August 24, 2017

From the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greeene:  Law 39 Stir up waters to catch fish.  The chapter concludes that in order for one to gain power one should manipulate others to loose their "cool" or otherwise throw a temper tantrum in order to undermine that person.  Also one is advised to keep one's "cool" and not be lured into displays of anger which may make one look ridiculous and weak.  The author insists that when someone gets angry at another's behavior one is counter-productive because life is determined.  That people lack free will and only act in reaction to forces or events beyond their control.  This is obviously and demonstrably false.  We know by the evidence of our senses that the individual does have free will and because we know this we also know that the individual has the responsibility to exercise their free will in a responsible manner.  Mr. Greene uses several anecdotes that illustrate not lack of free will but the use of poor judgment.  It is free will in conjunction with poor judgment that gets people in trouble and free will in conjunction with good judgement that "empowers" them.

August 13, 2017

I read last Thursday the 37th law of power about creating grand spectacles.  Like most if not all of the "laws" of power the key to this "law" is a vivid imagination.  Most of the "laws" in this book depend also on an environment that concentrates power in order for them to be valid.  Concentration of power was the rule decades and centuries ago but today thanks to improvements in communication power is diffuse.  Nobody rules.  Everyone represents.  The "48 Laws of Power" are entertaining and amusing but irrelevant in modern society.

August 15, 2017

I read Law 36 Disdain things that you cannot have because ignoring them is the best revenge.
Ignoring things may or may not help one psychologically but it will do no good realistically.

August 10, 2017

Today I read Law 33 from the book titled The 48 Laws of Power.  Law 33 tells one to find a person's "thumbscrew" in order to better manipulate them.  The chapter was replete with anecdotes from German and French royalty from over one hundred years ago.  It is yet another chapter that seems to have little relevance to the average person.  At least part of the reason that these laws seem inapplicable to modern life is that power today is much more diffuse than it was one hundred years ago.  Even the few dictators that remain are unable to exercise absolute power.  All of the advice in this book may serve to make one more powerful in one's workplace and social circles but may very well prove counter productive where it comes to making friends and establishing intimate relationships.

Aug 5, 2017

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is a very entertaining book but not very instructive.  The examples used in the book include anecdotes of kings, queens, ministers, presidents and secretaries of state but no examples or anecdotes that involve the butchers, bakers and candle-stick makers of the world.  Another flaw of the book is its lack of ethics, its immorality.  The book promotes a pragmatic might-makes-right the-ends-justify-the-means kind of attitude.  In other words socialism.  Socialism and socialists are fascinated with power.  Capitalism on the other hand is interested in right and wrong because right and wrong goes with the rule of law and the rule of law allows contract formation and enforcement. The relationship between individuals is not about power (force) but about cooperation (negotiation).