Neev - Week 11 - The 48 Laws of Power
The 48 Laws of Power. Seems like quite an interesting way to name a book, huh… Author Robert Greene must be some sort of narcissist if he thinks he knows that much about such deep topics… What if I told you that this ominous sounding book is considered to be one of the most powerful and manipulative books there is?
Governments have gone so far as to ban this book from prisons and the reaches of potentially dangerous individuals. This book has been pictured being read by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, Michael Jackson, and referenced in famous cultural pieces by artists such as Kanye West, 50 Cent, and Courtney Love (who was even photographed taking the book up to her court trials). 
Robert Greene posing with a chess board, his
symbol for wisdom and power.
The book reveals ideas and habits that can be used to toy with human psychology. Robert Greene, a Berkeley graduated psychologist and author, wrote the book with a sort of mysterious aura, writing each law clear and concisely but leaving room for interpretation. Each of his “laws” comes with a short and mysterious but descriptive instruction for each. After that, Greene provides a detailed historical explanation of that “law” of power being used successfully. Historical examples ranged from the conquest of Julius Caesar (studying Caesar’s Civil War being Greene’s inspiration to write the book) to the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler, citing major historical figures and events, attributing countless lives and deaths to being caused by the intentional implementation of one of these fundamental laws.
The book is considered by many to be the book people should read if they could only read one book in their lives. It is definitely a must read.
Hello Mr. Neev Tamboli! The way the mind works, itself holds an immense amount of power, but I will continue to assert that understanding the way the mind works can wield a power of a whole different level. I loved how your book review conveyed that. Even outside the public eye and the political realm, understanding the way we act as a result of our traumas, our personal psychology, the way our experiences have shaped the functions of our brain, this deep comprehension can have a powerful effect on our lives. I know that if I knew people acted a certain way with intent of manipulation, I would not react or be bothered by it because I would be aware of the ill-intention. I am sure the 48 Laws of Power digs deep into the tendencies of human behavior and how people can learn to exhibit control over others, just by having a deep comprehension of human psychology. It sounds like a great read! Great job!
ReplyDeleteYour summary of The 48 Laws of Power reminded me of the book The Dictator’s Handbook, which also deals with topics of manipulation—more specifically in government and politics. I’m assuming you’ve read the book cover to cover; which law specifically do you find most useful in your daily life? Your descriptions of the book made me interested, but I would have liked to know more about what insights and knowledge you gained in reading it, as well as the information you found most valuable. I myself believe that true power requires empathy. In order to control others, one must first understand their thoughts and feelings—which, ironically, requires empathy. What do you think is the most important skill in understanding human psychology?
ReplyDeleteHey Neev! The way you described this book definitely made me want to take a look; The mind is obviously one of the most powerful parts of humanity– humans have gotten so far from other species due to the numerous innovations and complexities of the human brain. Our mind is our greatest asset, and I like how your blog on power is not physical or even tangible, but simply in the mind. I can definitely see the appeal of this book as you have listed several celebrities who swear by it, and I also appreciate how you didn’t state any of the actual laws, but displayed the format of the book and how Robert Greene works better with historical examples and real-world applications rather than merely describing the law at hand. If all of these laws are, in fact, mental, it is amazing to me how huge wars and hysteria caused by the intangible application of these laws actually worked, and how they were successful in both positive, and horribly negative ways. Ultimate control is what many successful leaders and other individuals seek, and it is fascinating to read how these laws were applied on the world stage, creating life-altering history that changed the world forever. This blog definitely convinced me to read The 48 Laws of Power, good job!
ReplyDeleteHey Neev! I heard about The 48 Laws of Power, but I never realized how controversial it actually was. The fact that it’s banned in prisons but was used by important people like Fidel Castro in court to defend themselves is quite interesting. I can see why they wouldn’t want to teach the wrong people how to manipulate and control others as it’s bound to be dangerous. It’s interesting that the book is still so highlight recommended as it’s a guide to becoming obsessed with power. I wonder how the psychological aspects behind this book work, and what the author, Robert Green, was thinking when he wrote this. Something must’ve inspired him to write something so powerful yet threatening to society. This blog made me more curious about the book, since I’ve seen some mixed reviews about it. I’ll definitely check it out when I have the time!
ReplyDeleteHi Neev! I've seen this book online and heard about it before but never knew that it was banned from prisons and read by such influential people. My friend actually had it on her birthday wishlist recently and she doesn't usually read that many books, so I searched it up to see why she wanted this specific book. It's really interesting that a book could be that powerful and that manipulation/control of other people could be learned from reading a book. The way you describe the book definitely sounds interesting, with different laws and examples of how each law has been successfully implemented in history. Your blog definitely made me want to read this book, so I'll check it out whenever I have time, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Neev. You make the 48 Laws of Power very tempting to read for many. Despite how the book has been read by many terrible people, like you described, your descriptions of it make it seem enchanting. Based on how you described it, it feels like anyone who picks up the books and reads it would end up becoming super powerful. I am not going to lie, the way you portrayed the book has made me want to read at least some of the book. While I would not do anything evil, I do want to know if the book lives up to its hype. Furthermore, I have this slight morbid curiosity as to what the book has to say. Is it something obvious that is just worded in a clever way, or does it actually provide unique examples that I would have never thought of. Anyway, I like how you made this book feel like Pandora’s box. Good job!
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