265 – Psychology of Resistance

If people can’t fix a problem then they may not complain about the annoying, rude, unpolished people who accomplish the good thing that they couldn’t.

Tyrants complain about a problem, never solve it, amass power, and fight those who actually solve problems.

While many rules are silly—especially laws made by godless people—at some point there are good rules. The good rules get thrown into the mix of bad rules, then people ignore both the good and the bad. Because the good rules are ignored, problems arise. The only way to fix the problem is to enforce the good rules and/or replace bad rules with good rules, but there is the deeper problem.

It’s never fun to start following rules, even if they are good, whether they are new or old. Enforcing rules can’t be done in a nice enough manner that no one will object. At some point, laying down the law becomes a necessity and it’s never politically correct. When the time comes to lay down the law, people will fight back.

When so resisted, don’t fall for the “boycott” trap—that one’s non-customers can dictate that one not do the right thing. Letting your enemies tell you how to fight them will destroy you. Listen to the people in your base—your customers, your supporting voters, your family, your team. Follow that rule and lay down the law of who you listen to and who you do not listen to.

This will inevitably anger your enemy; expect it, don’t take time to discuss or ponder it when it happens.

When a car starts, it makes noise. When snow falls it is colder outside. In the morning, the sun comes up. And, when you lay down the law, criminals complain. None of this is newsworthy.

There are two types of criminals who complain when good laws are enforced: the malicious criminals, but also the self-appointed “tone police”. People who claim to support your ideas, but not your method—and thus want you to cease enforcement—secretly support the criminals and they might not even admit so to themselves. Every devil was once an angels who simply wouldn’t lay down the good law.