Law 10: Infection: Avoid The Unhappy & Unlucky

The 48 Laws Of Power Summary Series

Judgement

“You can die from someone else’s misery — emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.”

Transgression Of The Law

In the 1840's there was a famous dancer by the name of Lola Montez. Lola’s life can be summed up as one giant catastrophe after another. Everybody she touched ended up either dead, broke or ostracized from their community. She decided her mission would be to woo and conquer men who were prestigious, successful and powerful — consider her the 1850’s version of what we know today as a ‘gold digger’.

Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (17 February 1821–17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a “Spanish dancer”, courtesan, and mistress.

Victim 1:

The first man she married went by the name of Alexandria Dujarier, owner of one of the largest newspapers in France. They eventually fell in love which is when Dujarier life began to slide downhill. His fortunes in business changed and his influential friends began to avoid him.

Lola and Dujarier later had their first quarrel about a party that Dujarier would not allow Lola to attend. Hopelessly drunk at this party he insulated an influential drama critic Jean-Baptiste Rosemond de Beauvallon, perhaps because of something the critic had said about Lola. The following morning Beauvallon challenged him to a duel. Beauvallon was one of the best pistol shots in France. Dujarier tried to apologize but it was too late. The duel took place and Dujarier was shot and killed. Ending the life of one of the most promising young men of Paris society.

Victim 2: