48 Laws of Power - Law 14: Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy
In my years as king, I have learned that armies win battles, but information wins wars. A sword can only reach so far. But knowing what your enemy is planning, what your ally truly wants, and what your advisor fears that knowledge reaches everywhere. It protects you before danger arrives. It gives you power before you even enter the room. This is the wisdom behind the fourteenth law of power: Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy. What This Law Teaches The law is simple. People lower their guard around friends. When someone feels comfortable, they speak freely. They share their frustrations, their ambitions, their secrets, and their fears not because they are foolish, but because it is human nature to open up when you feel safe. The wise person understands this. While others talk, they listen. While others reveal, they observe. They use the warmth of friendship and casual conversation to gather the most valuable currency in any court: information. Robert Greene says it clearly kno...