In every society, there are two main groups of people. The first one is the ruling while the second group consists of people who are subjects of the ruling class. Power plays a major role in political, economic and social contexts. It also contributes to a person’s success in parenting, literature, and entertainment. In a capitalistic society, the environment gives all people a chance to display their best attributes. In the end, the best people always thrive and conquer the weak people. The main challenge is how one maneuvers to become a powerful individual. In their book, “The 48 Laws of Power”, Greene and Elffers provide forty-eight laws that could guide an individual to become a powerful personality. Individuals across the world have applied some of these laws successfully.
Even though some of them are good, others are bad and contradict one another. For instance, the tenth law seems bad because it discourages the idea of helping miserable people (Greene and Elffers 76). The society is composed of the poor, the middle class and the affluent. The poor can be potential workers of the affluent and powerful individuals in the society. Avoiding them will lead to automatic failure of an economy and the entire society.
At the same time, assisting the needy can be a powerful tool for politicians to build a reputation. Through social corporate responsibilities, large business organizations have been helping communities. Consequently, they have established a brand reputation. Associating with unlucky and vulnerable members of the society has made many people famous throughout the history (Tzu 16).
The idea of maintaining personal independence in the twentieth law is not right. Sometimes, a person needs to commit to others in order to achieve desired goals. An individual may have an ambition of leadership. However, achieving success without enough resources and support from others might be impossible. It is impractical for individuals to make others pursue them if they do not have wealth. A person can commit to wealthy people and gain the financial advantage needed to pursue power.
Politics
Politics is a game that depicts an individual against others to compete for a political position. The main success factor in politics is the ability to convince people to vote in one’s favor. Political leadership is a major aspect of power and many people show interest in political positions during campaigns. While some take advantage of their financial capabilities and connections, others use their personality and charming attributes to lure voters into their side (Dikos 84). The majority of the competitors have the necessary resources to emerging the winners. However, the way they behave determines their fate during the race, and it is at this where the laws of power come into play.
Major activities that lead to political success depend on reputation, which is the fifth law. According to Greene and Elffers, reputation is the foundation upon which a person can develop power. It is the most powerful tool a politician can use to outwit all competitors during an election. Therefore, it is essential to protect reputation by staying alert and responding to attacks aimed at destroying a person’s reputation (37).
On the other hand, the incumbent is a crucial factor in politics. A person who wants to succeed in politics must not overlook the serving leader. The incumbent controls wealth and military sources, which they can use to destroy aspirants who pose threats to the current regime. As a person works towards success, one should not do better things than the incumbent. Consequently, an individual gets time and space to create a strong base of power behind the master’s back (Tzu 65).
The only way to gain political power is by attracting the attention of the public. People prefer someone they can reach and feel is close to them. According to the sixth law, it is important for people to feel the presence of the prospective leader. Something that is out of site adds no value. At the same time, the way a person presents issues can either boost or destroy one’s reputation. As stated earlier, competitors often have equal chances in a political platform at the beginning.
However, the manner in which they present their manifestos and agendas determine their worth before voters. All statements and arguments made in the public must be actionable. As Greene and Elffers state in the ninth law, actions will always supersede argument in the end (69). Too much argument without actions can easily depict someone’s weaknesses, especially when the key competitors put their words into action. People develop trust in leaders who do what they say (Tzu 33).
Business
The most challenging task is the establishment and development of a business into a successful entity, especially in a context where rivals compete for huge market shares. Substitute products serve similar purposes and customers can easily choose from the variety. Nevertheless, certain business organizations have managed to establish their brands in a conspicuous manner. Knowing people’s interests is the key to making them loyal.
Customers willingly purchase a product or service that serves their personal interests. Based on the thirteenth law, a business should include elements that appeal to personal interests of potential customers. Personal interest is the key factor that controls emotions, influences consumer behavior and affects their decision-making process (Greene and Elffers 95).
The reputation of a business determines its brand loyalty in the market. As stated in the book, a business must guard its reputation. It must execute right activities that create a close relationship between it and customers. Advertisement and other marketing promotions are used to attract people’s attention. A good businessperson must effectively use adverts and other marketing strategies to make customers feel that their products are the best (Germain 8).
How a business presents itself to the prospects determines whether it will succeed in capturing huge market share. As stated in the sixth law, a business must strive to maintain conspicuousness at all times.
A good business leader should make customers depend on its products and services. Based on the eleventh law, a business must maintain independence by avoiding generic actions (Greene and Elffers 82). A good business leader must study the market in terms of its competitors and consumers’ specific needs. Consequently, the leader is able to develop unique management and operational strategies aimed at creating striking products and services.
A business that creates products and services that add unique values and experiences in the lives of people will make the customers depend on it (Davis 216). As a result, the business will attain a long-term brand loyalty in the market.
Competition in business presents many challenges. Every business will do its best to suppress potential competitors in order to remain a major player in the niche. In this context, a businessperson can use the fifteenth law against its key rivals. A good business leader should learn how to crush its major rivals to remain the best (Greene and Elffers 107). Through innovation and strategic research in production, marketing and distribution, a company is able to meet the specific needs of customers that its competitors have failed to fulfill. Customers are the source of the power behind the existence of any business. When they switch their attention to one brand, other businesses will collapse and quit the industry (Mandryk, Kori, and Calvert 147).
Literature
Literature is a broad subject that deals with writing as a way of conveying the message. These include writing novels, children’s stories, autobiographies, playbooks and poems among others. Writers use these literary works to communicate ideas to the society. There are thousands of texts written by different people across the world. However, the content and the manner in which a writer presents thoughts in the text will determine the popularity of the work (Mandryk, Kori, and Calvert 149). An author or a poet needs to apply some of the laws in order to succeed with their writings.
Writers’ ability is seen in their literary works. They are talented in writing and the only way to express their ideas is through the text contents. As stated in the twenty-third law, it is essential to concentrate forces at a point where they have the strongest ability (Green and Elffers 171). In this context, a good writer or a poet must have specific and clear concepts for the intended audience. No person is ready to waste time reading something that adds no value. Vivid explanation and ability to exhibit concepts in a critical manner determine the value of a literature work. For instances, talented novel writers arm themselves with literary tools and styles needed to augment the main idea they intend to communicate (Germain 12).
The best way to present concrete ideas in a literature work is by planning as stated in the twenty-ninth law (Greene and Elffers 236). A good writer or a poet must demonstrate the ability to plan ideas from the beginning to the end. That away, the audience is able to follow the synopses and accounts in order to develop deep understanding and appreciate the work. For instance, accounts in a novel are developed into a plot, conflict, climax, falling actions, and resolution.
All these stages must be planned effectively for the story to flow. An interesting story and playbook should employ the concept of unpredictability as stated in the seventeenth law. People will develop interests in a story with suspense at the beginning. A person will develop the urge to read more in order to find out what happens next after the suspense (Tzu 98).
History
History plays an important role in shaping the present and the future of a society. Economic, political, cultural and social aspects of the society depend on the history. The way a society was structured in the past determines its current activities (Sova et al. 3). For instance, feminists used literature, art, and media to fight gender discrimination and secure a space for women in the society.
The founders of feminism partially succeeded with their reform agendas. On the other hand, political reforms are historical events. To create new reforms that conform to the current socioeconomic and cultural demands, policymakers refer to the past amendments. The past reforms shape discussions that lead to the present changes. A good leader must understand the history of the society before developing policies (Davis 220).
The nineteenth law suggests the need to know the people one deals with in order to avoid offensive actions that might lead to destruction (Greene and Elffers 137). When leading people, it is important to understand them in order to give them the right things. History of a society determines their needs and dislikes. History provides the information about socioeconomic, political and cultural aspects of a society. Knowing people’s history helps in developing policies that would shape the future of a society. In addition, knowing opponents’ history in business or politics helps in understanding their behavioral patterns. That way, it is easier to develop an offensive attack with less risk involved (Tzu 112).
Work
A workplace is one of the environments where people seek for power and dominance. Different organizations give their employees opportunity to improve and get promotions. However, not all people are promoted even if they have outstanding skills. A person can apply some of the laws to achieve and maintain the highest job position in a workplace. Competition is an inevitable element at workplaces and rivalry always prevails.
A person who wants to ascend to the highest position in a company must understand the influence of the current boss. As illustrated in the first law, being smarter than the boss creates fear and insecurity. As a result, the boss may destroy one’s ambition of being the future boss (Davis 222).
Intelligent people will always conceal their intent to keep their rivals off-balance as they prepare a defense mechanism. When fighting for a leadership position in a company, it is advisable not to put too much trust on friends (Greene and Elffers 8). Friends are dangerous because they know both strengths and weaknesses of a person. They can utilize personal information to destroy one’s ambitions of leading them. Working with enemies is more advantageous because they do not have personal information. Friends can be potential rivals, especially when they have an interest in the same thing (Tzu 27).
Doing everything without engaging other people can cause downfall. It provides higher chances of making errors and taking blames. As stated in the seventh law, an intelligent person will get other people do the work but take the credit. Using people to achieve personal gains is the fastest way to ascend to power. For instance, experts might discover a sophisticated technology. They work in workshops and laboratories, which are background elements of a company. However, the success in their research is accredited to their manager for good leadership. The manager can use such opportunities to create a better chance of becoming the company’s managing director (Greene and Elffers 56).
Entertainment
Entertainment refers to an event, activity or performance designed with the aim of making people amused. Different artworks such as singing, dancing, sports, cinema, drama and literature can be used to entertain people. The main idea is to amuse the audience and the artist in question must know that (Mandryk, Kori and Calvert 152). An artist can apply some of the laws described by Greene and Elffers to provide excellent entertainments and become a star.
Being a star has much to do with followers who loves the artist’s work. It is because the artist provides their entertainment needs. The twenty-seventh law suggests that one should play with people’s needs in order to create a pool of followers (Greene and Elffers 215). Consequently, the people will believe in the artists as their best entertainer.
Doubts and tentativeness can cause an instant downfall of an artist. The audiences are not ready to watch or listen to imperfect actions during entertainment (Mandryk, Kori and Calvert 153). Courage and boldness, as explained in the twenty-eighth law, can help an artist to become a star. Nervousness exposes one’s weaknesses to the audience. It is easier to correct mistakes committed through courage without the audience’s notice. People admire bold and courageous artists.
The vigor with which they perform demonstrates the real meaning of entertainment. The concept of boldness can be seen in the message contained in the artwork. For a love song to entertain its audience, it must contain a strong message about love (Greene and Elffers 227).
It takes much time to train an artist before performing. Training sessions are conducted behind the curtain because of the challenges faced and errors made by the artists. Such incidences are the opposite case of a real entertainment (Mandryk, Kori and Calvert 155). The thirtieth law suggests that a perfect accomplishment should appear effortless. The law plays an important role in the entertainment industry. An effortless performance does not only entertain but also amaze the audience. After a long time of trial and errors during training, an artist’s actions must seem natural when entertaining people. The ease with which the artist executes actions determines the people’s love for the artwork (Greene and Elffers 245).
Parents
Parents perform the pivotal roles in a person’s development from childhood to adulthood through adolescence stage. They feed, educate and teach children the norms and values of the society. Parents should have power over children to ensure they grow up according to the family values. Children should be the subjects of their parents. However, children often rebel against their parents (Tzu198). The forty-third law suggests that a person should work on the hearts and minds of other people.
Parents can apply the law in order to control their children. Instead of coercing the children, parents should use seductive language to lure their children into the right path. To achieve this goal, they must study the children’s weaknesses and play with their psychology. Consequently, a child will follow parents’ directives without realizing (Davis 226).
To succeed, parents can also apply the forty-eighth law by assuming formlessness. Dealing with children involves vital challenges for parents. Children may challenge their parents after discovering their intended plans. To be safe, parents must not reveal their intents to children (Greene and Elffers 419).
Tzu shares the same ideas when he argues that leaders should be flexible and accept the fact that no rule is permanent. Situations change and circumstances need unique solutions. Adjustment is the key concept needed to achieve the best outcomes (312). Taking a firm stand and developing strict rules give the children a room to create deceitful to avoid the rules.
Power is a limited aspect but a resourceful element in all human societies across the world. In every context within a society, people fight for power. They apply different strategies and tricks to defeat their rivals. Since time immemorial, individuals have been competing for power in politics, business, art, and entertainment among other social fields. Among the forty-eight laws developed by Greene and Elffers, some of them are impractical. For instance, the tenth law creates a sense of discrimination in the society. On the other hand, the twentieth law discourages collective responsibility and team building, which is achieved through commitment and interdependence. In conclusion, most of the forty-eight laws of power are applicable in various instances.
Works Cited
Davis, Diana. “Political Economy, Power, and the Erasure of Pastoralist Indigenous Knowledge in the Maghreb and Afghanistan.” Ethnic and Cultural Dimensions of Knowledge and Space 4.2 (2016): 211-228. Print.
Dikos, George. “Collaborative Web-based Financial Communities: Value and Risks.” International Journal of Web Based Communities 12.1 (2016): 84-90. Print.
Germain, Randall. “Robert W. Cox and the Idea of History: Political Economy as Philosophy.” Globalizations 1.1 (2016): 1-15. Web.
Greene, Robert and Joost Elffers. The 48 Laws of Power. New York: Penguin, 2000. Print.
Mandryk, Regan, Kori Inkpen, and Thomas Calvert. “Using Psychophysiological Techniques to Measure User Experience with Entertainment Technologies.” Behaviour & Information Technology 25.2 (2006): 141-158. Print.
Sova, Chase , Thomas Thornton, Robert Zougmore, Ariella Helfgott, and Abrar Chaudhury. “Power and Influence Mapping in Ghana’s Agricultural Adaptation Policy Regime.” Climate and Development 1.1 (2016): 1-16. Print.
Tzu, Sun. The Art of War. London: Oxford UP, 1971. Print.