Okay a lot of people here are good with self-improvement and such but are lacking when it comes to seizing power and influencing others by exerting power. On the same token those same people are defenseless against those with this knowledge. If you're new to the red pill and have been lifting and working on your game etc. but it still feels like you don't fully "get it" the reason is probably because you don't know how to bargain for power...so if this sounds like you please continue reading because this knowledge can make you a more effective person.

Power

Power comes in many forms. For the general red pill proposes power is most often understood as influence And control. Two things can be influenced and controlled, behavior and thinking. Behavior is decisions and actions, it directly creates change in reality; thinking is rational faculties memory, values beliefs and attitudes. Thinking governs behavior but does not directly create change in reality. Only behavior can create change.

If you want to force a specific outcome when dealing with others, you must be able to influence or control their behavior. In order to do this you must have leverage.

Leverage

Leverage is the currency of power. There are two kinds of leverage, violence and knowledge. Violence is straight forward. It is universally respected in the animal kingdom. It is a deciding factor. Knowledge however is exculsively anthropocentric which means that only humans are capable of leveraging knowledge to any significant effect. Knowledge is what has allowed us to dominate the animal world. If we strictly relied on violence then we would be dominated by the other apex predators.

Threats

Threats are either passive or active. A passive threat is mute or implicit, for example if you were in a room full of UFC fighters there would exist the passive threat of violence. Active threats however are explicit, for example threatening to tattletale on your sibling for stealing a cookie if they don't also get one for you.

In order for a threat to be valid it must be supported by leverage. The one issuing the threat must have either a greater capacity for violence or greater knowledge than his target. The caveat is when the issuer is perceived to have leverage, which is called bluffing.

Violence or the threat of violence should be used in situations where differences in knowlege are irrelevant. If you need to intimidate an unruly beta or protect a loved one from someone else then violence is good leverage. Just be sure to maintain plausible deniability and never openly threaten a woman, child, or anyone with greater leverage with violence. The benefit of being violent or perceived as violent is that it is passively threatening which is attractive to women on a primal level.

Knowledge should be leveraged in "civil" circumstances where violence is not an option. A good example that is frequently mentioned in the red pill is exerting dread in a relationship. Often what makes knowledge leverage effective is not actual knowledge, but the target's lack of knowledge. This is why dread is a good example...take an extra hour or two to come home from work a few days a week, spend more time in the gym away from your partner...they will suffer from unknowns. Knowledge can also be used as blackmail, just don't blackmail anyone with greater leverage unless you are one helluva good bluff.

Defense

So how do you defend yourself against threats?

First learn how to identify a bluff. If you are in a power bargaining situation the first question you should always ask yourself is "how violent can this person become, can they recruit others to be violent against me as well?" Dont make assumptions about anyone's capabilities, but know that 99/100 times if someone is violent and they actively threaten you they are not bluffing.

Knowledge is harder to discern because usually you need to know how much the other person knows, or at least what they suspect. You must also have a good idea of how much they think you know. As a general principle you should never divulge too much knowledge about yourself or your intentions because it can be used against you. Again, remember that your target's lack of knowledge is powerful leverage. Don't say shit if you have nothing to gain from it.

Conclusion

Violence or the threat of violence and knwoedge are tools that can be leveraged to influence and control others. Whether it is to advance to a higher role in the pecking order at work or to increase attraction from a plate is up to you. Once you are able to bargain for power effectively you will notice others who can do the same, and that's where the fun begins. Just don't extend beyond your capabilities or you will get played, also don't be melodramatic or overly attached to any moral ideologies. The ego is a limiting factor for those who seek power.