Unveiling the Game of Power, with #1 best-selling author Robert Greene
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Human beings are fascinated with power: who has it, how it’s used, when it’s abused, and the different forms it takes.
But partly because we fear it, and partly because we’re an intensely social animal, we can also be in denial about it.
We can believe the stories that people with power tell us.
We confuse our ideals and desires with the way the world really works.
In short, we engage in something #1 NYT best-selling author Robert Greene calls “Pollyanna-ish thinking” – a sort of gooey, naïve faith that everyone is nice, and everything is good.
When this happens, we become even more vulnerable to those who play the power game ruthlessly and shamelessly.
This is the core problem Robert wanted to tackle in his all-time classic The 48 Laws of Power. In unmasking the hidden laws of power, he wanted to make ordinary people more aware and realistic about them:
“I have to admit that, at the time, I had a kind of a bit of anger inside of me, of frustrating, particularly dealing with Hollywood and the hypocrisy that I saw, where nobody likes to talk about power, but everybody is obsessed with it, right? The worst feeling that a human being can have is to have a sense of being powerless, having no control. So if you're a child, you can't get your parents' attention. You can't get them to give you the kind of toys or things that you need or want in life. It's a terrible feeling. And so you're going to act out. This is who we are, we're not descendants from angels. We're descendants from primates, from chimpanzees, and chimpanzees have this nature that they are amazing animals. I absolutely love studying and watching them, but they can be extremely Machiavellian and very clever.”
The book had a lasting impact on pop culture: it quickly developed a cult following in the world of hip hop (Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Drake have all listed it as a major influence) – leading to Robert eventually writing a follow-up, The 50th Law (on being fearless) with 50 Cent. It was equally popular among thought-leading entrepreneurs – Tim Ferriss said he keeps going back to it for guidance; Draymond John thinks every entrepreneur needs to read it – the list goes on.
After the success of the 48 Laws, Robert brought his broad learning, CEO work ethic, and uncanny knack for understanding human nature to other topics: seduction, mastery, fear, war. He combined these in his two latest books – at length in his tour-de-force The Laws of Human Nature, and in summarized form, one law for every day of the year, in The Daily Laws.
His topics are timeless; his writing style, epic and unique. Timeless stories, laws, and reversals combine to form a rich, meaningful exploration. Searing honesty and page-turning flow are never sacrificed. Ryan Holiday simply calls him “the goat” of nonfiction writing. The argument can be made.
But while the themes and scale of his work suggest a forever scheming, Lord Baelish-type character, the human being behind it all is anything but.
Robert’s spirit is that of a true gentleman – warm, generous, and respectful, driven by a deep passion for understanding the human condition, and the desire to share his insights as broadly as possible.
In this conversation, we talk about the major themes that have characterized Robert’s work, including the inner dynamics of power, the game of seduction, what it means to be authentic, and how we can leverage our unique gifts to realize our potential.
It was an honour learning from a true modern master in this episode – I hope you get value from it.
Fred