I think this is a horrible book. Written well enough, sure, whatever, but just so very, very wrong, unless you have no morals. At least with Machiavelli you could make the excuse that he wasn't so much advocating what he said, but merely describing reality.
This guy is advocating evil. As I read it I couldn't help wondering how many politicians actually think this way. If I ever met someone who actually liked this book and wanted to live their life according to it, I would never hire that person, I think this is a horrible book. If I ever met someone who actually liked this book and wanted to live their life according to it, I would never hire that person, never work for that person, never do business with that person, and would try to avoid any and all relationships with that person.
I would like to be quite remotely located physically from any such person. The sad part is I think the author is just plain wrong. Sure, you can find powerful people who have engaged in the behaviors he espouses I think it's hard to call them "laws" and have been successful, but how many people live life this way and merely end up in the gutter with no friends, no money, and no power?
True power comes from being good, not to mention being happy, which is philosophically quite a bit more important than being powerful, although ultimately they are one and the same. View all comments. Tg "Bravery is the only impregnable fortress for our mortal weakness " Seneca Epistles " "Bravery is the only impregnable fortress for our mortal weakness " Seneca Epistles " Jan 07, Blake rated it it was amazing.
Plus how smart you and ambitious you should be about succeeding in life. You got to stand out in this world. If you roll with the bunches you'll become lost.
You always have to have a good reputation or if you have a certain reputation you better use it to your advantage damn im evil hahaha. This book will expose and teach you alot about the real world.
One of my first books i really re i learned to be eviiiilll with this book One of my first books i really read and enjoyed. View all 24 comments. Mar 10, Shang Shang rated it it was amazing. When it comes to morality and ethics, people are used to thinking in terms of black and white. Conversely, "The 48 Laws of Power" deals primarily with the gray areas. At the risk of sounding melodramatic and trite, I say that most of the Laws covered in this book can be used for great evil or for great good.
It depends on the reader. There is really nothing wrong with most of the Laws. Each Law comes with true stories from history about those who successfully observed it and those who foolishly o When it comes to morality and ethics, people are used to thinking in terms of black and white.
Each Law comes with true stories from history about those who successfully observed it and those who foolishly or naively transgressed it. Robert Greene has an interpretation for each story. Though each Law is self-explanatory, Greene's explanations are not padding, fluff or stuffing to make the book longer. They actually give greater clarification and depth.
Greene's insight even extends to crucial warnings about how the Laws could backfire. There are two reasons to read this book: 1. For attack: To gain power, as have others who have carefully observed the Laws; 2.
For defense: To be aware of ways that people may be trying to manipulate you. View all 16 comments. MacKensye Your review may have just single handedly convinced me to read this! Apr 02, Katie rated it liked it. If the author is evil for writing this View all 14 comments. Aug 28, Melody rated it did not like it. I hated every word of this manual for the soulless. It's a perfect example of exactly what's wrong with Big Pharma, big business, Wall Street, and in short capitalism as it's currently practiced.
This book, which is kinda-sorta a synthesis of many previous Me First directives Machiavelli leaps to mind , is a handbook on how to fuck over everyone you come in contact with, in order for you to get "ahead" and "succeed".
It'd be awesome for sociopaths and wanna-be-CEOs. It plunged me into despair. Parts of it actually raised gooseflesh on my arms while I was reading, I was so freaked out. Utterly amoral. Negative million zillion stars. View all 13 comments. Feb 12, Quincy Miller rated it really liked it. This book belongs in the category of sad-but-true. For those who have a moral objection to the amoral approach of the authors presentation, I understand your feelings, but I think you miss the point.
No matter how we feel about the dubious power plays that have occurred throughout history and that occur in our contemporary private and public lives, the fact is that they exist. Here are 48 approaches to power that you will either attempt to use or you will experience them being used against you a This book belongs in the category of sad-but-true. Here are 48 approaches to power that you will either attempt to use or you will experience them being used against you at some point in your life, whether you agree with it ethically or not.
If you are one who chooses to never use power over another, at least educate yourself to recognize the subtle and not so subtle ways others will attempt to use power against you. Many a despot would have been dis-empowered had their subjects been aware of the mind-games we humans have consistently used against one another throughout history. It may even be that the lack of this knowledge is as responsible for the abuse of power as the propagation of it. Full of fun and interesting historical anecdotes, this is a thoroughly entertaining read.
View all 10 comments. May 06, Yosep rated it really liked it. For all the readers and reviewers who don't "get" or like this book, here's what you are not getting: It is fact. This book is not teaching anyone to be amoral. It is teaching you how people really are in the real world. It separates the behaviors and tactics of people in history who have succeeded and failed into the 48 "Laws".
It is an explanation of power in the only way it can be expressed. If you don't want to be a deceitful heartless prick who does whatever he can to whomever all for perso For all the readers and reviewers who don't "get" or like this book, here's what you are not getting: It is fact.
If you don't want to be a deceitful heartless prick who does whatever he can to whomever all for personal gain, then I praise you. I read this book with this understanding which Greene also suggests in the book , and came away from it very enlightened. Live your life as you see fit, but I always recommend facing reality in its purest rawest form, and this book really uncovers the seedy underbelly of how powerful people interact with one another.
Jan 11, Dave Garnand rated it did not like it. I completely misunderstood what I was about to read when I got this book. I foolishly thought it was going to be a strongly researched and thoughtful historical investigation into the nature of power with 48 astute observations similar to Good to Great or other thoughtful research. This books is probably written for and is appealing to the shallow and overconfident who seek to take more from the world than they give by using the perpetually infantile "well, they're doing it!.
Maybe the author has his tongue in his cheek like Rush Limbaugh who makes bazillions whipping the ignorant into a frenzy. I find that annoying. I find this book annoying. More concretely, there are two ways to research or investigate a subject; one is to know already what you believe and then find examples that you can stick into your belief system. A good example of this is Creationism. Another good example of this is this book. The other, more The world, in my view, is moving - slowly - to a more beautiful way to think about power Read Robert Greenleaf's The Servant Leader for starters, then read something like The Joy of Work by Bakke and, again, Collins' Good to Great where we find great leaders "looking out the window" when things go well and "looking in the mirror" when things go badly.
You can't talk people out of listening to Rush Limbaugh and those people will love this book. I think I just wandered into the wrong bar. My bad. View all 6 comments. Jun 27, Babs rated it it was amazing. Did you ever notice how sometimes the right book comes along at the right time? I bought this book way back in '01, almost as a joke--it was so politically incorrect, but mostly for the stellar historical references-- remember, he who forgets the past is destined to repeat it.
Little did I realize this tome was to become one of the most dog-eared and spine-cracked books in my collection. Initially, I was trying to make sense of the havoc that schemers and liars were wreaking upon me. I used to b Did you ever notice how sometimes the right book comes along at the right time? But then I started relying on some, but not all, of the laws to survive and thrive.
Some great lessons from this book: 1. Learn to control your emotions. Have a "Plan B. Learn from your past. Life is a game, don't take it personally. What I can't seem to learn is how to conceal my intentions, and play the role of a "courtier. Read it, you'll have some good conversation at random water coolers and cocktail parties, you might even score a spot on Jeopardy, but you'll definitely kick some poor, weak, sots ass at Trivial Pursuit.
Jun 13, Amir Tesla rated it it was amazing Shelves: strategic-thinking , favorites. A book of wisdom, a compilation of tactics, hordes of to-avoid mistakes, rich set of brilliant tested ideas for thriving.
Although many of the rules might seem devilish, they'd better be considered as lessons to be aware of in perilous social life. This book is unspeakably well written. Everyone can definitely benefit having it read for its lessons are ones that have been tested and utilized throughout the history by bold figures. I really enjoyed this book and learned an intense amount of knowl A book of wisdom, a compilation of tactics, hordes of to-avoid mistakes, rich set of brilliant tested ideas for thriving.
I really enjoyed this book and learned an intense amount of knowledge. View all 19 comments. Jul 02, Daniel rated it did not like it Shelves: history-politics-nf , This is like a how-to manual for sociopaths. My office is full of them. The most useful part of this book is that you might more quickly identify the type of sociopaths who circlejerk over stuff like this in your workplace. Usually the same sort who got their online MBA writing thesis papers on books like this one, the art of war, and seven habits of highly effective people.
Every one of the 48 rules of power has an example of "obeying the rules: great success" and "didn't obey the rule, probably This is like a how-to manual for sociopaths. Every one of the 48 rules of power has an example of "obeying the rules: great success" and "didn't obey the rule, probably died a miserable failure".
All of these examples are generally from like AD and involve politics from the 4th dynasty of Burma or some stupid irrelevant shit like that. The author has an attitude that everyone is a horrible person who is out to get you if you don't do so first, and his contempt for people seeps through when he constantly refers to people who don't play the power game as "fools" and "suckers".
If you've ever used the term "cats-paw" unironically, you might enjoy this book! View all 7 comments. Dec 20, Dr. Appu Sasidharan rated it really liked it. Throwback Review Robert Greene took all the philosophies from Sun Tzu, Machiavellian, and many others and extrapolated them to the current world to help us understand more about the real world and the people living in it.
He tells us how to distinguish between right and wrong and the best ways to behave when we are facing a crisis. The only thing you must be careful while reading this book is that you should pick up the ideas that will be helpful for you from this book and try to s Throwback Review Robert Greene took all the philosophies from Sun Tzu, Machiavellian, and many others and extrapolated them to the current world to help us understand more about the real world and the people living in it.
The only thing you must be careful while reading this book is that you should pick up the ideas that will be helpful for you from this book and try to see whether it is morally correct in your case before trying to implement it. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike.
Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish. View all 3 comments. Dec 28, Greg rated it did not like it. The book is little more than a collection of conflicting laws that are supported only by anecdotal evidence.
Good for entertainment and historical vignettes but no real substance or takeaways here. View 2 comments. May 05, Marcus Chatman rated it it was amazing. My first thoughts while reading the preface were "Oh god I loved this book! As I stated earlier I was extremely skeptical and was under the impression that this book would be mainly propaganda infused and maybe laced with a little personal philosophy here and there. As I dug deeper into this great work though, I found that the author's personal philosophy actually takes a backseat to the historical references and stories that would eventually take center stage and serve as an excellent way to prove his point and drive it home.
I found the accounts of the different powerful figures from ancient civilization all the way up to modern times to be very effective, logical, and convincing.
It's always hard to disagree with someone when there's a clear cut example to support the claim. Now I would not recommend this book to the faint of heart.
I reiterate that as the author had to have tough skin to address the topic of power, so should the reader in order to read this book and understand it, let alone enjoy it.
This book addresses power from every single angle and aspect of it; from exercising power over ones self and his or her own actions, to having power over other people and their actions. I was expecting a lot of sugar coating and flattering words as you usually get when power is being addressed but to the contrary there was a boldness and a distinctly honest quality about this book.
That had to have taken a lot of courage The fact that this was Robert Greene's 1st book is commendable in that respect. The word "game" often resurfaces throughout in reference to power, to whom it may concern I found that interesting.
Power took on the form of politics which I'm not usually into and leadership was addressed in an almost microscopic type fashion which made the read more interesting. Some of my favorite historical figures appear throughout also to add clarity. Power is more times than often romanticized and made to seem alluring and seductive, but very few people dare to explore the object of it from every angle and address the dangers that abound when it is abused; making it easy for an author to inadvertently send an unsuspecting reader of one of these "in a perfect world" type books into a merciless, unrelenting, and unforgiving environment only to be devoured due to misguidance and unpreparedness.
The 48 Laws Of Power is not one of those books. There were portions that I read and thought to myself " I would never do anything like that. Having the notoriously wicked villain only makes you love the heroic character all the more. The 48 Laws Of Power has a little bit of everything in it.
Power is addressed, so naturally there's deceit, greed, treachery, corruption, and scandal involved. There's a hint of romance with ancient tales like the story of Ninon de Lenclos and Marquis de Serigne. There's also a pinch of heartbreak like you'd find in the story of King Henry the 13th and Catherine of Argon: both aspects of power that I just happen to find fascinating. Surprisingly there were also instances in which those who appeared to be powerful were actually powerless for whatever reason.
This book addresses power from every angle, legitimate and illegitimate, in an unbiased way and I appreciated and enjoyed that aspect immensely. I recommend this book to the man or woman who has reached a crossroad in his or her life and has found themselves staring down the barrel of a powerful decision I would also recommend this book to the person who has already acquired a position of leadership somehow, whether it be through hard work and sacrifice, or simply through inheritance.
I think all such would find this book to be a tremendous help in deciding on whether to simply bask in what has already been given to you and carry on tradition, or blaze your own path and set your own rules This may be an oldie to some, but I'm sure there are still a few that have yet to take a gander at this and marvel as I did.
In conclusion: real will always recognize real and it is impossible for one to miss the realness that resides between the pages of The 48 Laws Of Power View 1 comment. Nov 08, Safat rated it it was amazing. I've seen many people disliking this book because it's evil.
What they do not understand that this book is meant to be evil. And in its execution, it was spectacular. This book is a classic. I think the world is a horrible place because good people don't understand evil scheme, or can't plot evil scheme when its necessary to fight the evil.
As evil minds are generally ruthless in executing their schemes, they win most of the time. To fight it, you must play dirty when necessary. That being said, I've seen many people disliking this book because it's evil.
That being said, this book has enormous seductive power which could transform you to manipulating mind. Here's two laws that I particularly liked.. Law 1: Never outshine your master. Law 4: Always say less than necessary. Law When asking for help, appeal to people's self interest, never to their mercy or gratitude. Law Know who you are dealing with, do not offend the wrong person.
Law Despise the free lunch. Law Never appear two perfect. What makes the book a fun read is that each law is bolstered by historical stories, where either observance of the law or transgression of the law is exemplified. So the reader can relate the laws to real life scenarios, even in his own life. This is an exceptionally well written book. May 08, Mehrsa rated it it was ok. Definitely read this book if you're planning on being a war general soon.
Or if you want to destroy your "enemies. Most of the models of power ended up being killed or miserable. This book is pretty useful--anyone who doesn't see it as satire or rates it as 5 stars, you should probably avoid in your daily life--they think you're tool and are incapable of human love. Oct 25, Tosh rated it it was amazing.
This is really an unique book that serves both as a manual as well as a reading of the history of power and how it was used through the ages. I imagine most read this book to get insight into business transactions or self-help - but what is fascinating are the examples that are used to show certain aspects of obtaining or getting power. That and Robert's other two books "The Art of Seduction" and the War one are important studies on the nature of those subject matters.
Really unique and interesti This is really an unique book that serves both as a manual as well as a reading of the history of power and how it was used through the ages. Really unique and interesting! Dignity, in fact, is invariably the mask to assume under difficult circumstances: It is as if nothing can affect you, and you have all the t Dodaj do pakietu. Teraz czytam. Poczekaj, szukamy dla Ciebie najlepszych ofert. Popieram [ 12 ] Link. Krzysztof Knop. Popieram [ 1 ] Link.
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