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48 Laws of Power and The Machiavellian Personality

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48 Laws of Power and The Machiavellian Personality

Postby New Order » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:30 pm

"The Machiavellian Personality

In the early 1970s, psychologist Richard Christie and his colleagues
identified a distinct personality style that is characterized
by manipulativeness, cynicism about human nature,
and shrewdness in interpersonal behavior. Named after the
sixteenth-century political philosopher and Italian Prince
Machiavelli, this personality style is very nearly synonymous
with being a manipulator. Machiavellian personalities are
committed to the proposition that a desired end justifies virtually
any means. Machiavellianism is defined as a manipulative
strategy of social interaction and personality style that
uses other people as tools of personal gain.

Machiavellianism derives from the views of Prince Machiavelli
that a ruler is not bound by traditional ethical norms.
A prince, therefore, should only be concerned with power and
be bound only by rules that would lead to success. Prince
Machiavelli deduced these rules from the political practices
of his time:
• Never show humility; it is more effective to show arrogance
when dealing with others.
• Morality and ethics are for the weak; powerful people
should feel free to lie, cheat, and deceive whenever it suits
their purpose.
• It is better to be feared than loved.

High machs (Machiavellists) tend to constitute a distinctive type. They tend to be charming, confident, and glib; but they also are
arrogant, calculating, and cynical, prone to manipulate and
exploit. In the context of laboratory experiment games, high
machs display a keen and opportunistic sense of timing, and
they appear to capitalize especially in situations that contain
ambiguity regarding the rules."

This looks like a mixture of Narcissism and Antisocials. Now lets take a look at some of the 48 laws.

Law 3

Conceal your Intentions

Keep people off-balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. If they have no clue what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense. Guide them far enough down the wrong path, envelope them in enough smoke, and by the time they realize your intentions, it will be too late.

Law 7

Get others to do the Work for you, but Always Take the Credit

Use the wisdom, knowledge, and legwork of other people to further your own cause. Not only will such assistance save you valuable time and energy, it will give you a godlike aura of efficiency and speed. In the end your helpers will be forgotten and you will be remembered. Never do yourself what others can do for you.

Law 8

Make other People come to you – use Bait if Necessary

When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains – then attack. You hold the cards.

Law 11

Learn to Keep People Dependent on You

To maintain your independence you must always be needed and wanted. The more you are relied on, the more freedom you have. Make people depend on you for their happiness and prosperity and you have nothing to fear. Never teach them enough so that they can do without you.

Law 20

Do Not Commit to Anyone

It is the fool who always rushes to take sides. Do not commit to any side or cause but yourself. By maintaining your independence, you become the master of others – playing people against one another, making them pursue you.

Law 35

Master the Art of Timing

Never seem to be in a hurry – hurrying betrays a lack of control over yourself, and over time. Always seem patient, as if you know that everything will come to you eventually. Become a detective of the right moment; sniff out the spirit of the times, the trends that will carry you to power. Learn to stand back when the time is not yet ripe, and to strike fiercely when it has reached fruition.

Law 43

Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others

Coercion creates a reaction that will eventually work against you. You must seduce others into wanting to move in your direction. A person you have seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will grow to hate you.

As you can see, this book is completely based on the mach mind-set. So be weary when deciding to use what you have read in this book.

Using others to achieve your own personal gains at all costs doesn't seem too powerful to me.
New Order
 


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