47. Book Review : 48 Laws of Power (Audio Book Link given)

“When you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you naturally stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity... you cannot spend your life worrying about the petty feelings of others” 

I read 48 Laws of power because i have came across its mention in several books i was reading and every time the name of this book would come, it would amuse me and make me want to read it. The curiosity reached its height when i was reading Neil Strauss's very helpful book on picking up girls, The Game.

“Never assume that the person you are dealing with is weaker or less important than you are. Some people are slow to take offense, which may make you misjudge the thickness of their skin, and fail to worry about insulting them. But should you offend their honor and their pride, they will overwhelm you with a violence that seems sudden and extreme given their slowness to anger. If you want to turn people down, it is best to do so politely and respectfully, even if you feel their request is impudent or their offer ridiculous.”

Anywho, 48LOP is written by Robert Greene who was a self acclaimed failure till he was in his mid thirties.He changed more tan 100 jobs, he was unmarried and he had no future prospects until he met someone who felt that Robert Greene was a voracious reader and have read alot. He knows alot and he must write a book. He encouraged him to write a book which he promised he will help him publish. Motivated by the kind words, Robert started writing the book on power and rest is history.

"When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. 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.”

This book is not a rule book which will tell you what to do to acquire power over other people. The best part of the book is that it is not preachy. It gives you stories, alot of stories from ancient Greece and Rome and many other places and instances from the life of great powerful people about how and what they did to become powerful.

“If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid.” 

The book does not judge people, for it Hitler was powerful too, which he was, and it tells you the talents he acquired to become powerful. There are many rules in the book which go against our morals and ethical nature but hey, no one has won the war by following morals and ethics. Whatever it takes to acquire power is what it takes. There is no left or right rule about it. No matter how different of a species we think we are, we still behave under a pattern of habits which may have different faces but it is still the same person.

"Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. Only gods and the dead can seem perfect with impunity.”

A man who wants to become powerful has to follow certain tactics and there is no shortcut to that. Think of it as an art that has been developed along with time. Every leader has to go through a length of things to understand them, they have to go through a arduous process of test, trials, failures, rejections to understand what works and what not. Keep this book with you as it is one of the most powerful and influential book i have ever read.

"If you make a show of going against the times, flaunting your unconventional ideas and unorthodox ways, people will think that you only want attention and that you look down upon them. They will find a way to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch. Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness.”