Welcome to MALICIA AS A GAME OF POWER. This blog series aims to delve deep into the realm of Strategy. Throughout the series, we will explore various aspects of dealing with certain people, offering insights on effective communication, conflict resolution, and building meaningful connections. Additionally, we will provide valuable tips on avoiding scammers, protecting oneself from online fraud, and maintaining a secure online presence.
Navigating the world we live in can be challenging. In this series, we will share practical guidance on making informed decisions, embracing opportunities, and overcoming obstacles on the path to success. Whether it’s negotiation, identifying manipulation, or honing leadership skills, this series will equip you with the knowledge to thrive in interpersonal dynamics and strategic decision-making. We will also explore personal branding, self-presentation, and managing online reputation, empowering you to craft a compelling image in today’s digital world. Join us as we unravel the complexities of power dynamics and relations, arming you with the expertise to emerge victorious in your pursuits.
In this installment, we will explore the 13th law of power in the book, the 48 laws of power by Robert Greene. You can but a copy by clicking HERE.
LAW 13 APPEAL TO PEOPLES SELF INTEREST:
This principle highlights the importance of understanding that individuals are often motivated by their own interests and desires, rather than altruistic intentions. When seeking assistance, it is vital to frame your request in a manner that aligns with the other person’s personal goals or benefits. By effectively demonstrating how your needs can overlap with what they stand to gain, you can create a compelling argument that resonates with their motivations. This approach not only increases the likelihood of receiving support but also fosters a sense of collaboration and mutual benefit. Additionally, it encourages the building of stronger relationships, as both parties feel validated and understood. Being attentive to the other person’s ambitions and values can further enhance your ability to tailor your message, making it more persuasive and relevant to their situation. Ultimately, recognizing and appealing to individual interests is a powerful strategy that can lead to successful outcomes in requests for assistance.
This strategic approach not only increases the likelihood of receiving the help you require but also fosters a mutually beneficial relationship, where both parties feel valued and understood. By establishing a clear understanding of each other’s needs and expectations, you create an atmosphere of trust and cooperation that can significantly enhance the quality of interactions. Remember, appealing to self-interest is not merely about exploitation; it’s about recognizing the inherent motivations that drive action, which can lead to fruitful collaborations. Such collaborations are built on empathy and respect, ultimately allowing both sides to thrive as they work together towards common goals. When parties genuinely acknowledge each other’s perspectives, they pave the way for innovative solutions and shared success that can benefit everyone involved in the long run.
The 13th Law of Power: A Capoeirista’s Perspective on Manobra and Malandragem
The title, “The 13th Law of Power through the eyes of an angoleiro,” proposes a fascinating and deeply layered exploration. It suggests a philosophical reinterpretation of the conventional laws of power, as often presented in popular literature, filtered through the specific lens of Capoeira Angola.
The Angoleiro’s World: Power Beyond the Obvious
An angoleiro is a practitioner of Capoeira Angola, the traditional, more grounded, and ritualistic form of the Afro-Brazilian art. Unlike the flashier, more acrobatic Regional style, Angola is characterized by low, deceptive movements, strategic pauses, and a heavy reliance on malícia (malice, cunning, or street smarts). The angoleiro operates in the chão (the ground), where every movement is a question and every response is a calculated risk. For this practitioner, power is rarely brute force; it is the art of strategic positioning and psychological warfare within the roda (the Capoeira circle).
Reimagining the 13th Law: The Art of the Manobra
While classical texts on power often focus on grand, theatrical gestures, the angoleiro‘s “13th Law” is intrinsically linked to the concept of manobra.
Manobra (Maneuver, Tactic, Strategic Move): In Capoeira, a manobra is a deceptive move—a feint that sets up a decisive blow, a low sweep that appears to be a defensive position, or a sudden, explosive change in tempo. It is the ability to control the opponent’s perception of reality.
The Angoleiro’s 13th Law of Power: Control Perception, Not Just Position.
The elaboration of this law can be seen in three core tenets:
- The Law of the Feint (The Psychological Manobra): A strong angoleiro rarely shows their true intention. The power lies in making the opponent believe a slow, low game is passive, only to explode with a sudden rasteira (sweep) or cabeçada (headbutt). Applied to life, this law suggests that true power is held by the person who can guide a rival’s assumptions and expectations, making them overcommit to a false reality. By controlling the opponent’s mind, the angoleiro has already won the physical engagement.
- The Law of Malandragem (The Power of Cunning): Malandragem is perhaps the most defining characteristic of the angoleiro. It is not malevolence, but a survival instinct—a blend of street smarts, charm, and strategic trickery. It is the ability to turn a perceived weakness into a strength, to use humor and singing to disarm, and to hide sophisticated skill beneath an air of casual laziness. This law teaches that formal authority and overt strength are often brittle. Lasting power resides in flexibility, wit, and the ability to navigate complex social spaces without ever being fully pinned down or defined. The malandro is the master of improvisation and adaptation.
- The Law of the Vadiagem (The Power of Strategic Leisure): The vadiagem is the idea of “playing around” or “loitering” that defines the Capoeira game. The angoleiro who is vadiando appears relaxed, even lazy, yet remains entirely alert and centered. This is the power of conservation. It teaches that excessive, overt effort is often a waste of energy and a signal of desperation. The true master conserves their force, waiting for the one, perfect moment to strike. In power dynamics, this translates to the wisdom of patience, allowing a situation to ripen or an opponent to exhaust themselves, rather than rushing into an unnecessary confrontation.
Conclusion: The Grounded Authority
The angoleiro‘s interpretation of the 13th Law of Power transcends the often cold, grand architecture of Machiavellian philosophy, pulling it away from the courts of princes and grounding it firmly in the gritty, essential struggle of life as played out in the roda and the streets. It is a philosophy of authority that is not inherited, bought, or bestowed through an arbitrary title, but one that is forged in the crucible of continuous engagement. True power, in this view, is derived from three interconnected sources: deep, embodied knowledge (saber), psychological insight into an opponent’s motivations and fears, and the strategic mastery of one’s own appearance and tempo—the ability to be simultaneously present and elusive.
Power, then, is not a static state of being but the continuous, low-to-the-ground jogo (game)—a perpetual, intricate dance where the stakes are genuine and the consequences immediate. Survival and dominance in this arena are secured not by brute force, but by cunning manobra (maneuver) and the authentic, streetwise wisdom encapsulated in malandragem. This concept of malandragem is key; it signifies a rogue intelligence, a skillful blend of charm, opportunism, and strategic unpredictability that allows the practitioner to navigate and exploit the rigidities and expectations of the social and physical environment. The angoleiro does not seek to overwhelm; he seeks to outlast, outthink, and ultimately, to define the rhythm of the engagement, making his opponent’s strength his own fatigue.
Jogo Corpo Fechado 