Welcome to MALICIA AS A GAME OF POWER, a blog series that explores strategy in interactions, focusing on effective communication, conflict resolution, and building connections. It covers topics like negotiation techniques, manipulation tactics, leadership skills, personal branding, and online reputation management to equip you with tools for navigating power dynamics and achieving success in social and professional settings.
In this installment, we will explore the 20th law of power in the book, the 48 laws of power by Robert Greene. You can but a copy by clicking HERE.
LAW 20 PART 1: DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYONE
DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYONE, as relationships can often lead to complications that may hinder personal growth and freedom. It is essential to focus on your own goals and aspirations, allowing yourself the space to explore new opportunities without being tied down. This journey of self-discovery not only empowers you but also cultivates resilience, enabling you to navigate life’s challenges with confidence.
By prioritizing your independence, you can develop a stronger sense of self and make decisions that truly align with your values and desires, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling life experience. Embracing your individuality can open doors to vast experiences, enriching your life in ways that relationships may sometimes overshadow, allowing you to fully realize your potential while enjoying the journey of life on your own terms. This journey of self-discovery not only fosters personal growth but also enhances your ability to interact meaningfully with others.
When you understand and embrace who you are, you cultivate a confident self-image that enables you to pursue your passions wholeheartedly. Furthermore, being independent means that you can explore varied interests and activities without feeling beholden to the preferences of others, leading to unique opportunities and memorable adventures that shape your character and resilience. Through independence, you learn to trust your intuition and judgment, creating a solid foundation for future endeavors, while also inspiring those around you to seek their own paths toward self-fulfillment.
The 20th Law of Power: Do Not Commit to Anyone, as viewed through the philosophical and physical lens of an Angoleiro of Capoeira Angola.
This exploration delves into the nuanced application of the Machiavellian principle, “Do Not Commit to Anyone,” interpreting it not as a call for outright disloyalty or isolation, but as a strategic path toward maintaining autonomy, flexibility, and a balanced perspective, a vital necessity for practitioners of Capoeira Angola.The Angoleiro’s Stance: Malícia, Autonomy, and the Roda
For the Angoleiro, a student and master of Capoeira Angola, life is a constant jogo (game/dance) where power dynamics are subtle yet profound. The 20th Law is translated into the core Capoeira concepts of malícia (cunning, street smarts) and corpo fechado (literally “closed body,” meaning spiritual and mental protection).
- Strategic Neutrality and the Malícia:
An Angoleiro must cultivate malícia—the ability to read the unspoken intentions of others and to navigate conflicts without taking a permanent, limiting side. Committing absolutely to one faction, one patron, or one rigid dogma is to forfeit the ultimate weapon: unpredictability. In the roda (the circle where Capoeira is played), an opponent who is too predictable is easily countered. Similarly, in life, an individual too closely aligned with a singular source of power becomes vulnerable to that source’s eventual downfall or changing whims. The Angoleiro maintains a position of watchful neutrality, allowing them to shift alliances or retreat gracefully when necessary, mirroring the evasive, fluid movements of the jogo. - Freedom of Movement and the Ginga:
The ginga is the foundational, continuous movement of Capoeira. It is not merely a warm-up; it is a philosophy of perpetual motion and non-commitment to a fixed point. An Angoleiro who commits to a static position in the roda is immediately exposed to attack. Applying this to the 20th Law, “Do Not Commit to Anyone” means never allowing a single person, organization, or ideology to become your permanent, unmoving center. This freedom ensures the Angoleiro‘s path is always their own, enabling them to move around and utilize multiple resources (patrons, teachers, communities) without being bound by their limitations or demands. They become the essential, free-floating element that others must court, rather than the beholden servant. - Patronage and Independence (The Mestre and the System):
Historically, Capoeira masters often had to navigate complex political and social landscapes, relying on temporary patrons for survival and the right to practice. The wise master learned not to be permanently indebted. The law advises keeping a distance even from powerful mentors or Mestres once their essential teachings have been absorbed. While respect and loyalty are paramount, absolute commitment risks becoming a mere reflection or extension of the patron, stifling one’s own unique development. The goal is to establish one’s own independent school and authority—a roda that orbits no one but is respected by all. - Playing the Game of Demand:
By refusing to commit fully, the Angoleiro keeps their services scarce and their value high. If you are known to be solely dedicated to one cause, your commitment is assumed, and your influence diminishes. If you are the sought-after neutral expert—the one who can be temporarily persuaded by various sides—both parties will vie for your attention and loyalty, granting you greater leverage and independence than a fully committed subordinate. This strategic ambiguity is the essence of advanced jogo.
In conclusion, for the Angoleiro, the 20th Law is a principle of survival and supremacy: maintain the freedom to move, the clarity to observe, and the distance to negotiate, ensuring that one’s power remains rooted in self-possession, not in the fluctuating fortunes of others.
Jogo Corpo Fechado 