Robert Greene — Author of bestselling books on power and human psychology, including The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature. One of the most influential modern writers on strategy and manipulation.
The gist
Robert Greene joins Steven Bartlett for a wide-ranging conversation on power, human nature, and what's going wrong for modern young people, especially men. He argues that purpose comes from going inward and acquiring deep skills rather than chasing money, fame, or the illusory 'realm of possibility.' Greene confronts uncomfortable truths about envy, narcissism, and the fact that everyone is an actor playing social games. He links loneliness, pornography, and dopamine culture to a wider crisis of meaning, and discusses politics, Trump's mastery of attention, and the danger of simple solutions in chaotic times. He closes by reflecting candidly on the stroke that took away his ability to walk and write normally, and the gratitude it gave him.
Big reveals
- Claims envy and always wanting to be superior is the most motivating factor of 90% of human behavior.
- Admits he personally feels envy of Ryan Holiday, who is 30 years younger and has written more books.
- Recounts how a chance meeting in Italy at his lowest, suicidal point led him to write The 48 Laws of Power.
- Bluntly attacks pornography and social media as disembodying and manipulative, saying users are 'being played.'
- Calls his own side, the Democratic left, 'buffoons' and 'fools' who 'blew this election.'
- Reveals the new book has taken about six years because, post-stroke, he must handwrite everything and dictate it.
- Admits he had a stroke and isn't sure his body can take another two years of writing.
- Says his dream in 10 years is simply to walk up a hill again, and he would cry with joy to do it.
Things worth remembering
- Advises taking a $30,000 startup job over a $150,000 Goldman Sachs role in your 20s because you'll learn far more.
- Chimpanzees display envy, giving the 'stink eye' when one gets a grape and another doesn't.
- In ancient hunter-gatherer tribes, gift-givers had to share with everyone to avoid being murdered out of envy.
- Cites the stat that loneliness has a health impact equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
- Describes how William James's 'as if' strategy can manufacture confidence by acting confident.
- Says Trump is the master of Law 27, courting attention at all costs, with a cult-like following.
- Tells the story of Christopher Columbus conning Spanish royalty by carrying himself like nobility.
- Argues 'the world moves out of the way of boldness,' citing Elon Musk as bold even when he doesn't admire him.
- Distinguishes loneliness (painful disconnection) from solitude (a relief and a source of skills).
- Uses Howard Gardner's five intelligences to argue Kobe Bryant is as intelligent as Einstein, differently.
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Mastery
Robert Greene
“I talk a lot about it in interviews and in my in the book Mastery and I make it the point that it is the most important decision in your life” — Robert Greene 00:02:34Find it on Amazon
Mastery
Robert Greene
“I talk in Mastery about something a concept called learning by doing” — Robert Greene 00:14:37Find it on Amazon
Laws of Human Nature
Robert Greene
“in in my book laws of human nature I talk about Aristotle Onasis who in the 60s was the wealthiest man in the world” — Robert Greene 00:36:30Find it on Amazon
The 50th Law
Robert Greene and 50 Cent
“I remember when I was working with 50 Cent on the book the 50th law you know people look at at rap stars” — Robert Greene 00:42:13Find it on Amazon
Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner
“once you know that it gives you a sense of direction... and I always recommend people reading this book because it's very very important” — Robert Greene 00:46:25Find it on Amazon
Laws of Human Nature
Robert Greene
“I I talk in laws of human nature about strategies for doing that one of them is there's somebody that you Envy in the world” — Robert Greene 00:52:11Find it on Amazon
The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene
“I was wondering why your book power is still selling unbelievably well I mean most books when they come out they have their moment and then they're done” — Steven Bartlett 00:53:45Find it on Amazon
Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)
Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
“there's a great book I can't remember what the writer's name was mistakes were made but not by me I recommend that book highly” — Robert Greene 01:42:27Find it on Amazon
The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene
“it was actually in the law of power book about um I think it was law 36 when we feel like we've been wronged” — Steven Bartlett 01:43:59Find it on Amazon
The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene
“it reminds me of law 48 in the 48 Laws of Power which is to assume formlessness” — Steven Bartlett 02:09:32Find it on Amazon
The Laws of the Sublime
Robert Greene
“The book you're referring to that you're currently writing... is it called the law of sublime law the sublime yeah” — Steven Bartlett 02:13:43Find it on Amazon
The Art of Seduction
Robert Greene
“I felt The Art of Seduction where people didn't understand about the psychology of dealing with um this the Sexes” — Robert Greene 02:14:13Find it on Amazon
The 33 Strategies of War
Robert Greene
“I wrote the war book because I felt people were terrible at strategy” — Robert Greene 02:14:13Find it on Amazon