There are many different kinds of people in the world, and you can never assume that everyone will react to your strategies in the same way. Deceive or outmaneuver some people and they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge.
greene, robert. The 48 Laws of Power.
Choose your victims and opponents carefully, then—never offend or deceive the wrong person.
GREENE, ROBERT. THE 48 LAWS OF POWER.
The Hopelessly Insecure Man … the proud and arrogant type, but is less violent and harder to spot. His ego is fragile … if he feels himself deceived or attacked … He will attack you in bites that will take forever to get big enough for you to notice. If you find you have deceived or harmed such man, disappear for a long time. Do not stay around him or he will nibble you to death
GREENE, ROBERT. THE 48 LAWS OF POWER.
Mr. Suspicion … He sees what he wants to see—usually the worst—in other people, and imagines that everyone is after him. Mr. Suspicion is … the least dangerous … he is easy to deceive … Play on his suspicious nature to get him to turn against other people. But if you do become the target of his suspicions, watch out.
GREENE, ROBERT. THE 48 LAWS OF POWER.
The Serpent with a Long Memory. If hurt or deceived, this man will show no anger on the surface; he will calculate and wait. Then, when he is in a position to turn the tables, he will exact a revenge marked by a cold-blooded shrewdness. Recognize this man by his calculation and cunning in the different areas of his life. He is usually cold and unaffectionate. Be doubly careful of this snake, and if you have somehow injured him, either crush him completely or get him out of your sight.
GREENE, ROBERT. THE 48 LAWS OF POWER.
The Plain, Unassuming, and Often Unintelligent Man … this man is a lot harder to deceive than you imagine. Falling for a ruse often takes intelligence and imagination—a sense of the possible rewards. The blunt man will not take the bait because he does not recognize it. He is that unaware. The danger with this man is not that he will harm you or seek revenge, but merely that he will waste your time, energy, resources, and even your sanity in trying to deceive him. Have a test ready for a mark—a joke, a story. If his reaction is utterly literal, this is the type you are dealing with. Continue at your own risk.
GREENE, ROBERT. THE 48 LAWS OF POWER.
The ability to measure people and to know who you’re dealing with is the most important skill of all in gathering and conserving power. Without it you are blind: Not only will you offend the wrong people, you will choose the wrong types to work on, and will think you are flattering people when you are actually insulting them. Before embarking on any move, take the measure of your mark or potential opponent. Otherwise you will waste time and make mistakes.
GREENE, ROBERT. THE 48 LAWS OF POWER.