We meet the 15th-century Italian noblewoman Caterina Sforza, born out of wedlock but adored by her stepmother and father alike, who was a political mastermind undeterred by gender stereotypes. We get to know what motivated Coco Chanel, a poor girl educated by nuns who went from unremarkable courtesan to someone who ran a fashion empire that persists today. The author’s portrayal of historical and contemporary figures is illuminating and wide-ranging and decidedly not sexist. had to find their greatness and struggle against parental expectations, that our edginess can be our strength, as in the case of Malcolm X. He shows that heroes like Martin Luther King Jr.
Rockefeller weren’t just market geniuses but wounded humans driven by a relentless aggression borne of childhood pains. Greene makes ancient Greeks and and queens of yore relatable, turns revered novelists like Anton Chekhov and Flannery O’Connor into just people dealing with their psychology, and reminds us that business giants like John D. And each of us is the beneficiary of the advancements that great humans imagined and executed historically because they had channeled their natures into creativity, whether scientific, artistic, political, or otherwise.
We’re not more warlike than in the past, not sweeter or more nasty. The new book requires some similar skills, but it goes much more deeply into the psychology behind people’s behavior… It gives you a more profound understanding of people’s motivations, including your own.” As Greene puts it in a statement, “ The 48 Laws of Power advocates a strategic approach to life and teaches you to better defend yourself against the sharks out there. The author argues that his latest work is a little different, however. In fact, these books are banned in Utah state prison because they are all about manipulation. His previous books, The Art of Seduction and The 48 Laws of Power, are widely read by prisoners and businesspeople alike and provides all kinds of useful but unseemly advice like “never outshine the master,” counsel that recognizes the fragility of the egos of even the most charismatic and seemingly confident leaders. It provides insight on the ways others are manipulating you and advice so that you can harness your powers and become more socially intelligent.Īs such, it can all feel a bit creepy and not very sweet. And that’s what Greene is known for. It’s not all pretty stuff. Basically, it’s a guide to observing the workings of your personality so that you aren’t a prisoner to psychological habits and weakness. You will see yourself in this tome many times over, and if you’re following Greene’s instructions to be honest with yourself, to assess who you are, it can be a damning experience and slightly disheartening in parts.įor example, take these chapter headings: See Through People’s Masks, Get to Know Your Dark Side, Beware the Fragile Ego, Make Them Want to Follow You, Become an Elusive Object of Desire. The writing is engaging and the ideas are fascinating, but it’s hard not to feel a little bad when you’re faced with such an incisive examination of human nature. Truth be told, it’s a slightly painful read, and not just because it’s a long book. And he tells the tales of cultural heroes and demons throughout time to show how their tendencies were used positively or negatively, or both. He argues that, as social animals, it is essential to understand our own motivations and those of our associates in order to function more effectively. 23, Greene provides 588 pages on 48 aspects of humanity through the lens of history, philosophy, psychology, and wisdom to explain how people behave.
Which is why Greene’s new book is big. In The Laws of Human Nature, published on Oct.