---
title: "Ways to play the card of contempt"
description: "Greene's approaches to ignoring what you cannot have or what irritates you."
canonical: https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/ways-to-play-the-card-of-contempt/
updated: 2026-11-03
---

# Ways to play the card of contempt

> Greene's approaches to ignoring what you cannot have or what irritates you.

Robert Greene's framework, from 48 Laws of Power, pp. 447 to 461.

Framework 21 of 27 from [48 Laws of Power](https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/index.md) by Robert Greene. Category: Content and packaging.

## The steps

1. **The sour-grapes approach.** Act as if you never wanted what you cannot have instead of complaining about it.
2. **Make light of attacks and of your own mistakes.** Deflect attention by showing how little an attack from an inferior registers, and treat your blunders lightly.
3. **Turn an exposed lie into a strength.** Admit the embarrassing fact in a way that makes it proof of your greatness, then stop mentioning the lie.

## Where it comes from

From chapter: LAW 36, pp. 447–461

Acknowledging a petty problem gives it existence, so ignoring it, or showing contempt for what you cannot have, is the stronger move. Woodrow Wilson's Punitive Expedition of up to 123,000 men failed to catch Pancho Villa, who became more popular, while Henry VIII ignored the pope and Catherine of Aragon and left both with no one to fight. Greene gives three versions of the tactic: sour grapes, treating attacks by inferiors and your own blunders lightly, and answering an exposed lie by turning it into a strength, as Aretino did. The reversal is that some small troubles fester, so keep an eye on them privately.

## The animation

24 seconds, 4:5, no sound.

- MP4: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/ways-to-play-the-card-of-contempt.mp4
- MP4, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/ways-to-play-the-card-of-contempt-dark.mp4
- Still: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/ways-to-play-the-card-of-contempt.png
- Still, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/ways-to-play-the-card-of-contempt-dark.png