If the author is evil for writing this...am I evil for enjoying it?

I hated every word of this manual for the soulless. It's a perfect example of exactly what's wrong with Big Pharma, big business, Wall Street, and in short capitalism as it's currently practiced. This book, which is kinda-sorta a synthesis of many previous Me First directives (Machiavelli leaps to mind), is a handbook on how to fuck over everyone you come in contact with, in order for you to get "ahead" and "succeed". It'd be awesome for sociopaths and wanna-be-CEOs. It plunged me into despair.

I've seen many people disliking this book because it's evil. What they do not understand that this book is meant to be evil. And in its execution, it was spectacular. This book is a classic. I think the world is a horrible place because good people don't understand evil scheme, or can't plot evil scheme when its necessary to fight the evil. As evil minds are generally ruthless in executing their schemes, they win most of the time. To fight it, you must play dirty when necessary. That being said,...

I think this is a horrible book. Written well enough, sure, whatever, but just so very, very wrong, unless you have no morals. At least with Machiavelli you could make the excuse that he wasn't so much advocating what he said, but merely describing reality. This guy is advocating evil. As I read it I couldn't help wondering how many politicians actually think this way.If I ever met someone who actually liked this book and wanted to live their life according to it, I would never hire that person,...

There are some engaging principles here that make you consider the principle of power from different vantage points -- This book is for those who already have a strong moral center as you find that the author meanders and introduces you to novel approaches to accquiring power --- often times at the expense of values. In many ways, this book is Machiavellian in scope and re-modifies many of the same principles in The Prince for our more modern age. If you're looking for a short-cut to get to the

i learned to be eviiiilll with this book....haha actually this book made me realize how shady people can be. Plus how smart you and ambitious you should be about succeeding in life. You got to stand out in this world. If you roll with the bunches you'll become lost. You always have to have a good reputation or if you have a certain reputation you better use it to your advantage (damn im evil hahaha). This book will expose and teach you alot about the real world. One of my first books i really re...

The book is little more than a collection of conflicting laws that are supported only by anecdotal evidence. Good for entertainment and historical vignettes but no real substance or takeaways here.

Also posted on my blog: i'mbookedindefinitelyIn the confines of my sociological classes, where my known companions were Locke, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Rousseau, and Mills, saying that I loved this book would perhaps even amount to an affront to the value I have assigned to it back then. When I entered law school and got oriented in the ways of the law, the cunning, ruthless, and decisive ways of the legal world, I appreciated this book. It was practical and in these present days it simply made sens...

When it comes to morality and ethics, people are used to thinking in terms of black and white. Conversely, "The 48 Laws of Power" deals primarily with the gray areas. At the risk of sounding melodramatic and trite, I say that most of the Laws covered in this book can be used for great evil or for great good. It depends on the reader. There is really nothing wrong with most of the Laws.Each Law comes with true stories from history about those who successfully observed it and those who foolishly o...

This is like a how-to manual for sociopaths. My office is full of them.The most useful part of this book is that you might more quickly identify the type of sociopaths who circlejerk over stuff like this in your workplace. Usually the same sort who got their online MBA writing thesis papers on books like this one, the art of war, and seven habits of highly effective people.Every one of the 48 rules of power has an example of "obeying the rules: great success" and "didn't obey the rule, probably

I completely misunderstood what I was about to read when I got this book. I foolishly thought it was going to be a strongly researched and thoughtful historical investigation into the nature of power with 48 astute observations similar to Good to Great or other thoughtful research.This books is probably written for and is appealing to the shallow and overconfident who seek to take more from the world than they give by using the perpetually infantile "well, they're doing it!." If you are committe...

Let me start by stating that I was EXTREMELY skeptical about this book, though I had heard so much about it prior to reading it (I don't know, maybe it was the mood I was in). My first thoughts while reading the preface were "Oh god...please don't let this be another book written from the point of view of an arrogant, self centered, self absorbed, narrow minded individual who only sees the world from his end of the spectrum, and believes that without his personal philosophy the rest of us mere m...

This book belongs in the category of sad-but-true. For those who have a moral objection to the amoral approach of the authors presentation, I understand your feelings, but I think you miss the point. No matter how we feel about the dubious power plays that have occurred throughout history and that occur in our contemporary private and public lives, the fact is that they exist. Here are 48 approaches to power that you will either attempt to use or you will experience them being used against you a...

A book of wisdom, a compilation of tactics, hordes of to-avoid mistakes, rich set of brilliant tested ideas for thriving. Although many of the rules might seem devilish, they'd better be considered as lessons to be aware of in perilous social life. This book is unspeakably well written. Everyone can definitely benefit having it read for its lessons are ones that have been tested and utilized throughout the history by bold figures. I really enjoyed this book and learned an intense amount of knowl...

I couldn't stomach this book so to be fair I only finished about a quarter of it so I can't speak for the whole thing. A friend recommended it to me. It seemed to justify selfishness on these somewhat flawed ethics-based arguments. I think it's a recommended reading for business majors. Some folks love it. A good book to check out on power that takes a somewhat different approach is Thich Naht Hanh's "The Art of Power".

Did you ever notice how sometimes the right book comes along at the right time? I bought this book way back in '01, almost as a joke--it was so politically incorrect, but mostly for the stellar historical references-- remember, he who forgets the past is destined to repeat it. Little did I realize this tome was to become one of the most dog-eared and spine-cracked books in my collection. Initially, I was trying to make sense of the havoc that schemers and liars were wreaking upon me. I used to b...

This is really an unique book that serves both as a manual as well as a reading of the history of power and how it was used through the ages. I imagine most read this book to get insight into business transactions or self-help - but what is fascinating are the examples that are used to show certain aspects of obtaining or getting power. That and Robert's other two books "The Art of Seduction" and the War one are important studies on the nature of those subject matters.Really unique and interesti...

Definitely read this book if you're planning on being a war general soon. Or if you want to destroy your "enemies." If you want to be happy, probably this book is useless for you. Most of the models of power ended up being killed or miserable. This book is pretty useful--anyone who doesn't see it as satire or rates it as 5 stars, you should probably avoid in your daily life--they think you're tool and are incapable of human love.

For all the readers and reviewers who don't "get" or like this book, here's what you are not getting: It is fact. This book is not teaching anyone to be amoral. It is teaching you how people really are in the real world. It separates the behaviors and tactics of people in history who have succeeded and failed into the 48 "Laws". It is an explanation of power in the only way it can be expressed. If you don't want to be a deceitful heartless prick who does whatever he can to whomever all for perso...

(Throwback Review) Robert Greene took all the philosophies from Sun Tzu, Machiavellian, and many others and extrapolated them to the current world to help us understand more about the real world and the people living in it. He tells us how to distinguish between right and wrong and the best ways to behave when we are facing a crisis. The only thing you must be careful while reading this book is that you should pick up the ideas that will be helpful for you from this book and try to s