48 Laws of Power is another of Robert Greene's timeless classics that I'm sure will stand the test of time. In each chapter, he breaks down one aspect of the power game we see taking place all around us every day. As always, he uses examples from many periods of history to illustrate his points.
Key Takeaways
Memorable Quotes
Rating: 9/10
There's so much quotable material in this book. It's worth revisiting on a regular basis. It's helped me in dealing with difficult clients as a consultant. It's also helped me understand the subtle hierarchies that exist everywhere. Robert Greene is one of the non-fiction authors whose work I'll always read and revisit. Nothing not to like here.
Key Takeaways
- There are games of power taking place all around us every day. Some are conscious, some unconscious, but they happen regardless. Knowing how they work gives you insight into how the world works.
- Power is neither good nor bad, it's how you use it.
- You can use your knowledge of power to defend against those who use power against you.
Memorable Quotes
- LAW 4: Always Say Less Than Necessary. 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.
- Remember: The best deceivers do everything they can to cloak their roguish qualities. They cultivate an air of honesty in one area to disguise their dishonesty in others. Honesty is merely another decoy in their arsenal of weapons.
- You choose to let things bother you. You can just as easily choose not to notice the irritating offender, to consider the matter trivial and unworthy of your interest. That is the powerful move. What you do not react to cannot drag you down in a futile engagement. Your pride is not involved. The best lesson you can teach an irritating gnat is to consign it to oblivion by ignoring it.
Rating: 9/10
There's so much quotable material in this book. It's worth revisiting on a regular basis. It's helped me in dealing with difficult clients as a consultant. It's also helped me understand the subtle hierarchies that exist everywhere. Robert Greene is one of the non-fiction authors whose work I'll always read and revisit. Nothing not to like here.