Many conflate cunning with evil, but this is foolish.
Cunning can be used for good or for evil, or for purposes that are inconsequential.
A psychiatrist who persuades a suicidal patient to step down from the ledge is using cunning for good.
A con man who persuades poor people to hand him their life savings is using cunning for evil.
Being unskilled with machiavellianism doesn’t make you good;
it just makes you incompetent.
Having cunning means leading others to the outcome you want, whether they know it or not.
This is called Machiavellianism in psychology but I like calling it what it is;
Having Great People Skills.
You just need to understand human psychology and apply it into your life.
Appeal to people’s fears, self interest, boredom and other psychological weaknesses.
Manipulation? Yes. But it gives you good results.
If you are a politician who lies to the voters that you will get them good jobs abroad,
you are more likely to beat an honest candidate.
Playing to people’s fantasies, lying, threatening, intimidating them, dressing to kill, smiling, mirroring their behavior and being bold are a few tactics successful leaders use to influence their subjects.
To learn Cunning from the real masters of Machiavellianism, read Robert Greene and Robert Cialdini’s books.
