logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
39m 15s

The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene

Book geeks Sam Harris & Nicolas Vereecke
About this episode

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene are described as amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive. This multi-million-copy New York Times bestselling book brands itself as the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control.


50 Cent loved the book so much that he reached out to the author to work with him.


But what can we learn from this book about power, society, and morality and what are its limits?


Hosts Sam Webster Harris and Nicolas Vereecke provide a summary of the 48 laws of power, and discuss the book that launched Robert Greene's career.


- - -


Contact the hosts


Nico's projects


Sam's projects


- - -

Chapters

  • 00:00 Overview of the 48 laws of power
  • 03:04 Favorite laws of power
  • 03:12 Law 4 - Say less than necessary
  • 07:24 How the book is structured
  • 10:43 Law 5 - So much depends on reputation. Guard it with your life
  • 11:47 Law 47 - Don't go past the mark. You aim for in victory, learn when to stop
  • 13:30 Law 46 - Never appear too perfect
  • 15:39 Laws that didn't stick well
  • 23:19 Law 26 - Keep your hands clean 
  • 23:37 Law 27 - create a cult-like following
  • 24:40 Law 32 Play into people's fantasies
  • 25:23 Have the top 10 influential people used these laws?
  • 29:21 Law 33 - Discover each man's thumbscrew
  • 30:17 Law 39 - Stir up waters to catch fish
  • 31:25 Law 10 - Infection: Avoid the unhappy or the unlucky
  • 33:52 General take on the book and rating
  • 34:30 Sam - rating 6/10
  • 35:43 Nico - rating 4/10
  • 36:36 Correlation between power and happiness


Topics

Power and manipulation

Trust and respect

Creating a cult

Attacking weakness

Laws of history

Happiness and control

Guarding reputation

The real source of true power

Never be greedy

Avoid perfection

The problems with the 48 laws of power

Common book mistakes


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Aug 12
Impact: How to Measure World Change
Is Brexit more important than Bitcoin? How do we rank Buddhism vs TikTok?The world changes, technology advances, but what really matters and how much? Sam explains the Innovation Richter Scale, a framework for understanding impact at every level of technology and what it means to ... Show More
31 m
Jul 29
Poor Charlie's Almanac - Charlie Munger
The favourite mental models and timeless lessons from Charlie Munger on how to build worldly wisdom.Charlie Munger was the business partner of Warren Buffet and the cofounder of Berkshire Hathaway. The most successful investing company in history. He was obsessed with how ot make ... Show More
35m 4s
Jul 15
The World Until Yesterday - Jared Diamond - Stone Age Lessons on Innovation
Heard enough lame insights about caveman psychology? Jared Diamond goes hard into what life was really like, how we thought and how it compares to today.A masterclass of a book when it comes to truly understanding our history and humanity and packed full of insights. Sam digests ... Show More
31m 13s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
the 48 laws of power: episode 1 (laws to recognize signs of manipulation) [preview]
Individuals recovering from trauma, neglect, and abuse are often particularly vulnerable to manipulative tactics. Their desire to be liked and accepted can unfortunately make them less adept at recognizing when they are being manipulated. In this episode, we’ll explore not only h ... Show More
54m 10s
Sep 2024
Lawrence v. Texas Part 2 with Marcus McCann
"Times can blind us to certain truths and later generations can see that laws once thought necessary and proper in fact serve only to oppress. As the Constitution endures, persons in every generation can invoke its principles in their own search for greater freedom."  — Justice A ... Show More
1h 40m
Aug 2024
Learn the Secret Power of Seduction & Discover What Makes You Different to Inspire Your Unique Life’s Purpose, with Motivation Expert Robert Greene!
Seduction, Power & Motivation EXPERT, Robert Greene EXPOSES the Hidden Forces of Power we are all impacted by! Bestselling author Robert Greene (The 48 Laws of Power & The Art of Seduction) blows the lid off the DARK FORCES actively working against you!  Discover how anxiety can ... Show More
2h 8m
Sep 2024
the 48 laws of power: episode 2 (laws for taking your power BACK) [preview]
Do you ever think about how much your reputation shapes your life? Or feel like you're constantly stuck in a cycle of reactivity, wishing you could be more strategic in your planning? In this second episode of our special mini-series on Robert Greene's The 48 Laws of Power, we di ... Show More
45m 22s
Oct 2024
How to Find Your True Path in Life (ft. Robert Greene)
What are you called to do in life? What is your life’s task? And once you figure that out, how do you pursue it?The one and only Robert Greene sat down with us on the pod to talk about all of these questions and a whole more. We discuss finding and pursuing one’s life task, the n ... Show More
1h 4m
Sep 2020
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell | Episode 4 |
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Please support our Podcast by clicking the link below. Thank you!</span></p> <p><a href="https://anchor.fm/theaudiobookspodcast/support"><strong>https://anchor.fm/theaudiobookspodcast/support</strong></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">B ... Show More
45m 28s
Sep 2024
the 48 laws of power: episode 3 (laws for self-protection) [preview]
Have you ever felt like your attempts to maintain picture perfect image might be doing more harm than good? Or maybe you’ve struggled with balancing respect for authority without being totally overshadowed? In this final episode of our special mini-series on Robert Greene's The 4 ... Show More
44m 33s
May 2023
L’Art de la Séduction : les 5 Lois pour Attirer Instantanément 💘
#96 - Mourir seul au monde : pas vraiment le truc le plus sexy dans une vie, c&apos;est donc crucial de mettre toutes les chances de son côté pour éviter ça et trouver sa fameuse moitié. Loin des stratagèmes de drague et des "Pick Up techniques" court terme et bidon, dans cet épi ... Show More
1h 19m