The LAWS of HUMAN NATURE(Robert Greene)

1. Don’t fall into the trap of confirmation bias.

Once we have already made up our mind, we set out to find evidence to convince ourselves that that idea is a rational conclusion.

mobile e-book: 95p

'Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to selectively take only information that is helpful to one's opinion or argument (regardless of whether it is true or not) and to intentionally ignore information that one does not want to believe.'


The book also talks about confirmation bias and various other things, but I want to talk about confirmation bias.

The same goes for me, and most of us seem to be caught in the trap of confirmation bias.

For example, let's say you're explaining to your spouse or parent why you should play a game.

I think they will only focus on relieving stress and various other advantages, and highlight only the advantages while slightly ignoring the disadvantages of playing games.

The reason for this is simple.

Because I want to play games.

That's why I keep looking at only the positives and have no intention of being objective.

Cases like this will occur frequently throughout life.

Let's look at ourselves.

For what purpose am I holding on to this opinion?

Socrates' conversation method was to continuously ask questions about someone's claims to find out the essence of the claims.

In the end, most of the arguments were based on self-interest or ignorance.

I think the problem is the tendency to look in only one direction to achieve a certain goal or for one's own benefit.

I believe that we must always be objective in order to make better choices and move in a better direction.

​

2. Empathy is important in living with people.

The key to using empathy in relationships between men and women is to understand the other person's values, which are bound to be different from mine.

mobile e-book: 218p

I hear from her wife all the time that she needs to develop her empathy skills.

When I looked into the reason, I found that I was not good at empathizing with people close to me.

Also, because it is closer, it is more realistic and speaks based on facts.

I think it's the same as our parents nagging us (and saying good things to us).

But I think my wife doesn't want her facts, she wants the empathy of her own conversation.

I believe that people have different interests and values, and that empathy is essential in order to collaborate, talk, and think together.

In relationships between men and women, you may spend your whole life searching for the perfect man or woman and end up living alone for most of your life.

No one is perfect in this world.

mobile e-book: 476p

Also, there are phrases in the book that are important to consider.

'There is no perfect person in the world. '

That's why I think we need to sympathize with and think about each other's words and opinions and work together in a good direction.

Of course, people who have problems (violence, fraud, cheating, etc.) should be filtered out, but unless it's a special problem, I think it would be good if it could be resolved through dialogue with the other person.

​

3. Let’s seek and discover the purpose of our lives.

There is no need to search for a famous teacher or yearn for the past when there was certainty.

This is because compasses and maps actually exist in our lives.

All you have to do is search for and discover the purpose of each person's life.

People who have achieved great things and contributed to the development of human culture have walked that path.

mobile e-book: 1203p

I think everyone has a role model.

It's good to read books or listen to the thoughts of those role models, but their thoughts and actions may not fit your situation.

So you should always achieve your goals in your own way.

I also think that there may have been times when I achieved great success in the past.

However, I think that method is not always successful, and that it must continue to change and adapt to the situation.

One-time success will not lead to continued success.

As with any new project (action for a goal), I think you need to put in more effort than when you first succeeded, just like you always do it for the first time.

I really like the saying, ‘The more the rice ripens, the more it bows its head.’

I think there is a problem with being proud of yourself and ignoring others because you are successful or have more or better things than others.

If I think about it carefully, there are times when I ignore others out of frustration when I see them behaving incorrectly.

More self-reflection and improvement in many areas are needed, and I believe that an attitude of moderation is always important.

And ultimately, I think it's important to get to know yourself better.

​

4. Acknowledge your problems and improve.

​

When you make a similar mistake, don't explain or apologize too much.

Accept responsibility, make it clear that you will bear the consequences of failure, and then move on.

mobile e-book: 1499p

I think I did a lot of self-reflection while reading this book.

I think in the past, when I made a mistake at work, I gave too many explanations (excuses).

I think it was because I didn't want to admit my problems.

Over-explaining only makes it seem like you are doing it to make up for your own mistakes or avoid responsibility.

I'm thinking more about how I can improve if I know my problems.

Through conversation, I must see how others see me, and I must reflect on what I think of myself.

I must acknowledge my responsibility (fault) before I can move on.

I am still growing, and I plan to explore and examine myself more.​

Lastly, there is one more important phrase, so I would like to engrave the sentence below as my life goal.

The world needs constant development and improvement.

You are not here just to satisfy your own impulses and consume what others have created.

You too must create something, contribute and serve a higher purpose.

mobile e-book: 1507p

I always believe that the progress made so far is not the end.

If something is inconvenient, you can find a new way, and if something is wrong, you can improve it.

We shouldn't always just read or watch YouTube videos or articles created by others.

Through that, I have to think about how I should change and what I should do.

Rather than envying the luxury items that others have bought, I think I should always think carefully about how I can become a luxury-like person, improve and develop myself.

I hope that writing helps me and that through my writing, people will think about themselves again and develop in a positive way.

I hope that you will move forward with better thoughts and directions rather than staying still due to dissatisfaction or self-satisfaction with your situation.

 

◎Korean Book Review

인간 본성의 법칙(저자 : 로버트 그린, 출판사 : 위즈덤하우스)

 

The Laws of Human Nature

Robert Greene is a master guide for millions of readers, distilling ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding and mastery. Now he turns to the most important subject of all - understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves. We are social animals. Our very lives depend on our relationships with people. Knowing why people do what they do is the most important tool we can possess, without which our other talents can only take us so far. Drawing from the ideas and examples of Pericles, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King Jr, and many others, Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control, how to develop the empathy that leads to insight, how to look behind people's masks, and how to resist conformity to develop your singular sense of purpose. Whether at work, in relationships, or in shaping the world around you, The Laws of Human Nature offers brilliant tactics for success, self-improvement, and self-defense.

저자

Greene Robert

출판

Penguin Books

출판일

2019.10.01