6# - ONE MIN BOOK SUMMARY - The 48 laws of Power (Robert Greene)- Law 4: ALWAYS SAY LESS THAN NECESSARY

When trying to impress, the more you say the more common you look and less in control. It is a human reaction but you must learn to temper this need for talking.

Be vague.

LESS is MORE.

There are times when it is unwise to be silent. Silence can arouse suspicion and even insecurity, especially in your superiors; a vague or ambiguous comment can open you up to interpretations you had not bargained for. Silence and saying less than necessary must be practiced with caution, then, and in the right situations.

Louis XIV was a man of very few words.

His infamous "I shall see" was one of several extremely short phrases that he would apply to all manner of requests.

No one knew exactly where he stood, or could predict his reactions. No one could try to deceive him by saying what they thought he wanted to hear, because no one knew what he wanted to hear.
As they talked on and on to the silent Louis, they revealed more and more about themselves, information he would later use against them to great effect.

In the end, Louis's silence kept those around him terrified and under his thumb. It was one of the foundations of his power.

As Saint-Simon wrote, "No one knew as well as he how to sell his words, his smile, even his glances. Everything in him was valuable because he created differences, and his majesty was enhanced by the sparseness of his words."

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