“Law 2. Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies. Be wary of friends—they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove.”
SUMMARY: The book gets into the mind of the sometimes unscrupulous powerful to analyze and understand the craft of power, to teach those who want power how to strategically take it, and to teach those who are vulnerable how to understand and protect against dangerous power. The lessons are in the form of 48 laws. .
TAKEAWAYS:
1. The game of power is underhanded, so the cards are never openly shown, but where internal clarity is flawlessly maintained. Those who are plotting for control do not openly grasp at the controls. Those who are playing the crafty game of power know how to keep their true intent close to the chest.
2. The secret to power is to learn how to take advantage of those on the opposing side as opposed to trying to make use of those on the same side. Keeping enemies closer removes the temptation to leak information or trust others which makes the power hungry vulnerable. Emotions don’t belong with the powerful, except to have them 100% in check. The kind of power that tyrants boasted came from knowing the enemy.
3. The powerful make it a practise to under-share. They say only as much as required at all times to avoid risk.
READ IF: You have a desire to understand or gain power whether for your own advantage or to protect yourself against the manipulations of the powerful.
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