Law 18 Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself – Isolation Is Dangerous Think you're safe hidden away behind those walls, excuses, or personal assistants? Think again: isolation and being hidden from view will be your undoing. This week we guide you through Law 18 and discuss how to bring the public to you; how introverts can still practise this Law effectively; what lessons we can learn from history's great (and not so great) leaders... and why this Law doesn't actually contradict Law 16: Use Absence To Increase Respect And Honor. Law 18 is also, at its core, all about networking, but, we'll explain, when done properly, this doesn't have to be weird and icky. This Law throws up some tense reflections from Dre as he considers what it means for anyone who, like him, works from home (although they, unlike him, we discover, probably didn't invent their own alphabet at age 14). We also explore how to create social power out of nowhere, share perhaps the most terrifying, nightmare-inducing story ever created, and advise you not to invade Russia in winter. FULL NOTES: http://voicesinthedark.world/2016/10/03/do-not-build-for…power-episode-18/ This Episode includes: Finding the balance: when to be more and when to be less visible Lessons from the dictators – did Hitler and Stalin transgress this Law? The dangers of overestimating our productivity and refusing to go out and take breaks The ultimate power games at court: Louis XIV's Versailles If you keep yourself in a container, you lose the ability to flow; you become shaped by the container and lose your power Reaching out and being sociable isn't good in itself – remember to be discerning Creating a new personality to gain social power Why this Law is actually all about networking... but that doesn't have to be a dirty word The need for both order and chaos in our lives The times when you do need to find some solitude Mentioned in the Episode: Clearing up the Chinese history question: This Law features Ch'in Shih Huang Ti, who was the very first Emperor of China, and was of the Qin dynasty. Liu Pang from Law 15 would crown himself Emperor, taking the name Han- Kao-tsu, and was the first emperor of the Han dynasty, which came later (apologies for inconsistent transliteration – I have no idea how it works for Chinese!). The incredible Team America movie The TV show, Versailles The right kind of isolation: the float tank! Join us as we continue our 48 Laws of Power review, exploring Robert Greene's provocative and compelling book, in which he lays bare the history, practice, psychology, and philosophies of power that ultimately shape all human relations. Often seen as a handbook for the 'modern Machiavelli', we take a closer look, beyond the hyperbole, and discuss how understanding and implementing these Laws can actually enrich your life personally, professionally and spiritually. Jon and Dre aim to get to the heart of each of the Laws, grapple with their sometimes disturbingly amoral nature, and discuss what the Laws mean in everyday life (often revealing their own experiences – good and bad – when they've either observed or transgressed them).

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