The 48 Laws of Power · law 18 of 48
18. Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself — Isolation is Dangerous
circulation
The principle
The world is dangerous and enemies are everywhere — but isolation is more dangerous still. You lose contact with information, friends, and chance.
The application
Withdraw and you lose the very gossip and minor encounters that keep you alive in a system. The fortress feels safe; in practice it makes you the slowest to react. Stay in the mix even when you would rather not.
The defensive tell — how to spot it being run on you
When a high-functioning colleague suddenly stops showing up to small informal things — coffees, lunches, hallway chats — they are losing the early-warning system the rest of you are still inside. If they matter to you, draw them back gently before the absence calcifies.