Robert Greene on Chapter 2, The 50th Law

[MistaHolism]

6:15, this is a fantastic concept. If one has nothing to bring to the table while joining a team it causes massive chaos. I've been in situation like this while building a company and its really a core of counterproductivity. If you don't know what you good at and stick to it, it aint gonna work, man.

Couple years ago I found a video recorded in some college on how to get to your core passion. Its one of my favourites of all time:

youtube.com/watch?v=Bj0eDSlSh8­U

[soly4rik]

Robert Anton Wilson goes deeply into this in his work "Prometheus Rising." I heavily recommend it, because it goes to the core of human behavior and default levels of consciousness.

[TheThreadoftruth]

Everything He is teaching here can be recieved not learned but recieved through the transformation of being reborn . That is born of the Spirit by accepting Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Its funny because everything he is saying is true but yet even he is missing the truth . He only knows what is wrong with the world not how to fix it

[MadInk1]

@TheThreadoftruth

shut that shyt up!

[Trelli28]

the drugs he took is showing on his face. 

[VEODO76]

THE ONLY LAW I LIKE IS 50TH AND THE 33 STRATIGIES OF WAR

I THINK THE OTHER LAWS ARE FOR WEAK MINDED LOSERS TRYING TO BE LIKE SOCIOPATHS

THIER TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELFS? LOL THE IRONY WHAT ABOUT THESE LAWS LET OTHERS DO THE WORK FOR YOU TAKE THE CREDIT , PLAY TO PEOPLES FANTASYS, ACT AS A FRIEND WORK AS A SPY

[lgarvey]

Rob Green, you talk ass.

What specifically is self reliance? Is it "i'll survive no matter how bad shit gets; if I have to live on the street, or hunt wild animals, so be it", or is it "I have a minimum requirement for personal happiness, and I have belief that I can meet that requirent no matter what, and I"ll strive to meet that requirement no matter what."

You don't elucidate the specific characteristics of 50cent's "self reliance"... damn youtube comment word limits.

[130902cn]

I love 50 but i dont read the parts he was in in the 50th Law

[Andybaby]

So Greene is saying that you DON'T need other people, AND that you DO need other people?

[mitraljez]

why they kill tupac and they dont kill 50 ?

FUCK !!!

[OctoBox]

fntime@ - how did you go there. I'm an individualist who believes in the non-aggression principal, the main and first requisite in "true" free-enterprise theory. You cannot have govt backed slavery, reservationism, and treaty breaking during a period of "self-reliance"

[TheStarrrK]

Coming from a self-made millionare as I became @ age 31, everything in the 50th law is accurate. If you want to be successful, learn from this book..this is the greatest country where you can grow up to be ANYTHING you want.

Watch out who you befriend & allow in your life..most will prove to be distractions. Cut off those who stand in ur way. Also, ignore liberals/dems at ALL COSTS. They R FAILURES. Most came from rich families & despise themselves 4 it. They hate America & anyone successful.

[TheStarrrK]

Also...Octobox knows exactly what Robert means when he says "self reliance"...but like most democrats/libs...they want to "mis-direct" others wherever they can to keep others from becoming EVIL SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE that will stand in the way of their socialism, marxism, and dictatorship belief systems.

Again...ignore ppl like this. These are who Robert talks about...the unfortunate & unlucky. Do NOT associate with them. They do NOT want u to succeed b/c they want America to FAIL. AGENDA. BEWARE.

[TheStarrrK]

OctoBox is a democrat/liberal. These "elitists" are ALWAYS twisting history to keep others down. I know b/c I was RAISED by democrats/libs. I grew up in SF by haight street, went to school @ UC Berkeley. I KNOW this type of talk/anger at America. Best advice..stay away from ppl like this. They're poison.

My siblings are STILL dems/libs...they STILL talk this way...and BOTH are on welfare, relying on gov't. I broke from this & became a self-made millionaire. Ignore Octobox & his agenda. BEWARE

[OctoBox]

@TheStarrrK -- Starrr You are funny. You "know me" but your analysis is off. I am absolutely NOT a Dem/Lib -- hahahahaha. "Octobox and his agenda" that is classic, your must be into Glenn Beck type Talk Radio.

The person who owns this page "got me" that's why our exchange was brief, because this is an open-source free opinion website.

I'm not on welfare. I'm against Big State Gov't which is born from Capitalism (the Slavery and Rservationism plus a dash of Land Theft Era of Big Money)

[OctoBox]

Greene's analogy at 2:37 to 2:45 is wrong

Yes, in 1800's there was "self-reliance" if you ignore the true costs of slavery and the true costs of Indan genocide, land theft, and reservationism.

There is NO HARKENING BACK to find individualism or liberty (it's never been seen in action -- just like free-markets or consumer-sovereignty).

[AdaptiveMentoring]

@OctoBox Thank you for your thoughtful comments. Each of your points merits more examination then this forum could do justice (especially your final philosophical positions about the nature of individualism, freedom, etc.). However, is your conclusion that Greene's main point is therefore invalid, or only that you take issue with the analogy?

[OctoBox]

@AdaptiveMentoring -- A conclusion built off of erroneous premises must at the very least be "re-analyzed" if one calls himself "scientist - skeptic - logician"

[ShoutOutHk]

@AdaptiveMentoring 50 Cent to Robert Greene- ''Write a book and put my name on it I'm gonna smoke a blunt now bitch''

[yourmajezty]

@OctoBox hes not ignoring slavery, but slavery came after the fact. self-reliance was first. so youre an idiot.

[OctoBox]

@yourmajezty -- No, you are positively not paying attention, your changing history to suit your argument. There was slavery in the 1800's, 1700's, and 1600's -- those were the periods of "self-reliance" he argued occured.

It was "self-reliance" only in the separation of Crown and Colony, not from Colonist and American Indian nor Colonist and Slave.

[yourmajezty]

@OctoBox no, youre missing my point. They needed boats to get the slaves. they needed the system in place for it as well (which was self reliance). Howd they get the slave in the first place without self-reliance.

slavery was just selling of humans like anything else, which is self reliance.

[OctoBox]

@yourmajezty -- They did not rely on "self," they relied on a unionized force, called Big Gov't and Gangersterism (Thieves, Kidnappers, Murderers, and Rapists); the latter were called "gentile, master, nobleman" and most of the Founder's fit in this category (save): Adams, Paine, and Hamilton...(Franklin somewhat)

You cannot have a trans-atlantic slave trade when Brittain, Spain, France, and Portugal control the waters (and sub-contract with pirates) AND call that free-market self-reliance.

[yourmajezty]

@OctoBox If their selling slaves, thats still self reliance. If they were selling anything, its still self reliance. If Walmart has 50000 employees, doesnt mean theyre not self reliant. what youre saying is true, after they had the power to get the slaves in the first place.

[OctoBox]

@yourmajezty -- Self-Reliance in free-market terms means "without gov't intervention, subsidization, licensure, or regulation" -- the Gov't and the Monopolies it creates are NOT self (as in the individual) reliant. They are infact "dependent."

Now if you mean "self-reliant" from a country to country perspective, well you'd be wrong again. Slavery was proped up not only by American Naval and Military might, but also by the Banks of England and France (who aided the South in keeping it).

[yourmajezty]

@OctoBox when Robert speaks of self reliance, hes talking about individuals growing their own food, ect. I cant disagree with you, because what you say is true, but im saying, someone had to be self reliant BEFORE they had the slave in america.

[OctoBox]

@yourmajezty -- You are partially correct, but he is also talking about "this" country (the US) specifically in the 1800's and then goes on to say that "that" type of self-reliance is what made this country rich and great.

There's no way around it my friend, unless you're Robert Greene, I'd let it go -- his analogy is wrong. This is just more of that "Secret" type non-sense. It's like the "lottery" for your mind, it's a fantasy.

Only wealthy people right books like this.

[yourmajezty]

@OctoBox we agree to disagree which is fine

[OctoBox]

@yourmajezty -- No again you are wrong. To "keep" slavery going required a massive legal system -- property-rights were developed on the back of slavery and serfdom, not on mercantilism or industrialization. Keeping the slaves in place required continual displacement of American Indians and the various Fugitive Slave Acts (and their ilk).

Your understanding of "self-reliance" needs some further meditation -- don't worry, we're all usernames and fonts here, hahaha.

[yourmajezty]

@OctoBox well we agree to disagree.

[MAcritique]

@OctoBox - You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your opinion as fact. Nor is your self proclaimed education enough to support your statements.

You missed the point of this whole segment and thus the same reason you are still VERY unsuccessful today. You and anyone who have radical views go nowhere in life...

Spare us your "educated" response, but even when you are trying to be Polite you are still trying to bash. I wont be reading your posts or comments.

[OctoBox]

@MAcritique -- Who said I was "un-successful." Your argument is bankrupt so you turn to personality attacks on an Alias in an open comment forum, hahahahaha.

Make an argument, articulate yourself, and then I will agree or disagree. When I do the latter don't pitch a fit when your ALIAS is un-done. It does not mean "you're" un-done; just not ego-free ALIAS. You can argue with a username and font if you like, that's your business. Carry on then.

[MAcritique]

@OctoBox There ya go again avoiding what was said. Please spare me your HOLIER than though attitude. You have no idea who you are speaking with nor my education. You rant and rave on this post and I am obviously not the only one who feels your ANGER. You have nothing to prove to me. I can care less about you. You hold no benefit in my life and I know I cant change your view. But then again I dont care. Spare us your shallow superior intellect.

[OctoBox]

@MAcritique -- "We" are you speaking for the royal collective, hahahaha. The creator of the page did not take any offense to what I said, in fact it sparked a conversation. I'm not sure what electorate you speak for. "Holier" than "thou" -- obviously thou is pretty absolute in his opinion otherwise he would not be making absolutist (collectivist) type statements -- example; you claim that I'm "unsuccessful" and that I have "radical" views, yet you provide no proof, just supposition.

[PhillyBachata]

@OctoBox

Robert Greene's point was that in the 1800's there was more self-reliance than there is now, and that is true to an extent. There were a lot of people that weren't "self-reliant" because they relied on slave labor and stolen land, but most Americans did not own slaves in the 1800's. They lived lives without safety nets, social programs, drugs, entertainment or any other ways of escaping reality. They developed the strength to conquer their reality.

[OctoBox]

@PhillyBachata -- He was talking about wealth and power, in the context of individualism during a time of great-dependence on forced labor and reservationism, off of land theft and intentional spread of disease.

He said that out of "his" version of 1700-1800 individualism we landed in the present (a period of great dependence according to Greene); his rationale is that we lost the individualism of 1700-1800.

The example of "how to" he gives is 50 Cent

[washboardalex]

@OctoBox He always exaggerates to hammer his point home. If you look in 48 laws, he said that the greeks won at thermopalye because it was conducive to his argument. The point of his writings aren't invalidated, and he's not an idiot (I'm pretty sure his degree was in classical studies so he knew at least about greece); it's rhetorical hyperbole. Call him a sophist, but his insights are valid and immensly helpful so....you know, whatever. I don't think it's a big deal.

[OctoBox]

@washboardalex -- Well then let him talk on the merits of Hitler's "self-reliance" and see how well that goes over. "Thermopalye" is your next closest example of Greene's hyperbole? His argument is a very common historical revisionist perspective, "the charmed individualism of the "rugged" colonials, founders, homesteaders." Yes they are individualistic and rugged if you ignore Reservationism, Slavery, Democide, and Land Theft.

[fntime]

@OctoBox Slavery & Indian Genocide? So then, I presume that you rather than

have 'self reliance', rely on everyone else. I bet you are a good talker,

but in the end, you're a taker who uses victimtude as an excuse for your

lack of character, intelligence and generosity!

Try not being a 'smart ass' when you are just an 'ass'!

[OctoBox]

@fntime -- Yep

[tdarnold]

@OctoBox He was referring to pioneers and not slave owners, a completely different people.

[BradleyBrandFurnitur]

@OctoBox You are full of it. Self reliance IS man's nature, from the Native Americans to the Mormons to the Frontiersmen and Pioneers. And going back to all the adventurers and every dirty poor entreprenuer that makes out of poverty and all the way to the F.B.I. or even the White House. Not everything is about your obession with the negative. You use that as a reason to glom on, look at what you are filling yourself and others with - hate and pretended victimhood - shame on you RedactedMentr

[OctoBox]

@BradleyBrandFurnitur - Green talks about us being "a culture of dependence" and how duing the 1700-1800's people were more "self" reliant. Capitalism (1776 - 1912) was a period where the upper 8% required massive gov't military mobilization to ensure the land theft, relocation, transatlantic slave trade, and fugitive slave law policies were carried out. None of the upper 8% paid the true costs of these activities, instead it was taken out of "general welfare" and foreign indebtedness.

[mobileaarmy]

@OctoBox Even more, to extend your point, this horrible "technology" upon which Greene says we've become dependent is in many ways a replacement for things which people acquired through slavery and the use of native traditions...what were slaves if not human technologies?

[OctoBox]

@mobileaarmy -- The Slave Master was more enslaved then the Field Slave; his "plume" of negative influence was not lost on his mind. He stewed in the fear of rebellion. Thomas Jefferson showed this fear when he (as President) came very close to aiding Napoleon in getting Haiti back under French control -- interesting for a man who's wealth was made off of breaking ties with a Colonial Master -- seems like the slave, no matter the race or class dreams of sitting at master's table.

[mobileaarmy]

@OctoBox not to mention Jefferson having children with one of his own slaves...it goes deep, and Greene and 50 are allied, maybe without knowing it, in the destruction of history and the production of convenient amnesia that is the modus operandi of market fundamentalist, unrestrained nihilistic capitalism... They seem to think they're giving something back, or helping somebody, but they're a new face for an old concept, slavery

[lickthemlow10]

@OctoBox

Preach. I was thinking the same thing. Eventhough, I am a big fan of Mr. Greene.

[Wolvve]

I ordered his book, 48 laws of power, cant wait to start reading it!

[Carto0n7]

sounds very kabbalistic..

[Wolvve]

@Carto0n7 in what way? I ask because ive recently started to study some Kabbalistic texts.

thanks.

[NJA1039]

INTP all the way

awesome vid

[lanislipgloss]

Great video, clears up misperceptions i had while reading the book. Robert Greene is a genius. The research he has put in to bring us these ideas truly is a blessing to the modern public.

[iKicker]

Robert Greene is hands down my favorite author.

[RationalistExMuslim]

Many, many thanks for the videos.

Robert Greene is a genius.

His ideas have inspired me and given me strength in times of difficulty.

[wazii6]

i think green should make video

[gzintheair]

Nothing else to add, perfect

[wazii6]

i think greene should make a moivie

[conzatorium]

... That's also called an "internal locus of control," as opposed to an "external locus of control." Getting at "what's keeping you" might mean asking that question 50 times.

[lemac]

hot shit

[Jazzper79]

Very powerful stuff. Mr. Greene is brilliant!

[seym8302]

i would love to see him talking about the other chapters

[journalism101]

I love Ralph Waldo Emerson too. We are born with greatness and finding salvation in religions and gangs and dependence. It's a cruse because once it dissolves or finds your distrustful, then you're screwed!

[TheProcrastiNation]

A great series in content and in form. Keep it up guys, it's widely appreciated.

[RogerHoare]

Right On, RG! Chapter 9 is just as important as Chapter 2, on this subject.

[tpapp]

Where are the videos regarding the rest of the chapters?

[jaaproos]

Very well done. Thanks a lot, I read it two months ago it already is slipping away a bit. This is a great reminder.

Looking forward to the rest!

[damthatriver09]

@jaaproos you read it and already forgot the ideas? damn maybe you shouldn't read at all.

[princeatom3121]

thats what im talking about

[AdaptiveMentoring]

Thanks for your comments! Much appreciated. We had the opportunity to meet with Robert about a special project we are working on regarding The 48 Laws of Power, and interviewed him on an assortment of topics. He was absolutely amazing! We will post more as soon as we complete them.

[reza2468]

@AdaptiveMentoring FUCKIN AWESOME!!!!

[therealmaestro]

Very good.

Are there more vids comming?

[yourmajezty]

great job. great book.

[marolow2]

awesome..when we ll see the whole thing ...

[Penzills]

Cool. Love Robert Greene's work. If you can, please upload more.