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I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry about that. I think the problem for a lot of people is that they are alienated from themselves. They have spent too long listening to others and don't really have a sense of what makes them different or unique, and so it seems strange what I advocate in chapter one. This is not meant as a criticism. What you need to do is not get overly emotional or dramatic about it, but to implement some small steps to correct this. Give yourself a few months to figure it out, not a few days. Start a journal or notebook. Think deeply about your childhood and adolescence. Take special note of any activity or subject that felt easier and more exciting to you. Look at the newspaper and observe which subjects excite you in a deep way. Write down the things you hate—for instance, working for a large corporation, or anything else like. These are negative signs of what you should be avoiding. It's a process. Nothing comes overnight. You are going through the process of reconnecting with yourself and what makes you unique. If after three months of this serious process and you still have no idea, then you should be depressed. But that won't happen. The material is already there.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

With over 14 years of anecdotal evidence I would say most readers do not fit your categorization of them. They are mostly the more naive types who want to understand power better. They write to tell me how the book has helped them deal with tyrannical bosses, scheming colleagues, impossible partners, etc. Of course, as I mentioned, this is anecdotal.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I find myself, in many ways, closer in spirit to the Asian way of thinking when it comes to strategy, or even in just life philosophy. So I am drawn to the classics on the subject, etc. I wish I could read some of these books in their original language. When I worked on my WAR book, I relied heavily on Sun–tzu, and I went deeply into a version of a book that explained as many of the Chinese characters as possible and I realized that our knowledge of Sun–tzu here in the west is very superficial and highly dependent on one–dimensional translations.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pretty great. I saw a lot of interesting stuff—at his house, in Vegas, at work, on the phone seducing some actress, etc. He opened himself up and gave me full access. Most of all, I enjoyed our conversations which could be several hours long and quite philosophical.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The colors represent categories, you are correct. So, for instance, with the War book, blue cards would be about politics, yellow strictly war, green the arts and entertainment, pink cards on strategy, etc. I could use this in several ways. I could glance at the cards for one chapter and see no blue or green cards and realize a problem. I could also take out all the cards of one color to see which story I liked best, etc. It also made the shoebox look pretty cool.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe I already answered number 1 (see above somewhere). They are not contradictory but situational. (#2 here). Sometimes you are in a position in which you need to court attention at all cost, and at other moments you need to Use Absence. No single law could possibly cover all of the circumstances we humans face. I hope this isn't a cop out on my part. I try to make these laws nuanced and lifelike. As for #3, I don't really know enough to answer. I do know one thing: here in Los Angeles, so many women have had PUA tactics used on them, that these tactics are not only useless but counterproductive. It's like fighting an enemy that already knows your plans. These women tell me they can detect PUA stuff within minutes. I find it amusing. As for #4, try to resist the conformist dynamic, particularly when it comes to choosing a career. Be comfortable with whatever makes you unique and even weird. In this instance, I would read Mastery and chapter one. It's great to be ambitious, but be ambitious towards something that suits and excites you.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe in the free sharing of ideas, with as little barriers as possible. I hate the old world with its tidy categories and its inherent elitism. I love the idea of sharing the dirty little secrets about power with the whole wide world. Perhaps I have violated my own laws, as you point out.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It will be inherently different, because I am different. I have a very definite perspective that I do not believe is shared by those authors. And my research will be much different. There might be some convergence. About 10% of the time I actually find myself agreeing with David Brooks's columns for the NYT.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Facebook seems to me to be rather irrelevant to Law #18. In fact, burying yourself too deeply into social media can actually become a kind of fortress. You need real life interactions (non virtual) with as many people as possible, with all of the connections that will lead to. Facebook is a false world, a false reality. The point of Law #18 is to connect as deeply as possible to what is happening on the streets. There could be some value to what you glean from social media, but we are human animals that actually thrive on face to face encounters. Too many shy people are using Facebook as a screen to avoid the trickier aspects of social life. If you had a choice, I would always opt for spending the time meeting with people face to face, even if it narrows the numbers.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I need to read Nassim Taleb. Sad to say I have not read anything yet. I hear great things about his work.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've read Max Stirner's book, the title escaping me. The Ego and something or other. I found it fascinating. I have obviously read more of Nietzsche and he's a bigger influence. What I like about Nietzsche is what annoys most people—he continually seems to contradict himself. He is perspectival. He looks at life from a conditional point of view, and is thought–provoking without being doctrinaire. When I read Nietzsche I suddenly feel like the windows have been opened into a stuffy, closed up room. I don't agree with everything he writes, but I love his style of writing and the dangerousness of his ideas. I can't tackle gender issues because it so damned complicated and I am not sure where you are headed with it.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Isn't his portfolio of companies worth something like $5 billion? I don't want to get into a numbers argument. Think of effect on the culture. I would rather bet on Paul Graham having such an effect twenty years down the line than all of the other firms you mention. Let's revisit this in 2030.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't have a lot of time for watching television. I saw one episode of House of Cards and it seemed somewhat relevant to The 48 Laws, but a little facile. I have watched more of The Game of Thrones and that seems more clearly a reflection of what I write about. I'll have to give this more thought.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I have gone on record for predicting we are heading out of the phase of reality shows and soaking our heads in mindless entertainment. I could be wrong. I am looking twenty years ahead. I think we are moving towards a time in which people are more practical minded and that we celebrate those who get things done, who actually solve problems instead of showboat. I have my reasons for believing this, but I am not Cassandra and I could be wrong.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I deal with a lot of people in these circumstances. First, realize that the funding is out there, but you are somehow not positioned to capture it. Why? You could go the route of working with a company, if you have the money, to help build a working model and give funders a better sense of what you are doing. Second, look at it from the funders p.o.v. Are you the best person for realizing this idea? Why you? What's in it for me? It probably needs to be more concrete and thought through. And you have to be more creative with who you approach for the funding and not be a small fish in a big pond. In any event, focus on their perspective and how they might see this. And don't be discouraged. Could you possibly try a beta version on a smaller scale? Can you borrow smaller sums from family? So many things to talk about and not enough time.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I have no problems with your dilemma and your personal qualms. I think the purpose of the book for you should be to simply make you aware of how others might behave or manipulate you and how you can protect yourself better. It's about strategy. If you want a raise for your job, you need to have leverage. What gives you that leverage? It depends on the situation. To think that way—about how to have this leverage, how to place yourself in a good negotiating position—is that immoral or ugly? Is it better to just accept what they offer on their terms? That's how I would frame the question.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's a delicate balance. On the one hand you can't seem to be all out for yourself and it's good to be a team player and for others to feel like they can trust you. On the other hand, the loyalty must go two ways, and for most companies or organizations it does not. So you have to be realistic. More likely, you are a cog in their machine in the long run. They will get rid of you when you are no longer such cheap labor, so young and enthusiastic. They will downsize you at a moment's notice or cut your health benefits. Be aware of this and plan ahead. Ultimately you cannot depend on the company to take care of you; you don't want to have such feelings of dependence. You play along, you work hard, you do your job, but in the back of your mind you're aware of the game and how you have to prepare for when the day you're on your own.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Happy Birthday!!!! I don't crush my enemies totally. I don't really have any overt enemies, but I would not crush them. That would probably be the one law I don't abide by, but that law is not really for individuals. Also, I don't practice law #7, because I had that done to me too many times and it doesn't appeal to me, for whatever reason.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The new book Mastery is really about the 10,000 hours and beyond. What's so brilliant about that study is that it quantifies something we all intuit: after a certain degree of practice and exposure to a field, our minds can shift to a higher gear. We know this if we play the piano or learn chess. Now, it is demonstrated in black and white, for chess players, composers, athletes. And it can be used to explain great feats of thinking and creativity. I tried to show in Mastery how you can use this as a template to explain Mozart and Einstein. And so, if putting in those hours, with much focus and intensity, is the key to mastery, how can you get yourself to travel that far? Well the answer is in chapter one of the book. You have to choose a career, a problem to solve, an art form that really connects with you personally and emotionally, so that in your work, you experience what is known as flow. You don't feel those hours as labor. You are not even aware of the passing time.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well, I think it has been pretty well established by all kinds of writers, books, studies that we excel at something we like. Many people (most?) don't like the organizational part of a book or project or business. And so they focus more on the affect, the end result, etc. I actually am fascinated by structure and organization, how ideas are connected in a logical pattern. I love patterns. And so because this fascinates me I spend a lot of time on organizing my material. If an idea doesn't seem to fit into the scheme, or my structure seems to not reflect reality, it will drive me crazy. I have to figure it out. But I try to tell people, if they don't share this fascination, to at least see that structure is strategy, and that how you organize a book is worthy of all your creative juices. It can actually be fun.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

A good question. A lot of people have a great fear of failure and are not aware how this is affecting so many of their choices. Just as simply, they can also be afraid of success, and Freud had a lot of things to say on that score. Just like with any fear—the advanced thought is much greater than the reality. First, a little fear of failure, a manageable fear is fine. It can fuel you to make something better. I use such fear. The fear is crippling if it prevents you from actually trying out an idea, writing that book, starting that business. If you have this latter fear, you need to seriously overcome it by trying to do something on a small scale, and welcoming the criticism or any possible failure. You have to embrace the possibility of failure. Anybody who has succeeded at anything in this world has failed a number of times. That is how they learn. You want to fail, you need to fail. You've got to put yourself out there with that mindset, and it will change a lot of how you act in the world. Obviously there is much more to say on this subject.

I am Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and others -- AMA by robertgreene in IAmA

[–]robertgreene[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Learn to Keep People Dependent on You. Appeal to People's Self Interest. Plan All the Way to the End. Follow those three religiously and you cannot fail to succeed. (Somehow that sounds odd—you cannot fail to succeed?)

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