What do you guys think of "The 48 Laws of Power"? I haven't read it, and I'm just browsing through the pdf right now, since I've heard so much about it. I don't understand what the goal of following many these "laws" is.Some of these laws seem generally beneficial to someone's life, such as law 10: avoid people who are unhappy and unfortunate, law 28: enter action with boldness, or law 46: never appear too perfectSome laws are more Machiavellian, but have a clear benefit and could be easily applied to many types of relationships: Law 1: never outshine the master, law 7: get others to do the work for you, then take the credit, Law 11: learn to keep people dependent and reliant on you.Some laws however, I cannot see how anybody could possibly apply to their lives, namely: Law 15: CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY... "The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit". If I have a rivalry with someone, am I supposed to fucking murder him? The examples used in the chapter on law 15 all just involve murdering enemies. Law 14: pose as a friend, act as a spy. On who and for what reason would someone who reads this book apply this advice. Law 23: concentrate your forces. I don't have any... Now what?Who is this book for? I don't see why an average person would so desperately need to read it. Why do so many normies read this shit?
>>25494700>Who is this book for? I don't see why an average person would so desperately need to read it. Why do so many normies read this shit?it's for male wimps and fruity jailbirds that grew up without any guidance. the average person craves power and doesn't realize that they can't read their way out of their shitty job. you're a normie, stop thinking you're not. if you weren't you'd have figured it out by just reading the title and one chapter.
>>25494700The only interesting parts of this book are when he expose those guys who has children with their own family. They will never choose normies to reproduce themselves. No one is famous because meritocracy. Also, this is the same people who ruined Nikola Tesla life. Same people who you vote. Same people who are descendents of Carlomagno.
>>25494700I would recommend looking for an alternative as your critique seems to match what proponents also believe towards the book. Self help tends to be defeasible where it is applicable to people going through a rough patch, seeming nice at the time. Although, it's abstract and cannot be applied to regular people such as yourself unless you allow it to be by accepting the premises the book sets up (i.e. The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck). Mark's book is stoicism but packaged up in the "everything about life sucks" rhetoric. Try getting into some classic literature if you want advice that's applicable through life in any aspect rather than the monotropic laws which the author cannot seem to have a consistent interpretation of.
>>25494710>the average person craves power and doesn't realize that they can't read their way out of their shitty jobDing ding ding. If you're crawling around on the floor eating garbage none of these 48 principles will help you any more than wearing a three piece suit will. All of the vignettes that Greene gives are people already insulated by their wealth, power, skills, and influence.
It's the American way of life>betray everyone>con or be conned>bite-size annecdotes
>>25494700self help capitalist slop
>>25494700fun book with some crazy examples from outstanding people. the book entertaining. its of use in order to know what some people around you may be up to. just dont try to use it as a guide to become a sociopath.
>>25494700Act like a fool, think like a brilliant.
>>25494700How come Robert Greene isn't ruling the world by now, if he's such an expert on POWER?
>>25495912He's in charge of the world shadow government
>>25495912Got what he wanted which was to con you out of money
>>25494700A book about power for people who will never have any. Plus most of the rules are self-explanatory
>>25494700>Recognise the cover - have seen it in the bookstore and online astroturfing>Disregard it on the basis of the people who praise it>Grab it from anna's because of this thread>Table of Contents list laws clearly designed to appeal to bovine brained normies, but which will erode the soul>Skim read contents - subversive, Marxist style content confirmed>Book heavily shilled by powerful people, put into prison system, and so onEarly Life and Career section checking not required
>>25494700This is the guy who teaches you about power. Just go listen to him on a podcast, he sounds even worse then he looks and had zero wisdom to give.
>>25494700The more and more I read these kinds of threads, the more I realize people never actually read the book or understood the content of it. It's a book that teaches you the habits that consistently successful, powerful people in past and present used to maintain their status, and the book sells because the rules are universally human, and apply to the office or your bowling league or even your friend group. the fact that the rules make you a supposed "sociopath" is just fucking dumb. Sometimes you have to do a bit of social math to achieve a result and that's that. If you can't get over that fact you'll just suffer socially and financially as somebody who will fucks you over. People do be like that.Like, for example, one of the laws is say less than necessary. Totally valid law. Shutting the fuck up plays to your benefit more times than it doesn't. If you're in some meeting and your getting questioned, the more shit you say, the more you over explain, the more text people have to pick at and tear you down. If the police are interested in you, or if your HR department is doing an investigation, saying or overexplaining yourself is not going to help you most of the time.Another one I live strongly by is avoiding the unhappy and the unlucky. Do you realize how many miserable, unlucky, self-destructive retards you deal with on a daily basis, and how quickly they can drag you into thier stupid drama and adolescent-tier bullshit? Once I pick up that somebody is like that, I just abandon them to wallow in their misery. Saves me a lot of headache.
>>25494700It's worth reading just for the historical anecdotes, desu
Its a crappy book. Like many self-help gurus, he has identified a need people have (desire for power) and sold them the idea that by reading his book power will flow into their life. It is true that following some of these rules you can gain small amounts of power. But it doesn't mention that you are sacrificing the trust, joy, sharing kindness and other good things in your workplace relationships, and instead turning your workplace into a pit of hell. If you are a wagie who feels like you need more power and respect, this book might help you gain +30% power at the loss of -70% goodwill and joy in your workplace relationships. And this won't give you a promotion or anything, because much of promotions come from being liked and trusted, and acting like a jerk all the time wont make people like you. You're just going to be known as the guys whos an asshole, and if youre already an asshole you dont need to read a book about how to be what you already are.I read a lot of self-help books and have a low opinion of them. Timeless wisdom like the Bible will actually propel your life forward on many fronts though. What does Solomon and Moses advise to one who desires to gain respect, wealth, peace and love in life ... can it works a lot better than this crap.
>>25494700i definitely don’t think it’s worth reading & taking to heart but it’s probably worth skimming if you plan on going into the workforce. you don’t need to follow it but knowing the rules is handy when dealing with certain types.
>>25494700I've read it like 10 years ago. I think the laws are somehow correct, but applying them properly is a tremendous work. And you'll make mistakes by applying them incorecly which could cost you a lot. That said, if you have integrated the laws, by reading the book many times, and learning the resume of the 48 law by heart, it can be beneficial if you are a corporate shark and want to ascend in the hierarchy. That said, it's a hassle, and introvert personality have better just find a job where you work alone, and do your job properly. It's more for extraverts, or introverts that don't mind evolving in a social environment, and climb the social ladder. If you are a data analyst, some solitary job, it's pretty useless, except if you behave like an idiot when with your boss or the few colleagues you interact with. In any case, i would say if you are an introvert, don't bother with playing the social game, and find a solitary job, you'll be way happier, and perhaps even more successful if you find something you like.
>>25494757>All of the vignettes that Greene gives are people already insulated by their wealth, power, skills, and influence.Not really, and that's the difference with Machiavelli, who speak to Kings and already powerful figures. Robert Green "48 laws" do not necessitate that you already have power. But are in a position to obtain it. For example, a corporate executive might benefit from the book, if he applies it properly. Of course, if you are a amazon warehouse worker, it's less useful, except if you apply rigorously the principles, and find openings to climb the social ladder. But it's a hassle anyway. You have to be very ambitious from the start.
>>25495912He actually made a ton of money with his books.
>>25494700>Law 15: CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY...get him cancelled, fired, etc. duh
>>25498517If you want peace of mind, the stoics are much better. But they are very hard to apply properly in real life situations as well.
>>25499249>don't bother with playing the social gameThe problem is the book reduces everything to a game of power. But workplace social hierarchies involve money, charisma, friendship, attraction, hard-capped educational requirements for certain positions, and so on. Sometimes the social game at work is more about being well-liked then being a secretive gate-keeping power-hungry asshole who nobody likes. Imagine if you try to gain power by making friends with everyone and serving the company well, than by being a miachivellian flexing the small amounts of wagie power they have?Much of workplace success is about teamwork, not about fucking over teamates. For example when a single lawyer wins money and reputation for the firm, the entire firm wins. >if you are a amazon warehouse workerIt would be completely useless. You would be far better off working hard and trying to get along well with your teamatesMuch of the workplace social hierarchy is about beauty, charisma, education, seniority, talent. Its not about some crusty boomer who waited 30 years to gain some small power to flex on people in a restaurant. You want to see power hungry guys? There enough of them in masculine fields like construction and policing, but the guys with likeable social skills often gain more influence long-term than power-trippers who burn bridges.
It's a pretty good book. It's not written to teach you how to be a manipulative piece of shit, it's written to teach you how to look out for manipulative pieces of shit. Robert Greene's book "the laws of human nature". Is more suited for the everyday man.
>>25497971I.liked his mastery book much better.
>>25498000Avoiding misery and deliberately choosing to withhold help from someone in need are two different things. You are low person if you cant distinguish the difference.
>>25498517Goodwill and joy is a great description of what is at risk if other astute colleagues observe your opportunistic behavior.
>>25499742Obviously, and again, you're proving my point with a combination of moving goalposts and misinterpretation. An act of charity to somebody in need is different than a coworker who is miserable, always bitching about his boss, who wears you down and convinces you that your job is awful and terrible when in reality, they are their own problem. Or maybe a group of drunken losers who never fix or apply themselves. That's who Robert Greene is talking about. Are you telling me you've never been associated with or forced to socialize with a crowd and thought "what a bunch of losers, If I keep hanging with these people, they are going to drag me down with them?"The advice board is full of people in the same situation that could use that lesson, be it abusive and dysfunctional lovers or family members.
>>25497971He can pick up any woman tho anonWhy don't you believe me?
>>25500314his gf made the love witch, which is kino
>>25499259I think the bigger thing that a lot of people miss is that while yes, it does apply to the executive to GAIN power, a LOT of the book's principles answer the question: "How can I maintain what power and control I ALREADY have in this situation. And even if you are a lowly warehouse worker or an office drone, there's plenty of those kinds of situations in your life. Going back to my example about HR investigations or discussions in >>25498000 say there was an HR investigation into I dunno, sexual harassment if you keep blabbing to HR and don't carefully manage what you say, you might implicate yourself somehow, or reveal some other unacceptable action you did, and now they have grounds to fire you. Cops do this shit all the time. You're in some situation, they get you talking, and you admit to doing something naughty and next thing you know you're in the back of a squad car. Same with court. Say too much on the stand, even in traffic court or small claims, and you throw yourself to the wolves.
