“The ability to discern human nature is the most powerful tool we can possess!”
The most intelligent guide to understanding the inner drives and motivations of human beings.

Humans are social animals.
Our very lives are inevitably dependent on our relationships with people.
Therefore, interpreting the complex emotions and behaviors of people is the most important tool we can possess.
Robert Greene, author of the world-renowned million-seller "The Laws of Power," reveals 18 laws of human nature hidden within us.
In this book, he explores the true nature of humanity, a fascinating being that coexists with the ordinary, the strange, and the destructive.

In this book, the author presents a brutally realistic assessment of our species.
We are urged to thoroughly dissect our true selves and act with greater awareness, lest our jealous, narcissistic, and delusional human nature trap us in negative patterns, and lest we be subjected to those around us who manipulate people and situations to their advantage.
Also, true to his reputation as a mentor in the arts of power and modern survival strategies, his book details how to understand our true nature and use it as a tool to guide our lives in a positive direction.
You will discover the wisdom to achieve success at work, in relationships, and develop yourself, as well as the most effective strategies to protect yourself.

As you live, you inevitably meet all kinds of people.
Among them, there are those who deliberately cause trouble, those who make my life tiring, and those who make me feel uncomfortable.
He could be my boss or leader, a coworker or a friend.
I may be overtly aggressive or I may be subtle in my aggression, but I am equally free to play with my emotions.
The problem is that such people often appear attractive on the outside.
They are so full of ideas and passion, so confident that it feels refreshing, that we often fall under their spell.
It was only later that he realized that his confidence was irrational and that his ideas were not the result of careful consideration, but it was already too late to turn back time.
--- p.005

Interactions with people are a major cause of our emotional turmoil.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
The problem is that we are constantly judging others.
And at the same time, we hope that the other person will be a different person than they are now.
We want to change others.
We want others to think and act in a certain way, often like 'me'.
But that's not possible, and since no two people are exactly alike under the sun, we are constantly frustrated and upset.
Instead, treat people as a phenomenon.
Look at it as an object without any value judgment, like a comet or a plant.
They just exist, they are all different, and they are there to enrich and enrich life.
When people say or do something, don't resist or try to change it; treat it as an object of study.
Make understanding people a fun game.
It's like solving a puzzle.
Everything is just a scene from a comedy played out by humans.
--- p.070

From the moment we are born, the human need for attention is endless.
We are social animals to the core.
My survival and happiness depend on the bonds I form with others.
If others don't pay attention to me, there's no way for me to connect with them.
Among the things of interest, there are some that must be felt with the actual body.
We only feel alive when someone is looking at us.
As those who have been isolated for a long time will attest, when we cannot make eye contact with people, we begin to doubt our very existence and fall into deep depression.
But the need for attention is also very psychological.
Depending on the attention others give us, we feel that they recognize and acknowledge us.
My perceived worth depends on this.
Attention is so important to humans that they will do anything to get attention, including committing crimes and attempting suicide.
If you look back at each and every action you've taken, you'll find that your first motivation has always been a desire for attention.
--- p.077

The most important indicator of a person's personality is their behavior when observed over time.
No matter how much the other person says they learned a great lesson from the last experience and became a different person, they will undoubtedly repeat the same actions and decisions in the future.
It is precisely such decisions that reveal their character.
Any noticeable behavior from the other person must be taken note of.
For example, when you're under too much stress, you might suddenly disappear, fail to complete important tasks, become suddenly aggressive when challenged, or, conversely, perform well when given responsibility.
With this in mind, research your partner's past.
Now that I think about it, hasn't the other person behaved in a similar way in the past? Take a close look at what they're doing now.
(Omitted) The most important conclusion to always keep in mind is this.
'People never do something just once,' the other person might try to make an excuse.
You could say I lost my mind at that moment.
But I guarantee you he'll do that stupid thing again, no matter what.
His personality and habits will inevitably lead him to do so.
In reality, people often repeat the same behavior even when it is completely against their own interests.
--- p.189~190

By nature, we are not easily satisfied with what we have.
Because of some twisted force within us, the moment we possess something or get what we desire, our minds already drift towards something different.
Imagining that I could have something better.
The more difficult and distant that new object is to obtain, the greater our desire to have it becomes.
You could call this the 'other person's lawn syndrome'.
It's the psychological version of an optical illusion.
When we get too close to that grass, that new object, we realize that the grass isn't really that green.
(Omitted) This phenomenon also occurs in everyday life.
I keep seeing people who seem to have something better than me.
Their parents seem more loving, their jobs seem more interesting, and their lives seem easier.
Even when you're in a perfectly satisfying relationship, your heart is constantly wandering in search of someone new.
I think there are others who don't have this vivid flaw in my spouse.
--- p.226~227

Everyone feels jealous.
It's when I feel like someone else has more of what I want, whether it's things, attention, respect, or whatever.
I deserve as much as that person, but somehow I feel like I won't be able to have it.
But as I said above, jealousy also means admitting to myself that I am inferior to the other person in some area that I consider important.
It's painful enough to admit this inferiority, but it's even more painful for others to know that I feel this way.
So, as soon as we feel this jealousy, we are motivated to hide it even from ourselves.
'What I feel is not jealousy.
I feel that the distribution of goods and attention is unfair.
This unfairness is what I resent.
I'm angry.
Besides, that guy isn't really superior, he's just lucky.
It's either too ambitious or immoral.
'That's why I ended up in that position.' Once I convince myself that my motivation isn't jealousy but something else, it becomes very difficult for others to detect the jealousy that lies beneath my skin.
Others now see nothing but my anger, my resentment, my hostile criticism, and my sarcastic praise.
--- p.433~434

Humans like to believe that our emotional experiences are simple.
Some people love it, some people hate it.
I feel awe for this person, but contempt for that person.
But this is actually rarely the case.
It is a fundamental fact of human nature that we rarely experience simple emotions, and almost always experience ambivalent ones.
We can love and hate at the same time, and feel respect and envy at the same time.
This duality begins in childhood and becomes a lifelong pattern.
People whose parents gave them relatively much attention and love will remember their childhood fondly, as a golden time.
But we conveniently forget that we even resented such parents because we depended on their love and care.
Sometimes it was suffocating.
We wanted to express our will and show that we can stand on our own two feet.
Feeling overly dependent on my parents' attention could have led to immense anxiety about how vulnerable I would be when they were gone.
So, while we love our parents, we inevitably feel some degree of hostility and rebellion.

--- p.711~712