LAW 26: Keep Your Hands Clean

Have you ever scapegoated someone? Law 26 is about keeping your hands clean, a law which makes Jon uncomfortable. Together with Dre he explores why a scapegoat doesn’t always have to be a negative thing.

Once again the need for subtlety and an understanding of the emotional needs of others is a key subject, with Dre and Jon discussing their views on being wronged and apologies and why being an unsung hero feels meaningless to them. 

Jon shares his opinions on free speech and why he refuses to tone himself down, Dre teaches Italian pronunciation and the pair share their experiences in sibling scapegoating. 

Finally they discuss how with this law, seeming vulnerable and as a victim can be beneficial, rather than the infallible power usually needed for leadership. 

This episode includes:

• Authoritarian regime – Putin and the FSB
• The importance of a scapegoat and how they can help to diffuse situations
• The connection between loyalty and the scapegoat
• The ingrained sexism of statutory rape cases
• Why finding peace with your own conscience is more important than being seen as a hero
• Celebrity scapegoats and PR-led public apologies
• The difference between a powerful refusal of apology and a sneering one
• Unacceptable jokes vs. censorship and repression
• Scapegoating in the office environment – passing the buck
• The ritual of apologies
• Social media and how being a victim can be empowering

 

Mentioned in this episode: 

• Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the Clintons - http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/debbie-wasserman-schultz-bernie-sanders-scapegoat-230767
• The West Wing - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200276/
• Hulk Hogan vs Gawker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollea_v._Gawker
• South Park: Miss Teacher Bangs A Boy - http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/SouthParkS10E10MissTeacherBangsABoy
• Cao Cao of Han Empire China - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cao_Cao
• The unapologetic wisdom of Charlie Sheen - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/8359242/Top-10-Charlie-Sheen-quotes.html
• Cesare Borgia and Remirro de Orco - https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/p/the-prince/summary-and-analysis/chapter-7
• Dexter - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0773262/
• Donald Trump – “I grab women by the pussy” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHMAV2n0dV0
• Ukraine and Holodomor - http://www.holodomorct.org/history.html

 

Challenge: Blame upwards, to someone who won’t be harmed by it, eg. Corporate. Recognise when you scapegoat someone.

Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. 

Join us as we continue our 48 Laws of Power review, exploring Robert Greene’s provocative and compelling book, 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).