My Introduction:
This is my first post all stories are 100 percent true and are about 80 percent watered down version of the events that occurred in my life. As I get more comfortable with this platform I might be more into details I've used pgp and encryption devices before but I still trust them as far as I could throw them. Going further into this series I plan to have every chapter synchronized chronological order from young adult hood until now. I'm going to remain ambiguous to some aspects when recounting events i.e.(think seeing a man about a horse). If this article interested you and you want more of this series leave a comment. If you have a personal experience that was similar or even different to mine I'd love to hear it. I prefer to 'd like to be able to start a richer conversation with my readers that is about what we lived and learned as apposed what we saw or heard.
I've recently began reading the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. The book consist of 48 chapters or "48 laws" with narratives of Anglo-Saxon kings and rulers and their eventual demise. All summarized by a moral of the story which evidently relates back to the Law in the title chapter. Being as most Robert Greene books are literal self help manifestos of educating the reader on the powers of persuasiveness and manipulation. It can feel like homework so I kept it to a chapter a day. Now you might ask yourself I'm a not a shady person why would I want to read a book that teaches me any of that? The reason being is simply educating yourself on tactics of manipulation will definitely prevent you from falling prey to it in your own life. If you work in any sort corporate structure environment where there a chain of command your susceptible to falling prey whether by passive aggressive coworkers or upper management. staying .While reading the laws I've began to relate to situations in my own personal experiences where either I inadvertently followed a law of power with success and failure or have been ignorant to it in regards to a certain aspects in my life.
LAW 1: NEVER OUTSHINE THE MASTER
Most leave there parents house on good terms or when there good and ready unfortunately I didn't. For the first time I was out in the world and had no one to tell me no. I was working a minimum wage job (10.50/hr CAD) stacking weights and mopping floors at my local gym. I would work graveyard a shift (10pm-6am) I would do laundry and I would take naps on the mats in the daycare section seeing as very rarely would someone come in and exercise during the later hours. I had gotten to know many people and I had met a person we will call him Z. He was about 5 years older than me who had a room for rent for about ($350/month CAD). Moving in was easy seeing as all my belonging where in a garbage bag. Z owned a lucrative business and was in need of an employee. We had gotten along great and with the close enough age gap see him as an older brother type seeing as I never had one myself. Z was in a long distance relationship and on weekends would travel to see his girlfriend and close up shop. Seeing my work ethic and aptitude to learn things quick he entrusted me to open and close on weekends. Eventually they ended their relationship and he had returned back to working his normal hours. He had talks of expanding the company although he never said it, I could tell he had started to groom me for a partnership. I took full advantage of the opportunity, saving all my money in case I needed a buy in and since my expenses were so low. 2 years pass by and he eventually ends up getting a new partner to replace me without warning. He gave me the "it's just business its not personal", and yes I took it personal.
I've also noticed the other person who he had gotten to replace me was much less competent and serious about it as was so I was very confused as to why he had downgraded. After a few years go by I run into my old friend or so goes by and were on good terms being as I was good and stable on my own feet I ask him why he let me go, and he replied "You wanted it too bad". He continued to explain being as I was a driven individual and mastered everything he taught me he saw me as competition. In his eyes if I wanted to I could persuade his customers and venture off on my own. He continued explaining the person he replaced me with was someone who was impulsive with their finances. He wanted that seeing as they would always be dependent on him for a stable income and wouldn't have any leverage if a disagreement occurred. Rather than to have faith in me (believe absent proof) he decided to eliminate the doubt before it became a threat.