This article explores Law 32, Play To People’s Fantasies, from the 48 Laws of Power book. Life can be rough; sometimes, we just want to escape for a while. But you know what? Facing the truth and reality can be a downer. The truth can be like an unwelcome surprise, and reality isn’t always a walk in the park. When we finally see things as they are, it can leave us disappointed and angry.
That’s where this blog post comes in. It’s here to show you how amazing it can be to create romance and fantasies so you can increase your power and influence.
Law 32: Play To People’s Fantasies
The truth is often avoided because it is ugly and unpleasant. Never appeal to truth and reality unless you are prepared for the anger that comes from disenchantment. Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them. There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses.
Robert Greene
Key Insights
Finding Fantasy in Everyday Life
What if you can turn a dull, not-so-fun life into an awesome, dreamy one? Sounds cool, right? Well, the trick is to find those hidden dreams that are hiding in our everyday lives.
Don’t get distracted by fancy pictures or people showing off their perfect lives on social media. The real magic happens when you look deeper and find what’s holding them back. That’s where your power comes in.
Once you figure out what’s keeping people stuck, you’ve got the key to some serious power. Even as things change and people grow, some problems stick around. Let’s check out a few of them and the chances they give you to unlock your inner magician:
Same Old Routine: The boring stuff we do daily ties us down. But it also holds the desire for excitement. When you help people live their dreams, you become a leader.
Feeling Pressured: Sometimes, everyone wants us to be the same. But we all have our own cool ideas. When you let people be themselves, you can start a significant movement.
When you’re after power, remember it’s not about looking fancy or extraordinary. It’s about setting people free to follow their hidden dreams. Once you understand this, the world becomes your playground of dreams.
Don’t Think Fantasy Is Always Wild and Crazy
Fantasy isn’t always about the extraordinary. Sure, it’s different from the real world, but sometimes, reality can be dramatic and fancy. In those moments, fantasy can be a yearning for simpler things.
Let me give you an example: Abraham Lincoln, the guy with the beard who was the US President. He made an image of himself as just a regular country lawyer. This made people see him as a president for the ordinary folks, someone relatable and down-to-earth.
Real Life vs. Dream World: Change Takes Time
The Reality: Change isn’t like a lightning bolt, folks. It takes time, sweat, a bit of good fortune, and some sacrifices. You’ll need to roll up your sleeves and put in the effort.
The Fantasy: A sudden transformation will bring a total change in one’s fortunes, bypassing work, luck, self-sacrifice, and time in one fantastic stroke.
Let’s talk about those people who promise you the moon and the stars without breaking a sweat. They’re the kings and queens of fantasy who’ve been around for ages.
They say they can change your life in the blink of an eye – from being broke to swimming in riches, from sickness to perfect health, and from misery to pure ecstasy. It’s a pitch that’s hard to resist.
Back in the 16th century, there was a German fellow named Leonhard Thumeisser. He didn’t bother with medical school or studying medicine, but guess what? He became the royal doctor for the Elector of Brandenburg!
How? Instead of offering painful treatments like amputations or foul-tasting potions (common back then), Thumeisser served up sweet-tasting elixirs and promised folks they’d be back on their feet in no time.
People couldn’t get enough of his “drinkable gold” solution, even though it cost a small fortune. It was all the rage among fancy courtiers. If you felt sick and had no clue what was wrong, Thumeisser would check the stars and give you a lucky charm. Who could say no to that? It was the fantasy of a lifetime – good health and happiness without pain or sacrifice.
Thumeisser knew how to sell a dream, and people fell for hook, line, and sinker. After all, who wouldn’t want to skip the hard work and suffering and jump straight into a life of luxury and well-being?
Looking for Adventure: The Desire for Something Different
The Reality: The social realm has its rules and boundaries. We all know ’em, and we play by ’em day in, day out. It’s like sticking to your usual crew and routine; it’s comfy and familiar.
The Fantasy: We can enter a new world with a new set of codes, promising endless adventure and excitement. It’s like stepping into a different dimension where anything is possible.
So, who’s this guy? He told everyone he came from a far-off place called Formosa, now Taiwan, near China. Oxford University even hired him to teach the Formosan language.
A few years later, Psalmanazar did something even more incredible. He translated the Bible into Formosan and wrote a book about Formosa’s history and geography. His stories about his homeland and its strange customs fascinated people, including fancy and regular folks.
But here’s the surprising part! When Psalmanazar passed away, his will revealed a big secret. He wasn’t really from Formosa at all. Nope, he was just a French guy with a very wild imagination. He made up everything about Formosa, like how they talk and what they do.
He used the fact that English people didn’t know much about Formosa to tell them a fascinating story they liked. British society had strict rules in those days, making it the perfect place for his made-up stories.
There’s another kind of fantasy about exotic things – it’s just wanting to escape from being bored. Some people trick others like to use the fact that work can be boring. They might make up stories about finding lost treasure, doing exciting things with an interesting person from Mexico, or having connections to important people in South America. It’s all about offering a way to get away from everyday life.
The Dream of Unity: Imagining a World of Togetherness
The Reality: Society is fragmented and full of conflict.
The Fantasy: People can come together in a mystical union of souls.
Imagine you’re in London in the early 1700s, and everyone buzzes about a stranger named George Psalmanazar.
Back in the roaring 1920s, there was a con artist extraordinaire named Oscar Hartzell, and boy, did he cook up a scheme that would make your head spin. He pulled off a classic swindle, and here’s the scoop:
Hartzell promised anyone with the last name “Drake” a juicy chunk of the long-lost “Drake treasure.” And who held the key to this treasure chest? Yep, you got it – Hartzell claimed he had access to it!
Now, let me tell you, folks across the Midwest fell for this scam hook, line, and sinker. Hartzell wasn’t just taking their money; he was turning it into a full-blown crusade! He accused the government and anyone else within shouting distance of trying to keep the Drake fortune away from its true heirs.
But here’s where it gets fascinating – people with the last name “Drake” started forming a mystical club. They held emotional rallies and meetings, united by the dream of reclaiming their supposed treasure. Hartzell had effectively created a magical union of the ‘oppressed Drakes.’
Promising unity like this can pump up your influence, but it’s a double-edged sword. That kind of power can quickly turn against you, and it’s a fantasy that demagogues love to play with – those charismatic figures who manipulate the masses.
Death Is NOT Permanent
The Reality: Death is a part of life that’s tough to swallow. We can’t bring back the departed, and no amount of wishing can rewrite the past. It’s a hard-hitting fact we all must face.
The Fantasy: Imagine a world where death isn’t the end, where the past can be rewritten in an incredible twist of fate! It’s like a mind-bending reversal of the ultimate truth!
This trick is like a super-smart magic trick. You see, people have always loved beautiful paintings, especially ones by an artist named Vermeer. But Vermeer’s paintings are scarce, like finding a diamond in the desert. But then, something strange happened in the 1930s.
Paintings that looked like Vermeer’s started showing up for sale. Imagine everyone’s surprise! Art experts who know all about paintings said these new paintings were the real deal, like finding buried treasure.
But here’s the tricky part: It turned out that these “real” Vermeer paintings were made by a Dutch artist named Han van Meegeren. And why did he pick Vermeer? Because he understood something important about what people want to believe. People wanted these paintings to be real, so they saw what they wanted to see.
This story shows how powerful imagination can be. Sometimes, we see things that aren’t there because we want to believe in them. It’s like magic but in the real world!
The Secret to Fantasy: Keep It Just Out of Reach
Fantasy is like a dream that’s a little far away. It looks simple and trouble-free, which makes it so appealing. So, when you offer someone a fantasy, you don’t want it to be too close, like an everyday thing.
Instead, it’s like a beautiful dream that stays far away, like a shiny mirage in the desert. It’s full of promise, but you can’t quite touch it. You shouldn’t talk about the fantasy too directly; instead, keep it mysterious, like a secret.
As the person creating these fantasies, you want the other person to get close enough to be interested but not so close that they stop dreaming about it. It’s like a dance between what’s real and what’s in their imagination.
Why Lies Can Be More Fun Than the Truth
A lie is a story you make up that can be turned into a dream. You can dress it up in fancy ideas, and it becomes like a magical tale. Now, the truth, on the other hand, is plain facts, not so easy to swallow. Lies are much easier to digest; they taste better.
Have you ever noticed that people don’t really like someone who always tells the truth and never adds excitement to their stories? They can be boring. It is much more fascinating and rewarding to tell stories and make things sound better than just sticking to the truth. It’s like adding a bit of spice to life.
The Peril of Playing with People’s Fantasies
If you can make people dream big dreams, it gives you some real power. But here’s the catch: It’s like walking on a tightrope. You see, fantasy often has a playful side to it. People know they’re being tricked, but they enjoy the game anyway. They love the show and the break from their regular, everyday lives that you’re giving them.
So, here’s the trick: Don’t get too close to the point where you’re expected to deliver actual results. That place can be super risky. It’s like a tightrope walker getting too close to the edge; it could end up dangerous.
The key is keeping the dream alive and the people entertained without entering the danger zone. It’s all about finding that sweet spot where the magic happens without going haywire.