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A review by ragreynolds
The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene
informative
reflective
2.5
This is a tough one for me to rate. It's full of interesting historical notes and observations about the human psyche, but I found that it started to get repetitive and tedious as it progressed.
The first third or so of the book was a great read, and I loved reading about the different types of seducers, but after that I found myself losing interest.
Obviously, many people are upset with this book due to the manipulative and toxic behaviours and strategies the book details, but I think those people are perhaps taking it too personally. The things written in this book are merely examples of human psychology. I think it's silly to get upset over someone analysing and pointing out how the human mind works. I think this book can actually be a good tool for identifying when other people are trying to play games with you, and also why you might feel the way you do in response to them. It should go without saying, but obviously, it's wrong to manipulate people, and if you're someone who reads this with the intention of utilising the techniques to manipulate others, I think that says a lot about your character. But in the book's defense: I don't believe something is bad just because it has the potential to be used for bad purposes.
Still, with all that said, I found myself struggling to get through the second half of the book, and so I'd probably struggle to recommend it. There was just too much repetition, and too many instances where Greene kept coming back around to the same handful of historical figures to make his points. It also didn't help that he would specifically name certain figures as being specific types of seducers, only to later start using them as examples when talking about much different types of seducers. I understand that it's possible for people to be a combination of types, but I didn't think it was the right decision here.
Glad that I'll probably never have to read about Napoleon's love life again.
The first third or so of the book was a great read, and I loved reading about the different types of seducers, but after that I found myself losing interest.
Obviously, many people are upset with this book due to the manipulative and toxic behaviours and strategies the book details, but I think those people are perhaps taking it too personally. The things written in this book are merely examples of human psychology. I think it's silly to get upset over someone analysing and pointing out how the human mind works. I think this book can actually be a good tool for identifying when other people are trying to play games with you, and also why you might feel the way you do in response to them. It should go without saying, but obviously, it's wrong to manipulate people, and if you're someone who reads this with the intention of utilising the techniques to manipulate others, I think that says a lot about your character. But in the book's defense: I don't believe something is bad just because it has the potential to be used for bad purposes.
Still, with all that said, I found myself struggling to get through the second half of the book, and so I'd probably struggle to recommend it. There was just too much repetition, and too many instances where Greene kept coming back around to the same handful of historical figures to make his points. It also didn't help that he would specifically name certain figures as being specific types of seducers, only to later start using them as examples when talking about much different types of seducers. I understand that it's possible for people to be a combination of types, but I didn't think it was the right decision here.
Glad that I'll probably never have to read about Napoleon's love life again.