Laws of Power – 44

Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect: The mirror reflects reality, but it is also the perfect tool for deception: When you mirror your enemies, doing exactly as they do, they cannot figure out your strategy. The Mirror Effect mocks and humiliates them, making them overreact. By holding up a mirror to their psyches, you seduce them with the illusion that you share their values; by holding up a mirror to their actions, you teach them a lesson. Few can resist the power of the Mirror Effect.

I cannot recall ever leveraging this so called “Mirror Effect” to make an impression or influence another person. I am quite certain this tactic has been used against me by my closest, most trusted confidant and companion. My mental perception of this tactic is that it is childish, pointless, and frustrating. I value an intellectual approach, not a juvenile approach to problem solving. Do I find this frustrating? Certainly! I’m not certain if my counterpart believes that there is something tangible to be gained by the “Mirror Effect?” I might suggest that if I were in a heated dispute with another person, regardless of the merit in their position, this approach would disrupt the negotiations sufficiently and give me a translucent victory in the moment. I might win the battle, but I cannot sustain the war with the “Mirror Effect.” The real power comes from surgical reasoning, balanced approach, considerate compromise, and honest commitment to symbiotic mutuality.

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