Steal the Playbook Used By the Most Powerful People in the World
“If the world is like a giant scheming court and we are trapped inside it, there is no use in trying to opt out of the game.”
True Confessions: I’ve tried reading this book two times before. Each time, I reached a point where continuing felt gross. I’ve never had a book give me “the ick” as much as this one did.
But a friend told me this: “That’s all the more reason you need to read it. It’s not a lesson in morality. It’s a lesson in how the world works.”
So, I held my nose and dove in.
It’s taken almost three months to get through this tome. It’s still not a good book in the sense of purity and moral goodness. Admonitions like “Crush your enemy totally,” advice such as “Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit,” and “Pose as a friend, work as a spy” are not how I want to relate to people.
And while some use the 48 laws in a nefarious, self-serving quest for power, that’s not why anyone should read this book.
It is a good book in that it’s deeply rooted in research and history. While I don’t love the reality it portrays, it is a mostly accurate representation of how the world works. It is, indeed, a Machiavellian approach to power. Here, strategy intentionally trumps morality and ethics. Once I understood this, the value of the book increased immensely.
Why This Matters
The richest 26 people in the world have as much wealth as the bottom 3.8 billion.
Instead of using the power that comes with this obscene wealth to uplift those 3.8 billion, they leverage it to gain more power and more wealth. While they build bunkers and plan to terraform Mars, they’re destroying the planet the rest of us will be stuck with in the aftermath.
When demagogues chase power, the masses are dehumanized, reduced to sweeping, un-empathetic terminology.
The value of The 48 Laws of Power is in understanding how demagogues work and studying how to turn power on its head.
Jesus even touched on this when he told his disciples:
“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different.”
Mark 10:42-43
He understood how power in the world works. He also understood how overwhelming power can be undermined. After all, he walked the earth in the shadow of Rome’s might.
Nothing has changed since then. This is what Robert Greene understands.
Applying the 48 Laws
When reading nonfiction, I always look for ways to apply new information. Applying the 48 laws to your own life could mean becoming a demagogue yourself. But here’s a thought experiment:
What would it look like if the powerless 3.8 billion at the bottom (maybe with help from some of us in the middle?) applied the 48 laws to themselves?
Here are some examples of how I’d rewrite this book for the marginalized:
Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions
This is a strategy the powerful use to gain more power. Recent blatant demonstrations of this strategy dominate news cycles.
For people without power, transparency with their plans might provoke preemptive strikes from the powerful. By keeping their strategies hidden, marginalized groups can organize without interference and catch the ruling class off guard. Grassroots movements often gain momentum under the radar, avoiding suppression until they’re too large to ignore.
Law 37: Create Compelling Spectacles
The powerful create their own photo-ops all the time. Visual, symbolic acts resonate deeply with the public, amplifying a movement’s message and drawing attention to injustices. Public spectacles shift the narrative and put pressure on the powerful.
History is full of examples: graffiti on a wall, the March on Washington, or students walking out of a classroom can force attention on an issue, galvanize public opinion, and possibly force systemic change.
Law 48: Assume Formlessness
Power often works behind the scenes and only reveals itself when it is safe to do so. Movements by the marginalized must do the same. Timing is everything. Flexibility prevents predictability, making it harder for the powerful to counteract efforts.
By adapting strategies to changing circumstances, marginalized groups can maintain momentum and evade suppression. Decentralized movements like Occupy Wall Street or Extinction Rebellion leveraged fluid structures to remain resilient against direct attacks.
A Guidebook for the Resistance?
This might sound like a guidebook for planning a revolution. For those without power, it’s a necessary way to think. We can’t be naïve; it’s being wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove.
Do not read Robert Greene to become the next ruthless tyrant of power. The world does not need more of those. If that’s your bent, consider reading the words of Jesus instead.
Read Robert Greene to understand how power actually works. Use that information to make the world a better place for everyone.
You are doing better than you think.
