If the world is like a giant scheming court and we are trapped inside it,
there is no use in trying to opt out of the game. That will only render you
powerless, and powerlessness will make you miserable. Instead of struggling
against the inevitable, instead of arguing and whining and feeling
guilty, it is far better to excel at power. In fact, the better you are at dealing
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 about themselves, 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 knowing
its properties. If the game of power is inescapable, better to be an artist
than 2. denier or a bungler.
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The feeling of having no power over people and events is generally unbearable
to us«—-when we feel helpless we feel miserable. No one wants less
power; everyone wants more. In the world today, however, it is dangerous
to seem too power hungry, to be overt with your power moves. We have
to seem fair and decent. So we need to be subtle~—congenial yet cunning,
democratic yet devious.
