THE CONCISE LAWS

OF HUMAN NATURE
Robert Greene
Introduction

If you come across any special trait of meanness or

stupidity... you must be careful not to let it annoy or
distress you, but to look upon it merely as an
addition to your knowledge-a new fact to be
considered in studying the character of humanity.
Your attitude towards it will be that of the
mineralogist who stumbles upon a very characteristic
specimen of a mineral.

-Arthur Schopenhauer

Throughout the course of our lives, we inevitably

have to deal with a variety of individuals who stir
up trouble and make our lives difficult and
unpleasant. Some of these individuals are leaders or
bosses, some are colleagues, and some are friends.
They can be aggressive or passive- aggressive, but We often notice a similar sensation of confusion
they are generally masters at playing on our and helplessness when it comes to ourselves and our
emotions. They often appear charming and refresh- own behavior. For instance, we suddenly say
ingly confident, brimming with ideas and something that offends our boss or colleague or
enthusiasm, and we fall under their spell. Only friend-we are not quite sure where it came from,
when it is too late do but we are frustrated to find that some anger and
tension from within has leaked out in a way that we
we discover that their confidence is irrational and regret. Or perhaps we enthusiastically throw our
their ideals ill-conceived. Among colleagues, they weight into some project or scheme, only to realize
can be those who sabotage our work or careers out it was quite foolish and a terrible waste of time. Or
of secret envy, ex- cited to bring us down. Or they perhaps we fall in love with a person who is
could be colleagues or hires who reveal, to our precisely the wrong type for us and we know it, but
dismay, that they are c out for themselves, using us we cannot help ourselves. What has come over us,
as stepping stones. we wonder?

What inevitably happens in these situations is that In these situations, we catch ourselves falling into
we are caught off guard, not expecting such self-destructive patterns of behavior that we cannot
behavior. Often these types will hit us with seem to control. It is as if we harbor a stranger
elaborate cover stories to justify their actions, or within us, a little demon who operates
blame handy scapegoats. They know how to independently of our willpower and pushes us into
confuse us and draw us into a drama they control. doing the wrong things. And this stranger within us
We might protest or become angry, but in the end is rather weird, or at least weirder than how we
we feel rather helpless-the damage is done. Then imagine ourselves.
another such type enters our life, and the same
story repeats itself.

...
What we can say about these two things-people's Being able to understand more clearly that stranger
ugly actions and our own occasionally surprising within us would help us to realize that it is not a
behavior-is that we usually have no clue as to what stranger at all but very much a part of ourselves,
causes them. We might latch onto some simple and that we are far more mysterious, complex, and
explanations: "That person is evil, a sociopath" or interesting than we had imagined. And with that
"Something came over me; I wasn't myself." But awareness we would be able to break the negative
such pat descriptions do not lead to any patterns in our lives, stop making excuses for
understanding or prevent the same pat- terns from ourselves, and gain better control of what we do
recurring. The truth is that we humans live on the and what happens to us.
surface, reacting emotionally to what people say
and do. We form opinions of others and ourselves Having such clarity about ourselves and others
that are rather simplified. We settle for the easiest could change the course of our lives in so many
and most convenient story to tell ourselves. ways, but first we must clear up a common
misconception: we tend to think of our behavior as
What if, however, we could dive below the surface largely conscious and willed. To imagine that we
and see deep within, getting closer to the actual are not always in control of what we do is a
roots of what causes human behavior? What if we frightening thought, but in fact it is the reality. We
could understand why some people turn envious are subject to forces from deep within us that drive
and try to sabotage our work, or why their our behavior and that operate below the level of
misplaced confidence causes them to imagine our awareness. We see the results-our thoughts,
themselves as god-like and infallible? What if we moods, and actions-but have little conscious access
could truly fathom why people suddenly be- have to what actually moves our emotions and compels
irrationally and reveal a much darker side to their us to behave in certain ways.
character, or why they are always ready to provide a
rationalization for their behavior, or why we Let us call the collection of these forces that push
continually turn to leaders who appeal to the worst and pull at us from deep within human nature.
in us? What if we could look deep inside and judge Human nature stems from the particular wiring of
people's character, avoiding the bad hires and our brains, the configuration of our nervous system,
personal relationships that cause us so much and the way we humans process emotions, all of
emotional damage? which developed and emerged over the course of
the five million years or so of our evolution as a
If we really understood the roots of human species. We can ascribe many of the details of our
behavior, it would be much harder for the more to nature to the distinct way we evolved as a social
continually get away with their actions. We would animal to ensure our survival-learning to cooperate
not be so easily charmed and misled. We would be with others, coordinating our actions with the
able to anticipate their nasty and manipulative group on a high level, creating novel forms of
maneuvers and see through their cover stories. We communication and ways of maintaining group
would not allow ourselves to get dragged into their discipline. This early development lives on within
dramas, knowing in advance that our interest is us and continues to determine our behavior, even
what they depend on for their control. We would in the modern, sophisticated world we live in.
finally rob them of their power through our ability
to look into the depths of their character. To take one example, look at the evolution of
human emotion. The survival of our earliest
Similarly, with ourselves, what if we could look ancestors depended on their ability to
within and see the source of our more troubling communicate with one another well before the
tions and why they drive our behavior, often invention of language. They evolved new and
against our own wishes? What if we could complex emotions-joy, shame, gratitude, jealousy,
understand why we are so compelled to desire what resentment, et cetera. The signs of these emotions
other people have, or to identify so strongly with a could be read immediately on their faces,
group that we feel contempt for those who are on communicating their moods quickly and effectively.
the outside? What if we could find out what causes They became extremely permeable to the emotions
us to lie about who we are, or to inad- vertently of others as a way to bind the group more tightly
push people away? together-to feel joy or grief as one-or to remain
united in the face of danger.
To this day, we humans remain highly susceptible Consider The Laws of Human Nature a kind of
to the moods and emotions of those around us, code- book for deciphering people's behavior-
compelling all kinds of behavior on our part- ordinary, strange, destructive, the full gamut. Each
unconsciously imitating others, wanting what they chapter deals with a particular aspect or law of
have, getting swept up in viral feelings of anger or human nature. We can call them laws in that under
outrage. We imagine we're acting of our own free the influence of these elemental forces, we humans
will, unaware of how deeply our susceptibility to tend to react in relatively predictable ways. Each
the emotions of others in the group is affecting chapter has ideas and strategies
what we do and how we respond.
on how to deal with yourself and others under the
We can point to other such forces that emerged influence of this law. Each chapter ends with a
from this deep past and that similarly mold our section on how to transform this basic human force
everyday behavior-for instance, our need to into something more positive and productive, so
continually rank our- selves and measure our self- that we are no longer passive slaves to human
worth through our status is a trait that is noticeable nature but actively transforming it.
among all hunter-gatherer cultures, and even
among chimpanzees, as are our tribal instincts, You might be tempted to imagine that this
which cause us to divide people into insiders or knowledge is a bit old-fashioned. After all, you
outsiders. We can add to these primitive qualities might argue, we are now so sophisticated and
our need to wear masks to disguise any behavior technologically advanced, so progressive and
that is frowned upon by the tribe, leading to the enlightened; we have moved well beyond our
formation of a shadow personality from all the dark primitive roots; we are in the process of rewriting
desires we have repressed. Our ancestors our nature. But the truth is in fact the op- posite-
understood this shadow and its dangerousness, we have never been more in the thrall of human
imagining it originated from spirits and demons nature and its destructive potential than now. And
that needed to be exorcised. We rely on a different by ignoring this fact, we are playing with fire.
myth-"something came over me." Once this primal
current or force within us reaches the level of Look at how the permeability of our emotions has
consciousness, we have to react to it, and we do so only been heightened through social media, where
depending on our individual spirit and viral effects are continually sweeping through us
circumstances, usually explaining it away and where the most manipulative leaders are able
superficially without really understanding it. to exploit and control us. Look at the aggression
Because of the precise way in which we evolved, that is now openly dis- played in the virtual world,
there are a limited number of these forces of human where it is so much easier to play out our shadow
nature, and they lead to the behavior mentioned sides without repercussions. Notice how our
above-envy, grandiosity, irrationality, propensities to compare ourselves with others, to
shortsightedness, conformity, aggression, and feel envy, and to seek status through attention have
passive aggression, to name a few. They also lead to only become intensified with our ability to
empathy and other positive forms of human communicate so quickly with so many people. And
behavior. finally, look at our tribal tendencies and how they
have now found the perfect medium to operate in-
For thousands of years, it has been our fate to we can find a group to identify with, reinforce our
largely grope in the shadows when it comes to tribal opinions in a virtual echo chamber, and
understanding ourselves and our own nature. We demonize any outsiders, leading to mob
have labored under so many illusions about the intimidation. The potential for mayhem stemming
human animal-imagining we descended magically from the primitive side of our nature has only
from a divine source, from an- gels instead of increased.
primates. We have found any signs of our primitive
nature and our animal roots deeply distress- ing, It is simple: Human nature is stronger than any
something to deny and repress. We have covered up individual, than any institution or technological
our darker impulses with all kinds of excuses and invention. It ends up shaping what we create to
rationalizations, making it easier for some people to reflect itself and its primitive roots. It moves us
get away with the most unpleasant behavior. But around like pawns. Ignore the laws at your own
finally we're at a point where we can overcome our peril. Refusing to come to terms with human
resistance to the truth about who we are through nature simply means that you are dooming yourself
the sheer weight of knowledge we have now to patterns beyond your control and to feelings of
accumulated about human nature. confusion and helplessness.
The Laws of Human Nature is designed to immerse
you in all aspects of human behavior and illuminate
its root causes. If you let it guide you, it will
radically alter how you perceive people and your
entire approach to deal- ing with them. It will also
radically change how you see yourself. It will
accomplish these shifts in perspective in the
following ways:

First, the Laws will work to transform you into a

calmer and more strategic observer of people,
helping to free you from all the emotional drama
that needlessly drains you.

Second, the Laws will make you a master

interpreter of the cues that people continually emit,
giving you a much greater ability to judge their
character.

Third, the Laws will empower you to take on and

outthink the toxic types who inevitably cross your
path and who tend to cause long-term emotional
damage. Fourth, the Laws will teach you the true
levers for motivating and influencing people,
making your path in life that much easier.

Fifth, the Laws will make you realize how deeply

the forces of human nature operate within you,
giving you the power to alter your own negative
patterns.

Sixth, the Laws will transform you into a more

empathetic individual, creating deeper and more
satisfying bonds with the people around you.
Finally, the Laws will alter how you see your own
potential, making you aware of a higher, ideal self
within you that you will want to bring out.

Think of the book in the following way: you are

about to become an apprentice in human nature.
You will be developing some skills-how to observe
and measure the character of your fellow humans
and see into your own depths. You will work on
bringing out your higher self. And through practice
you will emerge a master of the art, able to thwart
the worst that other people can throw at you and to
mold yourself into a more rational, self- aware, and
productive individual

Man will only become better when you make him

see what he is like.

-Anton Chekhov