Be wary of friends — they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them.
Naval's long-term-games-and-equity principle assumes the friend-as-partner frame. Greene's L2 says assume neither friend nor enemy; treat the relationship as conditional on continued usefulness. Operators using Naval's frame today may need to install Machiavelli's keep-faith-or-dont discipline on top of it.
Friends have asymmetric upside, enemies have asymmetric upside. The enemy-turned-loyalist is more committed than the friend because the friend takes the relationship for granted. Cultivate both — but give enemies the structural commitment.
long-term-games-and-equity principle assumes the friend-as-partner frame. Greene's L2 says *assume neither friend nor enemy; treat…
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