48 laws of power – Yuki The Snowman

Mob Psycho 100 II: Sparing The Enemy From The Guillotine

WARNING: Contains minor spoilers for the manga version of episode 5 of Mob Psycho 100

As I watched the end of Mob Psycho 100 II episode 5, I was reminded of Robert Greene’s controversial book The 48 Laws of Power. To be specified, it reminded me Law 2 “Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends. Learn How to Use Enemies”. Mob wasn’t trying to use his enemy, the class bully Minori for anything; there was no need to. It’s the fact that Mob saved and spared her life, despite Minori’s cruel and sadistic bullying of Mob for six months.

Yes, she was possessed by the evil spirit Mogami. Under his influence she hurt Mob. She tortured him. Made him feel lowly about himself. Now however, before she was targeted by Mogami, Minori spent her life bullying others. She loved belittling her peers who didn’t share her high social status. She found it thrilling to humiliate those who can’t defend themselves. That said, bullying (Mob) wasn’t anything new to her; it was her nature. Mogami wanted to show Mob that people like Minori deserved to die. He wanted to show that Mob would have been in the right if he killed her.

But, Mob believed that Minori could change if her life was spared.

It’s mentioned in Law 2 that those who have enemies never expect anything from them (besides revenge). When a man is spared from the guillotine from his enemy, he’ll become forever grateful towards that man; doing anything within his power to please them. Thanks to, or rather because of Mob’s kind and forgiving heart, Minori went on the path of bettering herself – vowing to never bully others again and to be kind to people as thanks.

To say that Minori was grateful (to Mob) is such an understatement – given her past with him. Remember: Mob lived in a world of despondency created by Minori’s negative feelings, memories, and history of bullying to make him suffer. Pouring sour milk all over him. Recording her friends ostracizing Mob. Threatening to kill the stray cat he was taking care of. Having her underlings beat him up. Anything that is all hellish to crush and break Mob’s spirit and driven him into a near inescapable depression for six months.

Love how the kanji are giving clues to Mob’ situation and Minori’s change of heart later in the episode.

Could you blame Mob if he’d snapped and used his psychic powers and physical strength to kill her? Could you blame Mob if he gave in to Mogami’s trickery and have the man take her life?

He had every right.
But he chose not to.
Why is that?
Why did Mob spare his enemy and show her mercy?

“When you begin to see that your enemy is suffering, that is the beginning of insight.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk

Besides the (obvious) fact that Mob is far too benevolent to murder a human being, let alone someone his own age, he knows that people can change (through positive interactions with others). He understands why people do horrible things. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Mob realized that Minori became a bully because she was fearful that she was going to be rejected and isolated by society. It’s possible that she was projecting her own fears (of social isolation) unto Mob through bullying (bully the outcast so you won’t become a bullied outcast sorta thing).

Like Mob, she too was a victim of horrific mistreatment. Minori was Mogami’s prisoner. The sole, lonely inmate inside a prison crafted from the darkness of her heart. Mogami wanted to make Minori suffer for her crimes before killing her. Who knows how long Minori was strapped and chained to a bed while Mogami controlled her body.

She was helpless as Mogami used her body as he pleased.

Finally, if Mob would have kill Minori out of cold blood, he would had a worse human than Minoir and Mogami. Pop her in the mouth for the bully? That’s okay. Beat her ass and put her in her place so she would never fuck with him again? That’s normal. But to outright murder her would only continue a tragic cycle.

A cycle that Mob had to break.

Sometimes, the best way to kill your enemy is with the guillotine.
Sometimes, the best way to kill your enemy is to show them mercy and kindness.

AFTERWORD:
lmfao I know this episode is almost two weeks old and everyone is talking about episode 6, but work has been kicking my ass lately, so I didn’t have time to bang this out on the week of episode 5.
Also, 10/10 episode a lot of great narrative and real life themes in it.

(Also some enemies are beyond forgiveness and you can’t show mercy to them. Crush them totally. That’s just me being real.)

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on February 16, 2019

Kakegurui 0

Yumeko Jabami and Law 28 of the 48 Laws of Power

LAW 28: ENTER ACTION WITH BOLDNESS

JUDGEMENT:
‘If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit thought audacity are easily corrected with more audacity.

Everyone admires the bold: No one honors the timid.’

-Robert Greene, 48 Laws of Power (Green, 1998, p. 227)

Pitted against the prideful Mary in a gambling match of Card Rock-Paper-Scissors, the seemingly naive Yumeko bets two 10,000 yen chips on her hand. In what seems to be a stroke of beginner’s luck, Yumeko’s bet pays off; her rock card defeating Mary’s scissors. Testing her luck further, Yumeko ups the ante; betting 50 chips (or 50,000 yen) in round two. Unshaken by this, Mary tells Yumeko that she’s quite the gambler, which she politely denies.

As the game progress there is a tie, followed by two wins for Mary. She’s feeling confident, perhaps a little bit tad cocky even. The game continues with Yumeko betting 50 chips, only to lose to Mary once more, and owing her 1,000,000 yen. The transfer student tries her luck again, betting her remaining chips, but it’s all for naught.

Mary wins again.

As Mary stokes her ego, Yumeko requests her for one final game. Despite Yumeko lacking any chips, Mary honors her request with a smile (while taunting Yumeko; calling her an idiot, etc.). The prideful girl starts to praise her own genius. She believes that she can force Yumeko into a debt – thus lowing her social status to that of livestock.

What Mary didn’t expect was Yumeko betting 10,000,000 yen – real cash – not mere poker chips.

Offended, Mary snaps on the bold Yumeko; calling her crazy and careless.

“There’s no way you can afford to bet so much on a single RPS game! You’re crazy!” Cried Mary. She doesn’t think that Yumeko is actually putting down real money on the line. This is a joke! Yet, Yumeko is not joking – she is serious. She sees the fun in her bold action and high risks. Mary is confused and angry at Yumeko’s recklessness. She assumes that Yumeko is just mocking her with such fearlessness and is merely baiting her. She refuse to go on with the game the bet but Yumeko mocks her as she turns away.

“Don’t tell me you have cold feet.” mimicking Mary’s earlier taunts with smug. Hearing this, Mary reluctantly accepts the offer.

As the girls play their final cards, Yumeko reveals to Mary that she knew that she was paying off their classmates to manipulate the game to ensure Mary’s victory. Mary is enraged once more but regains her composure. Mary thinks that Yumeko is simply bluffing for a win by getting under her skin. How could she have this knowledge of her using her classmates to win? She is just a simple stupid girl. She can’t be that smart. Regaining faith in herself, Mary slams down the paper card on the table with the highest confidence.

Alas for Mary, Yumeko held scissor – defeating her.

The bold action of betting with cash as opposed to poker chips and using her skills to dismantle Mary’s cheating system (and a little luck), Yumeko made a name for herself on her first day of her new school by defeating Mary.at her own game. Her daring spirit took Mary by surprise, as she didn’t expect the new student to pull such a stunt off against her and win.

Yumeko’s brilliant fearlessness humbled the once prideful Mary.

REVERSAL:
‘Boldness should never be the strategy behind all of your actions. It is a tactical instrument, to be used at the right moment. Plan and think ahead, and make the final element the bold move that will bring you success. In other words, since boldness is a learned response, it is also one that you learn to control and utilize at will. To go through life armed only with audacity would be tiring and also fatal. You would offend too many people, as is proven by those who cannot control their boldness.’ (Green, 1998, p. 235)

“Life or Death”, or “A typical day in South Chicago and North St. Louis”.

After accepting an invite to play against Yuriko in her modify roulette game “Life or Death”, Yumeko decides to act bold against the student council member. Bolder than her earlier match against Mary mind you. Rather than silently wait until later to reveal the cheating system of Yuriko’s game, she goes off on her with bravado.

“Your methods are the worst.” Yumeko berates her with a smirk. In her bravery, she admits to her that she knew that Yuriko baited Mary into the game. Yuriko took advantage of the broken Mary; luring her with the hope of clearing her debts and reclaim her pride – only to mislead her and sink her further into it. Yumeko compares her to a loan shark, calls her the lowest of the low, and finally – a piece of shit.

Yuriko (trying to hide her anger) simply smiles warmly, brushing off Yumeko’s offensive language and taunts. Yuriko seems to forgive Yumeko’s brashness, but is quickly angered again when Yumeko starts playing around with her family name, “Nishinotouin” – calling it a proper family name for a cheap airhead like Yuriko.

Yuriko snaps.

This was a tactic to force Yuriko into rage and bet everything she has blindly. Yumeko knew Yuriko was cheating. Her personal dealer had magnetic metal moles implanted in her hands. This was to control the blades’ location in order to influence where each blade landed. Later, Yumeko explains how this cheat has no absolute guarantee for victory; as you can only control one blade and leave the rest to luck.

After bragging about her successful revelation of the cheat, Yumeko lost the match. Her boldness worked against her as she lost not due to Yuriko’s skills, but simple and pure luck.

With this lost, Yumeko’s status is reduced to the levels of housepet. But then again, Yumeko doesn’t seem to mind.

By Yuki The Snowman Posted on September 16, 2017