Law 8: Make Other People Come To You, Use Bait If Necessary

Just who's in control here? Grab your insecurities and self-worth and join us as we invite you to step into our office or call on us at your earliest convenience... This law is all about controlling the terms of engagement and making sure to tip the balance of power in your favour, whatever the circumstances. Can you remain the ruler of your domain, or will you be forced onto the defensive by a more skilful player in the game of power? We delve into the interpersonal dynamics of making others come to you, asking what this means in everyday life, politics, and negotiations. Plus we delve into Jon's failures at doing relationships and personal identity crises – not to be missed!

 

This episodes includes:

• How to keep people 'coming to you' even when you walk onto their territory
• Keeping people off-balance by addressing their fears indirectly
• Playing a game so long that you make your opponents entrap themselves without you lifting a finger
• The benefits of stirring up others' emotions... and the need to restrain your ego to avoid the same being done to you
• The spaces between instinct and analysis; how to be comfortable with silence
• Why pickpockets put up signs warning about pickpocketing
• The importance of actually using 'Fuck You' money to say 'Fuck You'
• Hillary Clinton's less than perfect application of the Law
• How this Law plays powerfully into romantic relationships; ignore it at your peril!
• The paradoxes of anger and insecurity
• What does it mean to be a man?
• Where does your identity come from and can it ever be separate from other people's perceptions?
• The thin line between saying 'that's just the way it is' and actively promoting it
• The cardinal rules of negotiation
• The importance of having a personal code

 

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Once again, George R.R. Martin's amazing tale of political intrigue and human nature, A Song of Ice and Fire (aka Game of Thrones)
• The grand statesman Otto von Bismarck – the moment when we dreamt up our bestselling t-shirt featuring him surfing the current of events!
• Ronda Rousey's quick wins and shock loss
• The ancient philosophy of Stoicism – here's an excellent overview of its central values
• The Orlando Figes saga – in which he praised his own books and slandered his rivals' books on Amazon
• Where Jon finally got his piece on humour under Stalin published (sadly behind a paywall because academia is awful. If you actually want to read it, email us!)
• The West Wing's advice on how not to answer questions that might entrap you: Episode 1 of Season 7.
• Finding the right language to communicate without conflict: check out this beautiful and indispensable book on how: Changing the Conversation: The 17 Principles of Conflict Resolution
• How (not to) be Italian: Jersey Shore
• A brilliant book on duelling and conflict: The Professor in the Cage: Why Men Fight and Why We Like to Watch
• The card exercise we mention in which you discover the roots of your emotional behaviours: we're rewriting this and will upload it soon!

 

 

Join us as we continue our exploration of Robert Greene’s provocative and compelling study of the 48 Laws of Power, in which he lays bare the history, practice, psychology, and philosophies of power that ultimately shape all human relations. Often seen as a handbook for the ‘modern Machiavelli’, we take a closer look, beyond the hyperbole, and discuss how understanding and implementing these Laws can actually enrich your life personally, professionally and spiritually.

Jon and Dre aim to get to the heart of each of the Laws, grapple with their sometimes disturbingly amoral nature, and discuss what the Laws mean in everyday life (often revealing their own experiences – good and bad – when they’ve either observed or transgressed them).

 

For all links and material: http://voicesinthedark.world/2016/07/13/make-other-peopl…power-episode-08/

 

For our Funny T-shirts: 48 Laws of Power T-Shirts