48 laws of power

Hi All

For those who haven't read it - basically says aim of life is to accumulate power and you're hosed if you don't follow these laws and gives some nice examples from history - e.g. Versailles wouldn't have been built if Louis XIV hadn't been jealous of his finance minister.

What I like about it is its evidence base and I've certainly seen some of these laws in action.

BUT I've seen in a few posts on the forums people warning that this book can make you a weird creepy guy if its not used right. I aspire to many things but not that.

So be interest in people's thoughts on what is 'used right'

ubercat said:

For those who haven't read it - basically says aim of life is to accumulate power and you're hosed if you don't follow these laws and gives some nice examples from history - e.g. Versailles wouldn't have been built if Louis XIV hadn't been jealous of his finance minister.

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The idealist in me says that I hope this is not true. Else, the only reason for people to treat each other well is to use them for their own gain. Using this train of thought, there would be no reason to believe in karma or anything religious, so that would not matter either.

Sort of scary to think about. Truly the survival of the fittest.

The 48 Laws is an absolute must read. You can find the audio book uploaded to youtube. I would also recommend Stephen Kaufman's interpretation of Sun Tzu's Art of War.

The Art of Seduction should also be a consideration as well.

ubercat said:

Hi All

For those who haven't read it - basically says aim of life is to accumulate power and you're hosed if you don't follow these laws and gives some nice examples from history - e.g. Versailles wouldn't have been built if Louis XIV hadn't been jealous of his finance minister.

What I like about it is its evidence base and I've certainly seen some of these laws in action.

BUT I've seen in a few posts on the forums people warning that this book can make you a weird creepy guy if its not used right. I aspire to many things but not that.

So be interest in people's thoughts on what is 'used right'

Click to expand...

The 48 laws neither glorifies nor villifies treachery and deception, it merely teaches that treachery is an effective means to get the job done.

A more humane version of the 48 laws, but not as well-written, is "Thick Face Black Heart," written by a woman who is self-promoting her business consultancy, which is fine by me, just saying, based on writings of a Chinese seeker of bureaucratic power. She blends Buddhism and power, which sounds ridiculous, but she pulls it off pretty well. Another more business applicable academic treatment is Power: Why Some People Have it and Others Don't by Stanford Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer. Finally, Thomas Cleary's three volume Classics of Strategy and Counsel is well worth the money to dig a copy up. All three are listed on Amazon.

To the topic, making any single book or philosophy one's bible is bound to fail. When reading power books, blend in some Buddhism on desire and look for the happy medium that works for you. It is a hobby of mine, and have been wrestling with Nietzsche (will to power)/Machiavelli (Prince) versus the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism my entire adult life. There is no definitive answer and the gain is in the journey and questioning, just like everything else.

Forgot one. Definitely read Cialdini's "Influence" while in this type of study. Can't recommend it highly enough. It's probably more worthy than any PUA book ever written in terms of getting what you want from people... including women.

And another one, google heuristics and read some cognitive/behavioral economic theory. Sometimes it's called neuroeconomics... powerful stuff. And google "Charlie Munger Cognitive bias" for a variety of pdfs in layman language on cognitive bias. Once you are aware of cognitive bias, can guard against it, and use it, doors open... and legs LOL.

http://25cognitivebiases.com/

Don't let the geeky looking old guy picture put you off, Munger is a stone cold genius, at least as responsible for Berkshire Hathaway as Buffett.

Finley Flynn said:

What the 48 Laws of Power fails to acknowledge is the long-term consequences which must follow that which the book advocates, or at least discusses and reveals.

All so-called "success" achieved through the application of the majority of the principles can ONLY remain temporary and must, through Cause and Effect, come to complete collapse, for their foundation is that of Lies and Deceit. And these sins are as a foundation of mud, whereas Truth and Honesty are a foundation of iron which cannot truly be broken.

Anyone who follows the 48 Laws of Power is ignorant. And if what they're after is enduring success, they will, through the use of such principles, guarantee their own failure.

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...yeah, I'm sure Rockerfeller, Rothschild, and all the other banksters would agree that honesty and truth are the ways to financial gain.... :crackup: </sarcasm>

power seekers are personally-weak pos's.

power-seekers are personally-weak pos's. i"ve never sought more than to be left-alone and not have to do anything that I don't feel like doing. It you go at this intelligently, it doesn't take more than being a black belt and skilled with guns, as well as having a decent income. You're then as safe as anyone ever managed to be in this life, so why seek power over others? cause you're a personally weak pos, that's why. You have no faith in voluntary trade to mutual benefit.

I think it prudent to point out that the author of the book himself never subscribed to most of what he wrote. The only people who really benefited from it was himself and his publisher. The information he wrote was readily available from already existing sources. They just repackaged it.

If this book teaches you anything it ought to be to write a self-help book if you want to make some money.

The 48 Laws of power, if you follow that book to a T, then you will become supernatural.

It's very tough to follow all the laws though.