The Power of Controversy: How Public Figures Use Provocation to Dominate Headlines
The technique that propelled Donald Trump from a loudmouth TV personality to the White House and perhaps dictator for life.
Scrolls of the Dark Arts for Scholars
The Dark Arts have been practiced since antiquity. Achieving Dark Arts mastery requires studying the manuals of the Dark Arts and internalizing their lessons.
Dark Arts Instruction Manuals include the following classics:
One: The Prince, by Niccolò Machiavelli. Amoral statecraft.
Two: The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, Statecraft and Organized Violence.
Three: The 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene
This is part of a series on The 48 Laws of Power. It provides a summary and real-life historical examples of other Dark Arts masters who applied its principles.
LAW 6: COURT ATTENTION AT ALL COST
Everything is judged by its appearance; what is unseen counts for nothing: Never let yourself get lost in the crowd, then, or buried in oblivion. Stand out. Be conspicuous, at all costs. Make yourself a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, and more mysterious than the bland and timid masses.
The law "Court Attention at All Costs" describes the importance of being noticed. It posits that obscurity is a disadvantage in the quest for power and that you must strive to be the center of attention to maintain power and influence. Donald Trump embodies the proof of this wisdom.
Key Components of This Law:
Visibility: The principle advocates that one must stand out and be seen constantly. Being in the spotlight keeps you in the minds of others, associates your name with a particular skill, event, or attribute, and leads to greater status and power.
Notoriety: Even negative attention can be turned to your advantage if handled correctly. The law suggests that notoriety of any sort provides a form of recognition that can be better than being unknown or ignored.
Dramatization: To capture attention, it's often necessary to be bold and make yourself appear larger, more interesting, and more mysterious. Theatrical gestures and controversy can be tools for remaining visible.
Unpredictability: By being unpredictable, you can keep the public intrigued. They will talk about you and speculate on your actions, keeping you in the limelight.
Creation of a Persona: The law encourages the creation of a striking and memorable character that stands out in the minds of the public. This persona can be built through distinctive fashion, communication style, or public deeds. What do you think of Phukher Tarlson?
Contemporary Application:
In the modern world, this law is often employed by celebrities, politicians, and business leaders who use media and social media to maintain public interest. They create compelling narratives around their lives and work, often engaging in charitable activities or taking controversial stands on issues to remain in the public eye.
Personal Considerations:
While seeking attention can lead to power, it can also encourage narcissistic behavior, a sign of weakness that your enemies can exploit.
Courting attention often involves deception and harming others, a milestone of indifference, an advanced trait on the dark path. When combined with malice, or delighting in another pain, it leads to the advanced trait of cruelty, one of the highest achievements of the dark path.
Seeking attention at all costs leads to a shallow, unfulfilled existence that depends on the validation of others. It can also be unsustainable, as the public's attention is fickle. In the social arena, those who are able to capture and hold the attention of the masses can wield significant influence.
Historical Examples
P.T. Barnum: The famous showman P.T. Barnum was a master at courting attention. He used grandiose promotions and hoaxes to draw the public to his shows, understanding that sensationalism sells.
Cleopatra: The Egyptian queen famously courted attention through her dramatic encounters with Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, which were designed to ensure her political power and protect Egypt’s interests.
Mata Hari: The Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan during World War I turned spy, Mata Hari, courted attention through her seductive dance performances and high-profile liaisons, which ultimately led to her being a household name, though not always for the most honorable reasons.
Salvador Dalí: The surrealist artist Salvador Dalí was known not just for his striking and bizarre artworks but also for his outlandish public behavior, which ensured that he was a constant subject of public and media interest.
Donald Trump: Before his presidency, Trump was already a public figure who understood the power of branding and media attention. He used his name to brand a multitude of products, starred in a reality TV show, "The Apprentice," and was known for making bold and controversial statements that kept him in the media spotlight. His use of social media, particularly Twitter, during his presidential campaign and presidency was a modern-day example of courting attention to maintain political power and influence.
Dark Arts Disclaimer
The path of the Dark Arts beckons to the strong and ambitious, yet it carries its own set of consequences.
Most who follow the dark path regret their choices, often in the twilight of their lives, after being abandoned by their family or suffering a career-ending setback from which there is no recovery.
Do-gooders who follow the path of light wish to witness the downfall of Dark Arts Masters. Due to our lack of compassion or mercy, they shrink from our potency, but they actively work to undermine us whenever they can.
Followers of the dark path discover that genuine affection from others is rare or absent. Instead, we’re surrounded by fearful sycophants and aspiring apprentices who feign fondness but will betray us when it suits them.
The demise of Dark Arts Master is inglorious, symbolically in their professional lives and emotionally within the confines of their homes. Often, the actions of others seal their fate, and they meet their lonely and forgotten end, having alienated everyone.
The allure of power attracts individuals willing to pursue this fickle Fate. We adhere to power’s principles and ultimately meet our cruel fate at its cold hands.