First published: February 19, 2023 @ 6:00 pm
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Are you interested in understanding the true nature of power and influence? Are you interested in learning how to master your environment and make it a better place for yourself and others? In The 48 Laws of Power, Robert Greene explains how power base really works and how to get it.
Many people think that position of power is simply a force to be reckoned with. But in reality, the tool of power is an invisible quality that exists everywhere, but which most people take for granted. The majority of the 48 rules are based on historical events, and while some of them appear to oppose one another, each one has a valuable lesson.
When reading this book, you will learn how to think, how to communicate and how to influence. The 48 Laws of Power is not just a book full of motivational quotes or a list of rules. We can learn from them, we can relate to them, and we can take some points with us which include:
1. Constantly make your superiors appear wiser than you.
2. Confound competitors by behaving unexpectedly.
3. Instead of forcing them to follow what you wish, charm them.
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Are you ready to read and learn about the true nature of power game and influence? Let’s go into the main points.
Constantly Make Your Superiors Appear Wiser than You
Some kinds of people in positions of authority do not want to appear helpless. But that’s precisely what occurs when you show off your abilities in front of them, you’d be looked as an arrogant underling.
Nicolas Fouquet, the French finance minister under King Louis XIV, was sentenced to life in jail for that lesson. When he gave an extravagant celebration for the king at his chateau, the king charged him of theft, because no one man could legitimately be that rich, and placed him in bars.
Instead of bragging about your abilities, make your superior appear to be the sharpest individual in the room, although you realize he isn’t. If you give out credit, you will be given responsibilities in return.
For instance, when Galileo Galilei identified Jupiter’s four moons, he might have claimed exclusive credit. However, he titled them after Cosimo II de’ Medici, the Grand Duke, and his brothers. As a consequence, Cosimo nominated him as his official philosopher and mathematician, assuring Galileo’s research money for the foreseeable future.
Confound Competitors by Behaving Unexpectedly
Sometimes it appears like the competition is constantly one step ahead of you. That’s most likely as they’ve spent time and effort investigating you and determining your behavioral tendencies.
Photo by Barney Yau on Unsplash
When this happens, Robert Greene suggests that your best option is to act unexpectedly. Do the contrary of what you believe others anticipate, make a deliberate error, or simply disappear for a bit.
Errors conduct takes people off guard, and while they’re attempting to sort out your new method and interpret your action, you have an opportunity to strike back. A secret pleasure, the unexpected error can be a form of mind control.
Bobby Fischer employed this precise approach to perplex Boris Spassky during their chess encounter for the 1972 world championship title. He made a rookie error in their first match, was absent for the second and lost by forfeit), then reappeared only moments before the third match began.
Then he began making bizarre demands, such as relocating cameras, switching rooms, and trading seats. Ultimately, he used beginnings that were utterly foreign to his customary chess approach, and he defeated Spassky to become champion of the world.
Instead of Forcing Them to Follow What You Wish, Charm Them
Even if you are in a position of influence, people will not always follow what you ask them to. When this is the scenario, you should never attempt to compel someone to cooperate. Alternatively, seduce them and make it hard for them not to comply with what you want.
This means that if you make your enemies angry, they will always try to defeat you. However, if you manage to calm them down and lead them to believe that it is in their best interest to work with you, they will not be able to do anything against you.
Chuko Liang, ancient China’s chief military strategist, kidnap King Menghuo several times over the years and fed him fine wine and food. He only released the adversary after promising to bow to the Chinese monarch if he was taken again.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Ultimately, Menghuo submitted, bowed before the monarch, and gave up of his own accord after the seventh time. Seduction, rather than raw force, generates animosity. The moment of victory is achieved by making the enemy do your bidding.
Conclusion
Suspicious people might think that the book is full of motivational quotes or a list of rules. But in reality, this book is much more than that.
The 48 Power Laws takes on many of the most well-known history of power struggles to teach you what sources of power looks like, how to achieve it, how to protect yourself against other people’s power, and crucially, how to employ and retain it properly.
It may not always offer you what you’d like to hear. Nevertheless, in certain circumstances, it may be exactly what you need to hear. Each of the laws has a sound rationale.
So, if you want to learn the real secrets of untold power, this book may be for you. Make sure you read it with a discretion, as it may contain some thoughts that are not pleasant to hear.
“Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.”
– Robert Greene
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