• Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation and Law 6: Court Attention at all Cost go hand-in-hand. Use a random quirk or scandal to draw attention to you, and act in a way which will give you a certain reputation.

Example: It is frequently talked about how Leonardo Di Caprio never wins any Oscars. This is not uncommon (Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise) but this draws more attention to this and his projects which profit. It also reinforces a reputation as a great actor.

Example: Hanniball Burress unintentionally drawn attention to himself through attacking Bill Cosby's rape allegations. 'Attack The Sensational/Scandalous' This increased his power and profit, and has given him a reputation as a comedian.

  • If you have a goal or project, say it with confidence. (Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness, Law 32: Play to People’s Fantasies, Law 27: Play on People’s Need to Believe) but if you fail, just don't talk about it but if someone mentions it to you simply act like you didn't want it. Like you realise you didn't want the prize. (Law 36: Disdain things you cannot have, Ignoring them is the best revenge)

Example: Donald Trump doesn't say "If I get president, we could make America great again." He says "We're going to make this country great again." We are all insecure inside and don't actually know what we're doing, so we follow the bold who act like they know what they're doing.

  • If you have a shortcoming, simply don't bring it up. Most won't notice. If you bring it up, EVERYONE will notice. (Law 36: Ignoring them is the best revenge, Law 26: Keep Your Hands Clean) The only time you can bring it up is when you're seen as really competent, and need to appear more human. (Law 46 Never Appear Too Perfect)

  • You cannot use logic to make a person feel better about a punishment or something at someone's expense. Taxes and rent logically make sense because they keep society functioning, but everyone hates them. If you need to do an unpleasant task, it is better to have a cat's paw. (Law 26: Keep Your Hands Clean, Law 13: Asking for Help Appeal to People's Self Interest)

  • People like people who make them feel good, and remind them of their good traits and pleasant traits about life. We particularly like to feel superior to others. Disagreement makes people feel like their thinking is being insulted, and seeing people do better than them makes a person feel envious. We like people who make us feel good and dislike people who make us feel bad, regardless of intention. (Law 1: Never Outshine The Master, Law 9: Win Through Your Actions - Not Argument, Law 24: Play the Perfect Courtier, Law 32: Play to People’s Fantasies, Law 38: Think as you like, but behave like others)

  • Use mystery and unpredictability to frighten your enemies, but use predictability and a pleasant character to please your friends and allies. (Law 17: Cultivate an air of Unpredictability)

  • Appear to believe the ideology of a group and follow their customs such as in Law 38, but use a personality quirk and a crafted reputation to distinguish yourself from others. (Law 38: Think as you like, but behave like others, Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation, Law 6: Court Attention at all Cost) Please your superiors and stand out, and they will be more likely to select you to move up. It is important not to court too much attention though or you will make your superiors envious which will limit your power.

  • No good comes from stating flaws in the group's ideology or harsh truths unless you are in an unassailable position of power.

  • We like people who make us feel good and dislike people who make us feel bad, regardless of how well-meaning the intention is.

  • Morality is subjective. Bend it to your will. An overthrowing is actually an underhanded popularity contest. If you plan on overthrowing someone, work on the heart and minds of others, poke holes in the reputation of said person and overthrow them when enough frustration pents up against them. Make mountains out of molehills. More often than not, the person overthrowing the other is the crafty Machiavellian overthrowing the well-meaning individual. They will use what the group values to make the person overthrown to look incompetent, even evil because it defies the group's values while you exaggerate what you have in common with the group.

  • Of course, to avoid this happening to you you need connections everywhere and to banish the person trying to defy you. (Law 18: Isolation is Dangerous, Law 42: Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep Will Scatter) Make mountains out of molehills. Find a bullshit excuse which coincides with the group's values to remove them. (Law 38: Think as you like, but behave like others)

I feel like such a social retard because these were all realisations which came to me after reading the 48 Laws. A lot of my past experiences have made no sense until reading this and the 33 Strategies of War.