Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene



Robert Greene is an American author known for his books dealing with power, persuasion, and war. He is an astute observer of social mores, and how to bend them to your own gain and devices. In this treatise on the art of manipulation, Green details the many different effective techniques of seduction. Green outlines a system comprised of 9 different types of seducers with 24 steps in the seduction process. Published by Joost Elffers who also supplies the book with sidebar anecdotes chronicling the various exploits of historical figures who were themselves renown seducers, this book is the second of three authored by Greene. Such luminaries as Don Juan, Cleopatra, Casanova, Marilyn Monroe, Lord Byron, Marlene Dietrich, but the truly fascinating portraits are those of what you might call political or "PR" seducers: Charles DeGaulle, Mussolini, Zhou Enlai, Andy Warhol, Robespierre and Benjamin Disraeli are all alluded to throughout the book. Greene does an incredible job of examining the nuances of interacting with individuals in a sexual, political, and social context with a corresponding figure from history to further illustrate his point. He not only describes the process of seduction in painstaking detail, but also explores the personality types most susceptible to being seduced. For instance you not only need to know how to seduce, but who to seduce. This is the cardinal rule of seduction, because if you pick the wrong target your advances no matter how charming or enticing will fall upon deaf ears. Another seductive maneuver of paramount importance is mastering the art of insinuation. More often than not people tend to be overtly blatant in their overtures, when the key is to employ more subtle and suggestive methods that mask our true objectives. Most politicians have turned this one precept into a science, executing it with precision like accuracy. Overall this book makes for an excellent read, which should be read if for no other reason than to stay informed of the different types of predators out there and how to act accordingly.

Enjoy this dose of pimpin while were on the subject. Scene taken from the classic 70's blaxploitaion flim Willie Dynamite


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