Do not let people drag you into their petty fights and squabbles.  Seem interested and supportive, but find a way to remain neutral; let others do the fighting while you stand back, watch and wait.  When the fighting parties are good and tired they will be ripe for the picking.  You can make it a practice, in fact, to stir up quarrels between other people, and then offer to mediate, gaining power as the go-between.

 

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