Chapter 30

When people unite purely for selfish gain, their partnership contains the seeds of its own destruction. The duke and king's spectacular blowout reveals a universal truth: alliances built on greed and deception inevitably collapse because neither party can truly trust the other. This happens because partnerships based on exploitation create a fundamental contradiction. Each person knows their partner is capable of betrayal because they're both actively betraying others together. When pressure mounts and resources become scarce, this underlying mistrust explodes into open warfare. The duke and king each assume the other is cheating them because that's exactly what they would do in the same situation. Their mutual accusations aren't paranoia—they're logical conclusions based on their shared character. You see this pattern everywhere in modern life. Business partners who cut corners together often end up suing each other when profits drop. Workplace cliques that bond over gossiping about colleagues eventually turn on each other when layoffs loom. Friends who enable each other's destructive habits frequently blame each other when consequences hit. Even romantic relationships built primarily on convenience or material benefit tend to explode in bitter accusations when stress increases. When you recognize this pattern, protect yourself by evaluating the foundation of your alliances. Ask: What's really holding this partnership together? If it's mutual benefit without mutual respect, or shared rule-breaking without shared values, prepare for eventual betrayal. Build relationships on genuine trust and shared principles, not just common interests. When you must work with untrustworthy people, keep your exit strategy ready and never give them ammunition to use against you. When you can name the pattern of mutual destruction, predict where shallow alliances lead, and build relationships on solid foundations instead—that's amplified intelligence.