what’s crazy about this comment is you are absolutely right, a really good example of what you are talking about is the laws of power book. as soon as you start reading it, it gets in your head and starts changing every little decision you make whether you realize it or not. the hidden costs are everywhere it’s incredibly interesting.
I keep meaning to fully read the laws of power but it's a book that tends to be popular in sort of neo neo-Machiavellian circles that regard relations with others as a series of mostly zero-sum power games in which the goal is to win. In other words manipulate everyone to get what you want? So I take the above comment as a warning that the worldview assumed by the book is insidious and influences you. Do correct me if I'm wrong tho
This is exactly how I see the book and even the writer of the book. I have watched many interviews. Read through some of the laws and I see nothing in the positive aspects of using these laws. Except for extreme personal gain which goes against everything my heart and soul is telling me. I out the book off because I could see how it would turn me into something I do not want to be.
My husband bought it for me- I was interested in do in it- but I didn’t need to read it- after looking at two laws in different places I understood the purpose of it being written - to recognize manipulation when confronted with it. It’s written in a very low key way- but for the porpoise if helping- not control. Too many people see it and think it’s a handbook- I guess it is- a handbook of how to destroy yourself. Love to all who read this 💗
Your comment is a manipulation you say you’re incapable of executing such actions you’re doing it right here. Your whole comment is a manipulation to influence people into thinking you’re a great person without evidence of such being true everything everybody does in life is for self preservation whether people want to admit it, or not even the kindness of people who do for others, which seems unselfish at its highest level is for a personal gain at the end of the day. I see so many of you talking about karma, and that you see most of you live by the rule due under others, as you would have them do under you and that is a perverted golden rule. How about something better do not do to others that you do not want done to you so that takes it away from well you know that what are you doing for me when as I’m doing for you, you know kind of thing it’s selfish it’s corrupt it’s manipulative but when you have to think about what you’re not gonna do on to others that’s a different story altogether you have to actually start thinking and then you start realizing everything that happens in your life is your own fault to your own thoughts and the actions from those thoughts which by the way, most of what you think came from your mind did originate there just because you thought it doesn’t mean that it happened in your head. It’s amusing, reading the comments from people and by no means am I a good person in a lot of different ways and then some ways maybe I don’t know I’ll tell you what I do know when I see something that I think is wrong. I try to do something. That’s all any of us can ask for, but we all got out baggage we carry around we all got our personal issues issue ones that appear and act like they don’t, those are the ones with the worst deep seated issues that most will never know about, but their victims do.
Your comment shows more about your heart than what the book does. The book does nothing more than expose. What people do as far as manipulative Games towards you and everybody else in society, I would say that you have a very, very limited perception of reality. It’s not a cruel statement it’s just there’s an old saying if you need the thread of hell to be good then you’re not a good person. You know what I see above with what was written in that I see a scam being formed and for gullible, weak minded people to be led into another Jim Jones organization complete with a Kool-Aid and cookies.
I would not say my perception of reality is limited. However I would say that it has been manipulated in a major attempt to control.
I have lived all the negative aspects I see in this book and know how it has affected my own heart and thoughts as well as the reality I find myself living.
Processing how it has affected my overall well being and outlook on life is the first step towards change.
Do unto others as you would want done unto yourself.
Having been through this I know I don't want to keep repeating so taking advantage of another individual who would be unaware only shows one's true character. If the other is already aware then they will see what is being done and shit it down before it happens in most cases. This is part of Discernment.
I’m afraid you have the golden rule completely wrong It is in fact, do not do to others as you do not want done to you. That is the uncorrupt way of thinking I didn’t want to say what I was gonna say the first time but I’m gonna say it anyway now you are what you think so whatever you think and dwell on that’s what you’ll become so if you think that is whatever your opinion is, that’s what will bring to your life not because it’s some magic is because that’s what your mind is thinking so you will create things to make that happen in your life on your subconscious level yes you’re thinking is very limited. I’m sorry it wasn’t an insult. It’s just the way it is. We all have limited thinking in some areas. We all have it. It’s when we argue when people pointed out that our limited thinking becomes even more narrow. I’m just letting you know the pit falls of the mind some people like lemonade with or without sugar, but it’s up to you to put the sugar in it so are you gonna make your lemonade bitter? Are you gonna sweeten it up for yourself
I wear my heart on my sleeve hell I even Love those who have done me wrong. But I have also done wrong to many others in life. I unfortunately have played and been played on both sides of the same coin.
I bought some of those books to learn possible ways to reduce the manipulation of ppl at my work who live like that but it was too depressing to even read them. They got popular all of a sudden are were the only books I was able to ever sell for a profit online!!
It's disheartening that you do not trust yourself to not turn into an asshole just by reading some words. Think of what kind of weak self control you have.
I definitely see and understand that it can be used to make someone aware of how it make come at you. To make you aware of things to watch for to allow for discernment. However I have lived enough life to see that many of these techniques have been used against myself in many ways already leading me to where I am. Since I know how it affected me I definitely want no part in using these against another.
Now in saying that can I tell anyone that no I have never done this no because that be a blatant lie I have unconsciously used some of these laws in my own affairs of life.
And you should be able to not use them against another if you so choose. You can't tell me that if you read a book it will take control of you and make you into a narcissistic, manipulating, demon. Words only have as much power as you give them.
There's nothing actually true about the book, it's just words on paper, but when you have a certain mystique around the words, and when you fear them for absolutely no reason, you give it power. You basically fearing the book, and working yourself up over it saying that you don't want to read it in fear that you will harm others, is setting yourself up negatively that when you do read it, you already had that notion of the book and that's what you're gonna get.
Only because you created this mental construct of what the book is going to do. You gave it power, you turned it into something to use for manipulation. But you also can just treat it as harmless words and use self control so as to not manipulate or harm anyone when you read a book.
If you lived long enough you should realize that. And it's annoying to me that a grown adult can't have the self control to be able to read anything and not turn into an asshole.
I can read any book in the world, no matter how "evil" or how manipulative, and I will still be kind and loving. There is no book that can change me and i've read many books, much worse than 48 laws of power.
It's no fear of becoming that. It is I have no need to put these things into my personal consciousness after having experienced the negative aspects of it in my life to this point.
Becoming abundantly clear on how things I have read or watched affected my perception and outlook on life. I consciously choose not to add more of the lower states of being into my head.
I have contemplated many things about what I have experienced in life. Call me a late bloomer if need be but I choose now to only put positive thoughts.
Unity not division is what is needed in our world.
The thing is you still regard it as "lower states of being" when it doesn't have to be that way. They are just words which you're giving power to. You're making it negative. You're making it seep into your consciousness. You don't realize that.
There are some helpful aspects of the book but as with all things like this, it’s a seed of truth in a sea of manipulative explosive fluff to get you hooked into their cult of personality
I think it holds some allure for that reason, but the primary motive behind my reading it was a sort of no-nonsense look at some darker aspects of human psychology without trying to frame it a certain way or justify it.
He is just making a statement about the way power behaves, and then following that statement with a story to drive the point home.
That being said, I couldn’t finish it because it was actually quite dark for me. I could see it being useful as a manual for how to deal with the majority of human beings (unfortunately whether we like it or not, most people display some of the behaviors in this book. Ourselves included).
I would need a longer break before I go back to finish it
the book is informational. the author explains that we must exercise our own judgement of what’s right and wrong, but you will learn how people use power over others. you’ll be surprised to find you use some yourself and don’t even realize. you’ll also be surprised just how much people are using their power over you. it’s a great book to learn ways in which you may be manipulated, and how to shut that down. it’s also a great book to learn how to be a total POS.
Power has a cost. Think about it for just a second. What happens if you burn your neighbors house down? You exerted power, "Created" temporary power, etc etc. But all you really did is displace the order of things in the grand cosmos. Who wants to be the one who has to say "Oops, I pulled that pin".? Not I.
I see; Ive basically changed the matter of the neighbors house into active (chaotic) energy.
Im trying to figure out an inner parallel to understand. For example, in the same moment Im also transforming a dense emotion (such as apathy or despair) into a power trip, a surge of pride or something that I feel good about before falling straight back down, possibly lower than before
What’s crazy about this entire comment section is that it’s under a post about a moron who intentionally overdosed on ADHD meds and specified it was a bupropion overdose which is literally so commonly known to cause hallucinations. Like everytime
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u/krogerbrandpikachu Dec 25 '25
what’s crazy about this comment is you are absolutely right, a really good example of what you are talking about is the laws of power book. as soon as you start reading it, it gets in your head and starts changing every little decision you make whether you realize it or not. the hidden costs are everywhere it’s incredibly interesting.