the 48 laws of cowards

OK, here is my take on the 48 Laws of power. As you see, some of these I agree with and many I take issue with. My point is to help you avoid unnecessary pressure and conflict with people. To accomplish in this world you can use your "powers for good," as Janelle Monae says. Only a coward seeks to drain another for personal gain. It is this type of thinking that okays institutionalized slavery, sweat shopping, and imperealism. There are worse things than being powerful, of course. But, to lust for power and to gain by manipulating others comes without grace and admiration. It is my belief that its about how many people you take with you...how many you help along the way that counts. Keep your bridges unburned and use your powers for good.


1. Cowards neglect the True Master's desire for personal Mastery
2. Cowards neglect the element of choice in friends; why even have enemies?
3. Cowards are morally embarassed by their intentions
4. Cowards lack the honor of verbal honesty
5. Cowards forget that reputations fluctuate, there are no absolutes or perfect people
6. Cowards must always be the center of attention
7. Cowards don't work for themselves and expect credit
8. Cowards are incapable of debate, they lack firm ideals
9. Immunity: Cowards fear bad days and sorrowful people
10. Learn that we are all dependent on each other
11. co dependence promotes social balance
12. Honesty is the best policy
13. Help is human
14. Cowards mask leverage as trust
15. :c)
16. Cowards neglect omnipresence
17. Cowards use fear to induce acceptence of occasional charity
18. Cowards leech
19. Cowards define themselves by other's perceptions
20. Cowards avert unity
21. Cowards concel viable gifts
22. The enemy of the coward is never converted
23. Cowards align not in Oness
24. Cowards are real-life actors
25. Cowards lack core values
26. Cowards' work requires extensive clean-up.
27. Cowards require idle worshipers
28. :c)
29. :c)
30. :c) (Let your hard work be celebrared)
31. Cowards way is control
32. Cowards play with people's emotions
33. Cowards court torture
34. Cowards know not that they are Royal
35. Cowards know not of Time
36. Cowards are stricken with sour grapes and act aloof
37. Cowards enjoy creating drama
38. Cowards wear The Mask
39. Cowards use drama as a trap
40. :c) yet, Cowards confuse offerings
41. Cowards seek not of lasting greatness
42. Cowards expect dependent opposition
43. See Law 32
44. The coward excitedly exposes flaws in others
45. Most politicians are cowards and visa versa
46. :c) Cowards shine not for the people
47. :c)
48. Assume ignorance

Law 1 Never Outshine the Master
Law 2 Never put too Much Trust in Friends, Learn how to use Enemies
Law 3 Conceal your Intentions
Law 4 Always Say Less than Necessary
Law 5 So Much Depends on Reputation – Guard it with your Life
Law 6 Court Attention at all Cost
Law 7 Get others to do the Work for you, but Always Take the Credit
Law 8 Make other People come to you – use Bait if Necessary
Law 9 Win through your Actions, Never through Argument
Law 10 Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky
Law 11 Learn to Keep People Dependent on You
Law 12 Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm your Victim
Law 13 When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s Self-Interest, Never to their Mercy or Gratitude
Law 14 Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy
Law 15 Crush your Enemy Totally
Law 16 Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor
Law 17 Keep Others in Suspended Terror: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability
Law 18 Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself – Isolation is Dangerous
Law 19 Know Who You’re Dealing with – Do Not Offend the Wrong Person
Law 20 Do Not Commit to Anyone
Law 21 Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker – Seem Dumber than your Mark
Law 22 Use the Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power
Law 23 Concentrate Your Forces
Law 24 Play the Perfect Courtier
Law 25 Re-Create Yourself
Law 26 Keep Your Hands Clean
Law 27 Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cultlike Following
Law 28 Enter Action with Boldness
Law 29 Plan All the Way to the End
Law 30 Make your Accomplishments Seem Effortless
Law 31 Control the Options: Get Others to Play with the Cards you Deal
Law 32 Play to People’s Fantasies
Law 33 Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew
Law 34 Be Royal in your Own Fashion: Act like a King to be treated like one
Law 35 Master the Art of Timing
Law 36 Disdain Things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best Revenge
Law 37 Create Compelling Spectacles
Law 38 Think as you like but Behave like others
Law 39 Stir up Waters to Catch Fish
Law 40 Despise the Free Lunch
Law 41 Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes
Law 42 Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep will Scatter
Law 43 Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others
Law 44 Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect
Law 45 Preach the Need for Change, but Never Reform too much at Once
Law 46 Never appear too Perfect
Law 47 Do not go Past the Mark you Aimed for; In Victory, Learn when to Stop
Law 48 Assume Formlessness