The Laws of Human Nature Summary

“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”

Humans act instinctively in certain ways because of how our brains are wired after millions of years of evolution. By understanding why people behave the way they do, you can become a better judge of character, manage your thought patterns, stay calm and strategic, and motivate or influence others more effectively.

“Irrationality is a function of the structure of our brains and is wired into our very nature by the way we process emotions”

• Law of irrationality - Master Your Emotions

We humans think that we are in control, but what drives us are our emotions. We follow our emotional impulses to seek pleasure and avoid pain. We tend to feel an emotion before we interpret it consciously, as different parts of our brain control these two functions. 

Become aware of your irrationality, then practice introspection and reflection to manage your emotions.

We humans have a certain nature to us that has been with us since the very start of our existence. We are more or less a slave to it. However, through practice it can be channelled into something positive. In this book, Robert Greene introduces us to the laws of our human nature. Understand that every one of us operates under these laws. By having awareness of them, we gain a different perception of ourselves as well as others and will be able to live a more fulfilling and easier life. We will be able to understand other people better and build more empathetic and understanding relationships.

We think of ourselves as rational creatures that consciously make decisions and act out in a rational way. We forget that most of our behaviour is caused by our emotions and that even our thinking is never truly rational. However, rationality can be cultivated through practice.

Here I will summarize some laws of human nature and later, I will publish the second part to continue learning a little more about Robert Greene's book. Having mentioned this, we can begin!.

This law goes hand in hand with learning to control our emotions and manage them properly for greater effective personal development.

Greene thinks that many of our decisions and actions are driven by irrational emotions, which are not always conscious.

For this reason, Robert suggests that to master our emotional side we must learn to identify and understand our emotions, not to mention that we must be aware of how these can affect others. Therefore, a balanced and compassionate attitude is a skillful solution.

Many people have an incessant need to feel important and also receive disproportionate admiration.

This same need makes the person become selfish towards others, without taking into account other feelings or needs outside of themselves.

Greene suggests that to transform self-love into empathy, we must learn to put ourselves in the place of others, and to choose to change our perspective or vision of the world. In turn, recognize and control our feelings of selfishness, so as not to get carried away by they.

Cultivate the power of rationality to counteract the dominance of your emotions. "Rationality is the ability to counteract emotional effects, to think instead of react."

"The Laws of Human Nature" by Robert Greene is a book that explores the dynamics of human behavior and provides insights into understanding and influencing people.

Learn to turn your sensitivity outward and develop empathy. "Our mission in life is to come to terms with self-love and turn our sensitivity toward others."

Step 1-

First, facing a problem, conflict, or some exciting opportunity, we train ourselves to detach from the heat of the moment.

We work to calm down our excitement or our fear. We get some distance.

We start to deepen and widen our perspective.

In considering the nature of the problem we are confronting, we don’t just grab for an immediate explanation, but instead we dig deeper and consider other possibilities, other possible motivations for the people involved.

We consider how the problem or the apparent opportunity might play itself out over time, how other problems or issues not apparent in the moment might suddenly loom larger than what we are immediately dealing with.

We focus on our long-term goals and realign our priorities in the present according to them.

They make you see what you want to see, depending on your mood, and this disconnect from reality is the source of the bad decisions and negative patterns that haunt your life.

Rationality is the ability to counteract these emotional effects, to think instead of react, to open your mind to what is really happening, as opposed to what you are feeling.

It does not come naturally; it is a power we must cultivate, but in doing so we realize our greatest potential.

Reptilian part of the brain, which controls all automatic responses that regulate the body. This is the instinctive part.

Above that is the old mammalian or limbic brain, governing feeling and emotion.

And on top of that has evolved the neocortex, the part that controls cognition and, for humans, language.

Our continual connection to social media makes us prone to new forms of viral emotional effects. These are not media designed for calm reflection. With their constant presence, we have less and less mental space to step back and think.

One of the invaluable lessons from Greene's book is the art of empathy. Developing empathy allows individuals to connect with others on a deeper level, fostering genuine relationships. By putting oneself in others' shoes, people can comprehend their emotions and perspectives. This heightened empathy not only enriches personal interactions but also enhances leadership skills. Leaders who empathize with their team members can inspire loyalty, trust, and collaboration, creating a positive and productive environment.

"The Laws of Human Nature" emphasizes the significance of emotional intelligence in personal and professional success. Greene discusses how understanding and managing one's own emotions, as well as recognizing and responding to others' emotions, can lead to self-mastery. Emotional intelligence enables individuals to handle challenging situations with grace, build resilience, and maintain composure under pressure. By honing this skill, individuals can navigate social complexities, build strong alliances, and make wise decisions in various aspects of life.

Greene explores the concept of character and its magnetic influence on others. According to Greene, individuals with strong character traits such as authenticity, integrity, and courage exude a magnetic presence that draws people towards them. By cultivating these traits, individuals can enhance their personal magnetism, inspiring trust and admiration from those around them. Greene's teachings highlight the transformative power of character, emphasizing that it is not just about how one is perceived but also about genuine self-improvement and ethical conduct.

“The human mind has to worship something, has to have its attention directed to something it values above all else. For most people, it’s their ego; for some it is their family, their clan. their god, or their nation.”

Robert Greene

Like everyone, you think you are rational, but you are not. Rationality is not a power you are born with but one you acquire through training and practice.

Imagine, however, that your brain has succumbed to a psychological disease that affects your perception of size and proportion. Instead of seeing the task you are facing as rather large and the material resistant, under the influence of this disease you perceive the block of marble as relatively small and malleable. Losing your sense of proportion, you believe it won’t take long to fashion the block into the image you have in your mind of the finished product. You imagine that the people you are trying to reach are not naturally resistant but quite predictable.

You know how they’ll respond to your great idea—they’ll love it. In fact, they need you and your work more than you need them. They should seek you out. The emphasis is not on what you need to do to succeed but on what you feel you deserve. You can foresee a lot of attention coming your way with this project, but if you fail, other people must be to blame, because you have gifts, your cause is the right one, and only those who are malicious or envious could stand in your way.

We can call this psychological disease grandiosity.

As you feel its effects, the normal realistic proportions are reversed—your self becomes larger and greater than anything else around it. That is the lens through which you view the task and the people you need to reach. This is not merely deep narcissism (see chapter 2), in which everything must revolve around you. This is seeing yourself as enlarged (the root of the word grandiosity meaning “big” or “great”), as superior and worthy of not only attention but of being adored. It is a feeling of being not merely human but godlike.