The Concise Laws of Human Nature

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There was so much in this book that I found myself nodding along to, but there was more that was quite enlightening. I thought it would be motivational and inspiring but it's also actually kind of ... ruthless. the book had an overall ominous connotation, everything and everyone being "so bad" in their human nature. I rarely get this kind of vibe from a book. I am not the most positive and cheerful person, but reading this just made me wonder how can anyone see humanity in such a bad light The Law of Shortsightedness. This chapter is simply about elevating your perspective. We constantly lose ourselves in trivial pursuits and petty everyday dramas that drain us. We humans are essentially wired for short-term thinking. We are wired to respond to what is immediate and seek instant gratification. Our brains never evolved to examine the big picture. I love how the talks about how the abundance of information these days has lead to an increase in nonconsequential thinking because the speed and ease of access of this information give people the illusion that they are informed and have thought deeply about things. Robert lays out a very interesting way of relating to people and events in the world that he calls a 'farsighted perspective'. The Law of Generational Myopia. This chapter talks about generations and how the relationships among all the generations alive at a particular moment in history create the zeitgeist. One of the most insightful things I found in this entire book was how Robert's interpretation of Ibn Khaldun's social cycle theory. What I despise however is that many of the manipulative techniques he talks about, he also practices in the book. Here are my main problems with it:

The Laws of Human Nature: Greene, Robert: 9780143111375 The Laws of Human Nature: Greene, Robert: 9780143111375

Beware of inflaming factors (or “high-grade irrationality”) which call up certain feelings and intensify them. These may come from (i) childhood memories that trigger strong positive/negative feelings, (ii) sudden gains/losses that bring extreme optimism or pessimism, (iii) extreme stress which causes us to get defensive, (iv) individuals who evoke strong feelings in us/others, and (v) infectious emotions from large groups. Watch out for these factors, detach yourself and contemplate the underlying sources. Be aware of demagogues who exploit the group effect and stimulate outbreaks of irrationality. They inevitably resort to certain devices. In a group setting, they begin by warming up the crowd, talking about ideas and values that everyone shares, creating a pleasant feeling of agreement. They rely on vague but loaded words full of emotive quality such as justice or truth or patriotism. They talk of abstract, noble goals rather than the solving of specific problems with concrete action. Demagogues in politics or the media try to stir a continual sense of panic, urgency, and outrage. They must keep the emotional levels high." Of course its easier to say that people in France hate queues and love alcohol. Well written Robert.Humans think that we’re rational and in control of our lives, when in reality we’re driven by irrational emotions. We’re often guided by our emotional impulses—we seek pleasure, avoid pain and do things to soothe our ego. Law of Death Denial: Contemplate common mortality. Instead of avoiding thoughts of death, leverage the paradoxical death effect–use the awareness of your mortality to make your life more productive and meaningful. Getting the Most from “The Laws of Human Nature” Opening in 1963 New York, to Renaissance Florence, to the birth of theatre in fifth-century Athens, and the Sex Pistols shattering Thatcherite Britain - take your seat for the history of performance. Instead you must work from within their self-opinion, empathizing with the injustices in their life and the difficulties they have faced. Now, with them feeling validated and mirrored, you have some latitude to make gentle corrections and even apply some reverse psychology (see the section below). Finally, the greatest obstacle you will face in developing these powers comes from a cultural prejudice against the very idea of influence: “Why can’t we all just be honest and transparent with one another, and simply ask for what we want? Why can’t we just let people be who they are and not try to change them? Being strategic is ugly and manipulative." Caterina had foreseen the maneuver with the children and had calculated that the assassins were weak and indecisive—they should have killed her and her family on that first day, amid the mayhem. Now they would not dare to kill them in cold blood: the assassins knew that the Sforzas, on their way to Forlì, would take terrible revenge on them if they ever did such a deed. And if she surrendered now, she and her children would all be imprisoned, and some poison would find its way into their food. She didn’t care what they thought of her as a mother. She had to keep stalling. To emphasize her resolve, after refusing to surrender, she had the cannons of the castle fire at the Orsi palace."

The Concise Laws of Human Nature - Robert Greene - Google Books

Best-selling author and public speaker, Robert Greene was born in Los Angeles. He attended U.C. California at Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he received a degree in classical studies. He has worked in New York as an editor and writer at several magazines, including Esquire; and in Hollywood as a story developer and writer. The Law of Narcissism. A huge theme of this chapter is empathy. Robert starts by first pointing out that Narcissism should be looked at as a spectrum that we all are on. One end being what he called 'Deep Narcissists' (The type of narcissist we all know and love lol) and the other end being the selfless individual. He also goes into quite a bit of detail on how people end up as 'Deep Narcissists', which I found really fascinating. He then goes on to give advice on how we can transform self-absorption into empathy.

Summary

Greene can have counted far more on strategies like neuroscience yet afterwards the tale would certainly not have in fact synced so well with his biographical locations. It seems like it would absolutely be difficult, for instance, just how a details fine example exhibited the proper dopamine equilibrium. this book is basically claiming to be a sorts of "Bible" or "manual" on human interaction, yet reading it I constantly felt the need to ask "who made the author qualified to actually say so?!" A degree in classical studies and a somewhat careless collection of behavioral science anecdotes just does not cut it. Discover your next non-fiction read and brilliant book gifts in the Profile newsletter, and find books to help you live well with Souvenir Press.

Book Summary - The Laws of Human Nature (Robert Greene) Book Summary - The Laws of Human Nature (Robert Greene)

This is by no means a perfect book. I found the book a little repetitive/stale at some points. Robert also seems to contradict himself at many points. The Law of Aimlessness. This chapter talks about how a majority of people go through life with no sense of purpose. This is a special one. Don't want to say much about it (READ THE DAMN BOOK LOL). The Law of Irrationality. This chapter is essentially about how our irrational tendencies can negatively influence our lives. The first thing we have to all realize is how irrational we are. Only in awareness can we actually start to change. Robert gives some insightful advice about how we can work towards taming our emotional self.The Law of Compulsive Behaviour. This one is about assessing the strength of people's character. Definitely one of my favourite chapters in the book because of how well Robert articulated a few ideas I've been playing around with. It sort of builds off of the knowledge Robert drops on us in the previous chapter. He goes over how poorly equipped we are to gauge the character of the people we deal with because of how mesmerizing the public image they present can be. He goes over how little we know about how our minds work. Nobody likes to believe that they are operating under some kind of compulsion beyond their conscious control (FREE WILL IS AN ILLUSION). Quite a disturbing thought to entertain for some. In our conscious day to day life, we are sleepwalking, unaware of what we really are; we present a front of reasonableness to the world and we mistake this mask for reality. We constantly delude ourselves into thinking the story we tell ourselves of who we are is the reality. As Yuval Noah Harari puts it, "Life is not a story.". The Law of Gender Rigidity. This chapter is about the Jungian concept of 'Anima' and 'Animus'. Just like the chapter on the shadow, this chapter presents nothing new aside from some actionable advice on how we can channel our anima/animus for creative power. Robert Greene is a master guide for millions of readers, distilling ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding and mastery. Now he turns to the most important subject of all - understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves.

of human naT ure of human naT ure

I recently read another book, also mentioning this park. The author saw that Paris Disneyland was set up the same way USA park was. Planned for a 3day stay, with hotels and everything visitors may need. They only forgot one thing - in Paris, there are 15 attractions. Disneylands in the USA have 3times more. They had the number of visitors right (22thousand/year if I remember right), but they have them for only one day - this was enough to ride every rollercoaster, and people had no reason to stay in hotels they build. Throughout the book, Greene also provides practical advice on how to apply these laws to our own lives. For instance, he suggests that mastering the art of observation can help us develop a deeper understanding of the people around us, while developing empathy can allow us to connect more effectively with others and build stronger relationships.I understand why so many people love his books. He uses archaic language, mention all those names, places, and stories we heard about before. This creates the illusion of mystic knowledge and mystery hidden in every word. Personally I do not take the recollections of other people too seriously, because I feel most people (myself included) tend to exaggerate often, but Greene’s explanations for human nature really hit home for me. I look at the people I work with or see in the media and I can’t help but nod my head at how accurate the analysis seems to be. Whether the advice is useful or not is really a matter of trial and error.