How Robert Greene’s Writings Can Help Us Navigate a Rage-Filled America
“What [50 Cent] had, and what most really powerful people have in life is a sense that they are unique, that there is something very different about them. And to the extent that you bring out your uniqueness in life, that you become more of an individual, that you bring more of your individuality into play, the more [powerful and influential you will become.]”
Robert Greene
We should never overlook the might and resiliency of the human spirit. Even after years more challenging than 2020, we humans have emerged as stronger, more capable versions of ourselves. We are the ones who decide our fate. We must never allow ourselves to sink into hopelessness and despair.
That being said, there is no shame in experiencing moments of fear, doubt, and frustration. The chaos brought about by COVID-19 has forced us to ask ourselves very tough questions. Have we overestimated our ability to navigate times of great uncertainty? Can we reinvent ourselves to adapt to the changing job landscape?
Fortunately, if we’re short on answers, we can turn to the writings of Robert Greene for counsel. His books, ranging from The 48 Laws of Power to The 33 Strategies of War, immerse us in the lives of history’s most accomplished, influential figures to unveil their incredible attributes. Many of them lived through times of intense conflict and disorder, so we can replicate their mindset and practices to bring prosperity into our lives, no matter how daunting our circumstances. Nurturing our unique talents to solve problems and inspire others will grant us the power to shape our lives as we see fit.
Throughout all of his books, Greene stresses the importance of recognizing what truly drives and influences human behavior. Let’s dive further into his writings to learn how we can awaken our dormant creative powers, and the far-reaching implications of allowing the weaker, more selfish parts of our nature to dictate our actions.
We live in interesting times. Standing atop all of the human achievements that preceded us, it’s never been easier to cocoon ourselves and misunderstand our true nature. With a few taps of the phone, we can lose ourselves in a myriad of indulgences. We can tune out anyone who disagrees with us and assume periods of stasis and comfort are indefinite.
Greene’s Laws of Human Nature pierces through these delusions and shows, despite how all-knowing the modern era can make us feel, many of us demonstrate an awful understanding of human nature. We are swayed by the hollow rhetoric of demagogues, elect them into office, then are surprised at their ineptitude and tendency to exacerbate crises. We trash notable figures when they fumble or commit terrible acts, yet deny our capacity to behave similarly. We downplay the role of luck and outside help in our successes, then allow our inflated egos to lead us into disaster.
Fortunately, the book does more than condemn us for our hypocrisy. If we humans possess both a lower and higher nature, how do we become more evolved and compassionate? An excellent way to achieve this is by regularly fusing both masculine and feminine modes of perception.
Masculine thinking can be understood as viewing things in a systematic, binary manner. X leads to Y leads to Z. It favors narrowing one’s focus on a limited number of systemic components, making them hyper-efficient, and using brute force and exhaustive analysis to achieve desired outcomes.
The feminine way of thinking is akin to perceiving our existence as a hologram, where even the tiniest parts reflect essential truths about the whole. It embraces the reality of interconnectivity, and how our emotions and imagination helped shape many of the artistic and engineering masterpieces of today. It taps into the more unconscious parts of our intelligence, and trusts that ideas and solutions will come to us even as we’re being free-wheeling, loose, and spontaneous.
Combining these two approaches yields magnificent results. It allows us to rise above the madness of daily life, mentally deconstruct our environment, spot unnoticed patterns, and derive more enjoyment from our pursuits. Alternating between viewing our lives from a higher vantage point and zeroing in, being bold and patient, and mixing things up & staying the course expands the range of opportunities available to us. Fusing these two forms of thinking gives us the ability to build products that are enjoyable, yet functional and resilient. It enables us to write logically sound, highly engaging content.
As of October 2020, at least 25 million Americans are collecting some form of unemployment. Many others are unsure of how much longer they will keep their jobs. Knowing how to differentiate one’s self and provide value in a fiercely competitive marketplace is a must.
Is it possible to do the work we truly love, yet make enough to live on and save for our future? If what we offer is irresistible, the answer is yes. Greene’s Mastery shows us how we can discover our “Life’s Calling” and develop breathtaking expertise in our field.
Over the years, neuroscientists have confirmed that when we analyze the work of experts, our brains are able to reverse-engineer and internalize their applied techniques. “Mirror neurons” in the brain then integrate that information with past accumulated knowledge (on both a conscious and unconscious level) to weave original traits into our preferred craft, as well as strengthen the intuitive feel we have for it.
Too many of us expect fast results and quit when roadblocks or creative dry spells arise. We must realize that artistic gems and technological breakthroughs are often the end results of years, if not decades, of intense practice, countless frustrations, and continual refinement.
By exposing ourselves to novel stimuli, maintaining a childlike sense of wonder, and infusing our passion and individual spirit into our work, we can attain heights of mastery that will leave transformative impacts on the lives of others.
Singapore, 2010. Greene addresses a room of esteemed businessmen at an American Chamber of Commerce gathering. The horrors of the ’08 Financial Crisis remain fresh in their minds, but Greene views the meltdown as a symptom of a larger trend.
The Internet Age, while accelerating humanity’s evolution and democratizing our access to knowledge, is upending existing power structures. The aging oligarchies of the West are failing to keep pace, destroying their nations in the process. History shows that power gradually shifts from the few to the many, so we’re likely encountering rough patches along a path towards increased freedom and prosperity for all.
Greene sees technology as a liberating force that advances exponentially. He anticipates that those ill-equipped to steer us through this transition will be purged from their positions of influence. Unfortunately, oligarchs do not give up their power willingly, so this upheaval is almost certain to be chaotic. As events unfold, Greene tells us that we’ll be forced to adopt the mindset of a Napoleon or a Marie-Antoinette.
During Marie-Antoinette’s queenship in 18th-century France, there was grave despair among the populace. Starvation was widespread, and taxes were hiked massively to service the bloated national debt. Marie, from her luxurious palace in Versailles, ignored the brewing anger of her subjects and continued to spend frivolously and throw lavish parties.
The French Revolution broke out in 1789, and a people’s march on Versailles forced Marie and King Louis XVI to relocate to Paris. The royal couple expected the rebellion to subside; after all, the French monarchy had been in power for over a millennium, how could it possibly be toppled? By some filthy commoners, nonetheless? Things will soon return to normal, they thought. These low-lives will come to regret their insubordination.
Four years later, Marie and her husband knelt before the guillotine and were decapitated.
Fast forward to 1804. A decorated general named Napoleon Bonaparte is crowned France’s new emperor. His staggering success in combat resulted from his strategic genius: on the battlefield, he realized his enemies were slaves to tradition. Their troop formations were structured such that a giant mass of soldiers marched ahead of the commander. The generals never knew in real-time what was occurring on the frontlines, they only facilitated responses when messages were relayed back to them.
To Napoleon, this was a deeply flawed approach. He chose to divide his troops into smaller, more agile units, a strange decision at the time. The field marshals leading these units were taught his philosophy of war and had the freedom to maneuver as they pleased. Conscious of his soldiers’ revolutionary fervor, Napoleon allowed even the lowliest of them to climb the ranks if they proved their valor, galvanizing them even further. Instead of hiding behind his men, Napoleon sometimes disguised himself as a low-level officer to scout enemy encampments, risking his life to obtain a firmer grasp of reality.
So here we are in 2020. The prescience of Greene’s speech speaks for itself. As a consequence of COVID-19, the wealth inequality in America has dramatically worsened, and record numbers of insolvent, mismanaged corporations are propped up via chronic money-printing. Our state and Federal governance is unprecedentedly ineffectual. At least 97,000 small businesses throughout the country have permanently shut down.
If only myopic figures like Marie-Antoinette were relics of the past. The French Revolution was a predictable event; had Marie and her husband not cloistered themselves in Versailles, they would have easily sensed the imminence of a violent revolt. America’s political elites erred similarly, ignoring years-old warnings from the Pentagon that the nation was ill-equipped to handle a pandemic. Instead, they buckled under pressure, retreated into fantasy, and claimed, to quote Donald Trump back in Feb. 2020, “[COVID-19] will disappear one day, like a miracle.”
Napoleon trained himself to see past the “fog of war,” and so can we. In the midst of battle, with thundering booms of cannon fire quaking throughout his body, he was still able to lock into the present moment, to see reality for what it was and master his emotions. He knew preparation and grasp of military theory didn’t encompass warfare in its entirety; one also had to be attuned to the shifting nature of the times and respond accordingly.
Once vaccines are mass-produced in 2021, do we really believe life will revert back to being what it was pre-COVID? We cannot yearn for days long gone; we must accept that in certain ways, the world as we knew it has changed forever.
How will you choose to adapt? Perhaps you really ARE capable of turning that nascent business idea into an actual, profitable entity. What’s stopping you if you now have the opportunity to build it? Also, if America’s structural rot and cultural division is now exposed for all to see, what role can you play in unifying people and uplifting the most destitute among us?
Our time on this Earth is limited and can end sooner than we would like to believe. During our brief foray on this planet, we should add vibrancy to the lives of others by cultivating our unique gifts and boldly expressing them outward. Never underestimate the value your authentic self can offer to the world.
