Read “48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene and your thinking will never be the same. Man’s desire for power is in every level of society, and whether we desire more power in the home, the workplace, the community, or
Read “48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene and your thinking will never be the same.
Man’s desire for power is in every level of society, and whether we desire more power in the home, the workplace, the community, or perhaps even the world, for better or worse, it’s at the core of most human interactions. Ever notice how some of your co-workers get ahead and you don’t, or that there is an individual who always dominates the room whenever they are in it? Or how about that guy or gal that got all the attention running for (class) president and seemed to always be so confident? According to the author, the reason is that social power operates by specific “laws.”
Drawing upon time-tested strategies used throughout the ages, from Machiavelli’s “The Prince” to Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” “48” clearly and succinctly distills these “laws” and shows us how they are applied. Power is like a tool; it can be used to build or it can be used to destroy. It all depends on the intent of the user. “48” helps us understand what attributes and actions have made certain people powerful and how we ourselves can learn to access that power.
Here are some examples from the book:
#6 — “Court Attention At Any Cost”
#28 — “Enter action with boldness”
#37 — “Create compelling spectacles”
#39 — “Stir up waters to catch fish”
Perhaps you might recognize these “laws” being used by some of the current presidential candidates?
It is important to keep in mind that using the “laws” as defined in this book does not guarantee happiness, or even satisfaction; it is not even the intent of the lessons. Rather, this book makes us aware of what power is, how it is used, and how we can use it, if we desire.
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Ed and Cynthia Justus are owners of The Bookstore in Hanapepe.
