself. LAW 20 I51  A great deal changed in Italy during Isabella’s reign: Popes came and went, Cesare Borgia rose and then fell, Venice lost its empire, Milan was in '11 Eli‘. l§Aa' only to taken hold of you, then, root it out Your fears of the consequences of a at.s'pecie. of w'(.>lem:e, or bold action are way out of proportion to reality, and in fact the conse to surprise: perszmrle her {hat you do not quences of timidity are worse. Your value is lowered and you create a self~ mzdcrmlm: her, and I fulfilling cycle of doubt and disaster. Remember: The problems created by will r1lI,S'!1'€7f()r her an audacious move can be disguised, even remedied, by more and greater heart. A little more boldness on your pan audacity. would put you both at your case. Do you I‘t?rIl¢‘rI1l1(rr what M. de la Rochcfoucauld {old you Imely.‘ “A reason- able man in law? may act like av mmlman, Image: The Lion and the bu! he slwultl mu Hare. The lion creates no am! cmmm not like an idiot. " gaps in his way——his movements are too 1 IFE, LETTERS, ANT} I-‘m('mrizl.r rate to his against him, then he approached the Directoire and convinced them he feet and said, “Now had a new passion: intelligencegathering. He became a paid spy for the you can 381’. nay‘ friemis’ and allies. (I111! perse- government, excelled at the job, and in 1799 was rewarded by being made is verance more effrc» minister of police. Now he was not just empowered but required to extend rive I/mu hrulc strength, his spying to every corner of Fra.nce—-~a responsibility that would greatly and that (here are many reinforce his natural ability to sniff out where the wind was blowing. One difficulllex thul (armor be overcome if you try of the first social trends he detected, in fact, came in the person of 10 do mmrything at a brash Napoleon, young general whose destiny he right away saw was en- once. but which will twined with the future of France. When Napoleon unleashed a coup d’état, yield lfyuu master on November 9, 1799, Fouché pretended to be asleep. Indeed he slept the them little by little. The truth is that a steady whole day. For this indirect assistance-«it might have been thought his job, continu0u.\' effort is after all, to prevent a military coup-—Napoleou kept him on as minister of irresistible, for this is police in the new regime. the way in. which Time Over the next few years, Napoleon came to rely on Fcmché more and captures and sarbdrms the grremesz powers on more. He even gave this former revolutionary a title, duke of Otranto, and eanh. Now Time, you rewarded him with great wealth. By 1808, however, Fouché, always at- yhaultl remmwer, is a tuned to the times, sensed that Napoleon was on the downswing. His futile good friend and ally I0 war with tli().s'z,' who their Spain, a country that posed no threat to France, was a sign that he use liztelliglance In C/10().$'(€ waslosing a sense of proportion. Never one to be caught on a sinking ship, the right moment. but a Fouché conspired with Talleyrand to bring about Napoleon’s downfall. Al— marl dangerous enemy LAW 35 293  thosze wlm rush int!) to though the conspiracy failed—Talleyrand was fired; Fouché stayed, but action at the wrong (me. " was kept on a tight leash—it publicized a growing discontent with the em- LIFE or SERTORIUS. peror, who seemed to be losing control. By 1814 Napoleon’s power had PLLTARCH. crumbled and allied forces finally conquered him. c A1). 46-120 The next government was a restoration of the monarchy, in the form of King Louis XVIII, brother of Louis XVI. Fouché, his nose always sniff- ing the air for the next social shift, knew Louis would not last long—he had none of Napoleon's flair. Fouché once again played his waiting game, lying low, staying away from the spotlight. Sure enough, in February of 1815, Napoleon escaped from the island of Elba, where he had been imprisoned. Louis XVIII panicked: His policies had alienated the citizenry, who were Mr. S/iih had two sons: clamoring for Nap0leon’s return. So Louis turned to the one man who om: loved lreumi1zg.‘tIiv could maybe have saved his hide, Fouché, the former radical who had sent othrr war. Thefirst his brother, Louis XVI, to the guillotine, but was now one of the most pop- cxpourided his mom! ular and widely admired politicians in France. Fouché, however, would not teachings at the side with a loser: He refused Louis’s request for help by pretending that his rttlnziring court of Ch ’i and was made a tutor. help was unnecessaiy—by swearing that Napoleon would never return while the second talked to power (although he knew otherwise). A short time later, of course, strategy at the helli('o.\*e of Ch ":4 and was court Napoleon and his new citizen army were closing in on Paris. made it gerwriii. '1'/te Seeing his reign about to collapse, feeling that Fouché had betrayed impecuniour Mr. Mcng, him, and certain that he did not want this powerful and able man on lwrtring nftharié Napoleon’s team, King Louis ordered the Ini.n.ister’s arrest and execution. successes, sent his own On March 16, 1815, policemen surrounded Fouché’s coach on a Paris follow two.S‘!)lL\‘ out to thc example of tin’ boulevard. Was this finally his end? Perhaps, but not immediately: Fouché Shih bays. Thejirst told the police that an exvmember of government could not be arrested on expmmdcd his mom] the street. They fell for the story and allowed him to retum home. Later tmching.s' at the mm‘! that day, though, they came to his house and once again declared him afCh’a'rz, but the King under arrest. Fouché nodded—but would the officers be so kind as allow a of C/fin will.’ “At present flu: states are gentleman to wash and to change his clothes before leaving his house for quarrr,-ling violently the last time? and everyv prince is They gave their permission, Fouché left the room, and the minutes went by. Fouché did not return. Finally the policemen went into busy arming his troops to the teeth. If I the next room—where they saw a ladder against an open window, leading followed this prigir down to the garden below. pratings WK’.\‘lH)Lil(l That day and the next the police combed Paris for Fouché, but by then soon be annihilated." So he had the fellow Napoleon’s cannons were audible in the distance and the king and all the castrated. Meanwhile. king’s men had to flee the city. As soon as Napoleon entered Paris, Fouché came out of the.im'0nrl bmtlurr hiding. He had cheated the executioner once again. Napoleon tiispliiyezl his military his former minister of police and gladly restored him to his old greeted genius at the court of Wci. But thn King of post. During the 100 days that Napoleon remained in power, until Water- Wei said: “llrlirze is :1 loo, it was essentially Fouché who governed France. Alter Napoleon fell, weak riatra. l/‘I ftfliell Louis XVIII returned to the throne, and like a cat with nine lives, Fouché farce imzeati of on stayed on to yet another goVemment—by then his power and in- serve in dzplormtcy, we rlzould soon be wiped out. If," fluence had grown so great that not even the king dared challenge him. on ilw mlicr hand, I let this fire-eater go, hr Interpretation will offer his.\'ervice:; to In a period of unprecedented turmoil, Joseph Fouché thrived through his another start: and than mastery of the art of timing. He teaches us a number of key lessons. 294 LAW 35  ” First, it is critical to recognize the spirit of the times. Fouché always we shall be in trouble. So he’ had the fellows looked two steps ahead, found the wave that would carry him to power, feet on! off B0111 farm‘- and rode it. You must always work with the times, anticipate twists and lies did exa(‘tl_y lhc turns, and never miss the boat. Sometimes the spirit of the times is obscure: same thing, but one it not what is loudest and most obvious in it, but by what lies timer! it right, the other Recognize by hidden and dormant. Look forward to die wrong. Thus ,\'uC(:(2.r.s' Napoleons of the future rather depends on... rhythm. thanholding on to the ruins of the past. Lit}-1 T71 ll.0'l‘l—'.l) lN Second, recognizing the prevailing winds does not necessarily mean rm; cu.. L LOOKING GLASS. running with them. Any potent social movement creates a powerful reac- DENNIS Bi.o0owoR'rH, tion, and it is wise to anticipate what that reaction will be, as Fouché did 1967 after the execution of Robespierre. Rather than ride the cresting wave of the moment, wait for the tide’s ebb to carry you back to power. Upon occa~ sion bet on the reaction that is brewing, and place yourself in the vanguard of it. Finally, Fouché had remarkable patience. Without patience as your sword and shield, your timing will fail and you will inevitably find yourself The sullan /of Persia] aloser. When the times were against Fouché, he did not struggle, get emo- had sentenced two men tional, or strike out rashly. He kept his cool and maintained a low profile, to death. One of /hem, knowing how much the among the citizenry, the bulwark in his next rise patiently building support Sltltflll loved his rm]- to power. Whenever he found himself in the weaker position, he played for lizm, offered to teach time, which he knew would always be his ally if he was patient. Recognize the home fly within a to the moment, then, to hide in the grass or slither under a rock, as well as the year in return for his moment to bare your fangs and attack. life. The sulmn,fancy— mg /zirn.s*el/‘as the ridcr of the 0f1lyfl_YlI1g horse Space we can recover, time never. in Ihe world, agreed, 1 769-1821 The other prisoner N:1;tmle07: Bomzpanle, looked at his friend in disbelief “You know horses don ‘rfly. What KEYS TO POWER made you come up Time is an concept that we ourselves have created to make the artificial with 4: crazy idea likc that? You‘re only post— limitlessness of eternity and the universe more bearable, more human. porting Ihc inevitable." Since we have constructed the concept of time, we are also able to mold it “Not So," Xllill the /first to some degree, to play tricks with it. The time of a child is long and slow, prisoner]. "I have acm- with vast expanses; the time of an adult whizzes by frighteningly fast. ally given myselffaur chances forfreedom. Time, then, depends on perception, which, we know, can be willfully al- First, the sultan might tered. This is the first thing to understand in mastering the art of timing. If die rlurmg the year. the inner turmoil caused by our emotions tends to make time move faster, Second, I might die. it follows that control our emotional Third, the horse might once we responses to events, time will rlie.AnrlfourIh I much This altered way of dealing with things tends to slowly.. ,. move more might teach the horse lengthen our perception of future time, opens up possibilities that fear and Io,/ly!" anger close off, and allows us the patience that is the principal requirement [HE CRAFI‘ or-‘ POWER. in the art of timing. R. G. H. Sim, 1979 There are three kinds of time for us to deal with; each presents prob- lems that can be solved with skill and practice. First there is long time: the drawn»out, years—long kind of time that must be managed with patience and gentle guidance. Our handling long of time should be mostly defen- sive—this is the art of not reacting impulsively, of waiting for opportunity. LAW 35 295  Next there is fimed time: the short—term time that we can manipulate as an offensive weapon, upsetting the timing of our opponents. Finally there is Till‘, l'Ri?l"l' KM) HIE (Ll §§€.'l~i(),\ end lime, when a plan must be executed with speed and force. We have waited, found the moment, and must not hesitate. ftlvlwrmmz in the A month of May.r(tmcl angltng on the bank of Long Time. The famous seventeenth-century Ming painter Chou Yung (Int Tltames with relates story that altered his behavior forever. Late one winter afternoon rm a arr!/lcitzlfly. He threw he set out to visit a town that lay across the river from his own town. He his bail with so Inuch an, that 4: young rmm was bringing some important books and papers with him and had commis- wax rurftmg ruwrzm’ it, sioned a young boy to help him carry them. As the ferry neared the other when she was side of the river, Chou Yung asked the boatman if they would have time to prevetztzrl by hm‘ tmvrhrr. “Navcr. "mid get to the town before its gates closed, since it was a mile away and night was approaching. The boatman glanced at the boy, and at the bundle of rile, “my chtld, be too precipitate, when: there loosely tied papers and books-“Yes,” he replied, “if you do not walk too ix ll po.r.\'t'bili(_v of fast.” danger. Take due Itme As they started out, however, the sun was setting. Afraid of being to consider, ltefore you risk an action aim: ntny locked out of the town at night, prey to local bandits, Chou and the boy tie/"am! How know walked faster and faster, finally breaking into a run. Suddenly the string you whether yon around the papers broke and the documents scattered on the ground. It tlppmtlailcz’ hr imlr.-ed a took them many minutes to put the packet together again, and by the time fly. or Ihte snare ofan unetny? Let someone they had reached the city gates, it was too late. else make the expert? When you force the pace out of fear and impatience, you create a nest mm: before you. Ifit of problems that require fixing, and you end up taking much longer than if be u/i’)=, he will very p!‘()b(£[71}' elude the fin: you had taken your time. Hurriers may occasionally get there quicker, but tzlmck: and the Secottd papers fly everywhere, dangers arise, and they find themselves in con- new may be made, iftmt stant crisis mode, fixing the problems that they themselves have created. with sitccesx. at least Sometimes not acting in the face of danger is your best move»-you wait, with.st1fe1y." Shit had no stmmtr spo- you deliberately slow down. As time passes it will eventually present op lmn,1hmz gttdgeon a portunities you had not imagined. suizecl the pretended Waiting involves controlling not only your own emotions but those of fly. and becmne mt your colleagues, who, mistaking acfion for power, may try to push you into exanxplc to the giddy tlaughrer oflhe impor- making rash moves. In your rivals, on the other hand, you can encourage tance of her mother": this same mistake: If you let them rush headlong into trouble while you counsel. stand back and wait, you will soon find ripe moments to intervene and pick up the pieces. This wise policy was the principal strategy of the great early- r/xnuas. ROBERT Donsmv. 1'/tl3—l 764 seventeenthcentury emperor Tokugawa Ieyasu of japan. When his prede~ cessor, the headstrong Hideyoshi, whom he served as 3. general, staged a rash invasion of Korea, leyasu did not involve himself. He knew the inva- sion would be a disaster and would lead to Hideyoshfs downfall, Better to stand patiently on the sidelines, even fin many years, and then be in position to seize power when the time is rightmexactly what Ieyasu did, with great anistry. You do not deliberately slow time down to live longer, or to take more pleasure in the moment, but the better to play the game of power. First, when your mind is uncluttered by constant emergencies you will see fur» ther into the future. Second, you will be able to resist the baits that people dangle in front of you, and will keep yourself from becoming another im~ patient sucker. Third, you will have more room to be flexible. Opportuni- ties will inevitably arise that you had not expected and would have missed had you forced the pace. Fourth, you will not move from one deal to the next without completing the first one. To build your power’s foundation can take years; make sure that foundation is secure. Do not be a flash in the pan—-«success that is built up slowly and surely is the only kind that lasts. Finally, slowing time down will give you a perspective on the times you live in, letting you take a certain distance and putting you in a less emotionally charged position to see the shapes of things to come. Hurriers will often mistake surface phenomena for a real trend, seeing only what they want to see. How much better to see what is really happening, even if unpleasant or makes it is your task harder. Forced Time. The trick in forcing time is to upset the timing of others-——t0 make them hurry, to make them wait, to make them abandon their own pace, to distort their perception of time. By upsetting the timing of your op~ ponent while you stay patient, you open up time for yourself, which is half the game. In 1473 the great Turkish sultan Mehmed the Conqueror invited nego- tiations with Hungary to end the elf-andam war the two countries had waged for years. When the Hungarian emissary arrived in Turkey to start the talks, Turkish officials humbly apologized——Mehmed had just left Istan- bul, the capital, to battle his longtime foe, Uzun Hasan. But he urgently wanted peace with Hungary, and had asked that the emissary join him at the front. When the emissary anived at the site of the fighting, Mehmed had al- ready left it, moving eastward in pursuit of his swift foe. This happened several times. Wherever the emissary stopped, the Thrks lavished gifts and banquets on him, in pleasurable buttimeconsuming ceremonies. Finally Mehrned defeated Uzun and met with the emissary. Yet his terms for peace with Hungary were excessively harsh. After a few days, the negotiations ended, and the usual stalemate remained in place. But this was fine with Mehmecl. In fact he had planned it that way all along: Plotting his cam- paign against Uzun, he had seen that diverting his armies to the east would leave his western flank vulnerable. To prevent Hungary from taking advan» tage of his weakness and his preoccupation elsewhere, he flrst dangled the lure of peace before his enemy, then made them wait»-all on his own terms. Making people wait is a powerful way of forcing time, as long as they do not figure out what you are up to. You control the clock, they linger in limbowand rapidly come unglued, opening up opportunities for you to strike. The opposite effect is equally powerful: You make your opponents hurry. Start off your dealings with them slowly, then suddenly apply pres- sure, making them feel that everything is happening at once. People who lack the time to think will make mistakes-—so set their deadlines for them.  This was technique Machiavelli admired in Cesare Borgia, who, during the negotiations, would suddenly press vehemently for a decision, upsetting his opponent’s timing and patience. For who would dare make Cesare wait? Joseph Duveen, the famous art dealer, knew that if he gave an indeci- sive buyer like John D. Rockefeller a deadline»-the painting had to leave the country, another tycoon was interested in it—the client would buy just in time. Freud noticed that patients who had spent years in psychoanalysis without improvement would miraculously recover just in time if he fixed a definite date for the end of the therapy. Jacques Lacan, the famous French psychoanalyst, used a variation on this tactic—he would sometimes end the customary hour session of therapy after only ten minutes, without warning. After this happened several times, the patient would realize that he had better make maximum use of the time, rather than wasting much of the hour with a lot of talk that meant nothing. The deadline, then, is a pow- erful tool. Close off the vistas of indecision and force people to make up their damn minds or point—never get to the let them make you play on theirexcruciating terms. Never give them time. Magicians and showmen are experts in forcing time. Houdini could often wriggle free of handcuffs in minutes, but he would draw the escape out to an hour, making the audience sweat, as time came to an apparent standstill.Magicians have always known that the best way to alter our pet- ception of time is often to slow down the pace. Creating suspense brings time to a terrifying pause: The slower the magician’s hands move, the eas- ier it is to create the illusion of speed, making people think the rabbit has a