How Michael Jackson Used “The 48 Laws Of Power” To Conquer The World
First things first, let’s address the elephant in the room.
Michael Jackson may not have read “The 48 Laws Of Power.” The time line is a little off.
Robert Greene’s classic was published in 1998. By this time, Michael Jackson had already hit his peak and was on the downslide (although still astronomically famous and influential). Did he ever read the book?
I don’t know. There is evidence he was interested in self-help, psychology and spiritual books (he even thanks Deepak Chopra on the Dangerous album sleeve and writes about the power of the subconscious mind in his autobiography, Moonwalk). However, he was never pictured with, or mentions, “The 48 Laws Of Power.”
What is uncanny, though, is that before he hit his peak and throughout his career, he used some of the EXACT strategies Robert Greene would write about in his classic book.
So, while I don’t believe Michael Jackson read “The 48 Laws Of Power,” his rise to world domination validates much of Greene’s writing.
In this article, I’m going to look at exactly which of the 48 laws MJ mastered and break them down so that you can use them in your own quest for success and domination.
Law 6: Court Attention At All Costs
Greene writes,
Never let yourself get lost in the crowd, then, or buried in oblivion. Stand out. Be conspicuous, at all cost. Make yourself a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, more mysterious than the bland and timid masses.
The black fedora. The single white glove. The black loafers with white socks so you couldn’t keep your eyes off his feet.
Michael Jackson knew exactly how to court attention. Even his singing was littered with unique vocal ticks (a hee hee or a shamone) which made him stand out.
Michael Jackson made himself instantly recognisable and it wasn’t an accident. Back in 1979, when touring with his brothers, he wrote the following note to himself on a tour bus,
MJ will be my new name. No more Michael Jackson. I want a whole new character, a whole new look. I should be a totally different person.
What’s unique about you? How can you accentuate this?
Creating a cringey gimmick will probably repel an audience and do the reverse of what you desire. However, if you can take who you already are and, with your clothing, a catchphrase or your mannerisms, turn up the dial on this personality, you might find something that’ll make you memorable.
Law 7: Get Others To Do The Work For You, But Always Take The Credit
Prince and Michael Jackson were rivals in the 1980s. Although Michael was more popular, some people would say that Prince, with his musical pedigree (he could play almost every instrument) was the greater artist.
Was this true?
From a purely musical point of view, perhaps. However, I think all but the biggest die-hard Prince fan would say that MJ has the better catalogue and songs.
This is because Jackson adhered to Law 7. While Prince stubbornly insisted on writing everything, arranging everything and playing many of the instruments as well, Michael Jackson was open to collaboration.
He had one of the greatest producers of all time (Quincy Jones) orchestrating his most successful albums. He had brilliant writers like Rod Temperton penning the classics Rock With You, Thriller and Off The Wall. He had one of the most respected sound engineers – Bruce Sweiden – mix everything and gave it that unique “Michael Jackson sound.” However, whose name ended up on the record?
Sure, all of these talented artists got credits and royalties, but there was only one name next to the album which dominated the charts for months and years on end.
Michael let others do some of the work for him, took the credit (although not in an unfair or selfish way), and created a better product for it.
Don’t be stubborn like Prince. Whose talents can you borrow from to elevate your career?
Law 16: Use Absence To Increase Respect And Honor
Greene writes,
Too much circulation makes the price go down: The more you are seen and heard from, the more common you appear.
At the same time Jackson used Law 6 to enhance his appeal, he also made a conscious decision to limit his exposure. In the bus tour note covered earlier in this blog post, he also wrote, “I will do no interviews. I will be magic.”
His biographer – J. Randy Taraborelli – also noticed the change. In his seminal work on Michael – Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story – he documents how the star consciously stepped away from the media and didn’t want to make any appearances on TV.
Jackson correctly intuited that this would create a mystique around his persona that made people want to know more and crave his presence.
You’ll also notice how infrequently Jackson released albums. Unlike artists such as Rihanna, who at one point needed to release an album a year to stay relevant, Jackson often left 3 to 4 years between projects.
Part of this was his perfectionism but he also knew the power of absence.
From whom, or what, can you begin to withdraw?
This law only works if you have already developed a following.
I remember when I took a break from my tennis coaching clients to focus on writing. When I returned, some mentioned how they preferred my lessons to the coach I had hired to replace me. This made me realise I could charge more for my services.
Law 25: Re-Create Yourself
Greene writes,
Re-create yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience. . . Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life.
This law is a little contentious when it comes to Michael Jackson. It could be argued that he took re-creation too far (although some of it was out of his control owing to his skin condition). However, whatever you say about Michael Jackson, you could never accuse him of being boring.
Furthermore, he knew exactly how to incorporate dramatic devices into his performances.
In his Superbowl half term performance of 1993, he stood like a statue on stage for over 90 seconds before even a note of music was played.
Some people wondered what the hell was going on but this posing whipped the audience into a frenzy.
Next came a dramatic head turn. Then the sunglasses were removed. Game over.
The audience ate out of the palm of his hand for the rest of the performance.
How can you re-create yourself?
Don’t get stuck playing small, avoiding attention because it makes you self-conscious. Your personality and actions must become as large as your dreams and ambitions if you are to succeed.
Law 37: Create Compelling Spectacles
Greene writes,
Striking imagery and grand symbolic gestures create the aura of power – everyone responds to them. Stage spectacles for those around you, then, full of arresting visuals and radiant symbols that heighten your presence.
When Michael Jackson launched his 1995 album, HIStory, he had a 10-meter-high statue of himself floated down the river Thames in London.
I remember the reaction at the time. A lot of the British media thought it was egotistical and vulgar and lambasted Jackson. However, it got them talking and received a lot of coverage.
This was the point. The statue wasn’t being judged as a piece of art, it served the purpose of making Jackson’s new album release stick in people’s minds.
This law is a reminder to get people talking about you.
To achieve this goal, you might need to do something more than write words on page or speak into a camera. Think bigger. What is nobody else doing that will grab attention?
The One Law Jackson Violated Which Led To His Downfall
Although most people see Jackson as once in a century talent and point to this as the reason for his success, such an interpretation is a disservice.
Jackson was an astute operator, with a keen understanding of influence. However, in one area, he was incredibly naïve.
Greene’s Law 13 is “Do Not Build Fortresses To Protect Yourself – Isolation Is Dangerous.”
He writes,
The world is dangerous and enemies are everywhere – everyone has to protect themselves. A fortress seems the safest. But isolation exposes you to more dangers than it protects you from – it cuts you off from valuable information, it makes you conspicuous and an easy target. Better to circulate among people, find allies, mingle. You are shielded from your enemies by the crowd.
What did Jackson do at the height of his fame?
He built a fortress – Neverland Ranch.
Here, he was isolated from the world. He lost touch with reality. He thought it was ok to admit to a TV audience of hundreds of millions that he shared his bed with small children (who weren’t his own).
It didn’t matter that he might have done this innocently. The reputational damage was done. People believed he was guilty without looking deeper into the case.
A trial ensued. He was exonerated but the ordeal weakened him, made him more dependent on medication.
4 years later, he died.
This is a lesson unto itself.
Success isn’t just about learning what will aide your rise, it’s about avoiding complacency.
Never believe that you’re untouchable or that a fortress can protect you from your own mistakes.
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