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The 48 Laws of Power Law 21 "PLAY A SUCKER TO CATCH A SUCKER—--SEEM DUMBER THAN YOUR MARK". By Robert Greene

 


LAW 21 

PLAY A SUCKER TO CATCH A SUCKER--SEEM DUMBER THAN YOUR MARK 

No one likes feeling stupider than the next person. The trick, then, is to make your victims feel smart--and not just smart, but smarter than you are. Once convinced of this, they will never suspect that you may have ulterior motives.

This law emphasizes the importance of appearing less intelligent or knowledgeable than your target, in order to gain their trust and exploit their weaknesses. The idea is that if you can make your target feel superior, they will be more likely to let their guard down and reveal information or make mistakes that you can use to your advantage.

However, the book also warns against taking this tactic too far, as it can backfire if you appear too foolish or incompetent. The key is to strike a balance between appearing vulnerable and appearing competent.

Overall, the main lesson of this law is that in order to gain power, you must be willing to use deception and manipulation to your advantage. While this may seem unethical, the book argues that it is a necessary skill for anyone who wants to succeed in the competitive world of business and politics. 

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