Who Is Robert Greene?

For many people Robert Greene is something of a guru. I do not count myself among those people. Yesterday, however, I saw a Facebook ad for his book, The Laws of Human Nature. 

Frankly, I was intrigued. Not so much because I thought that we could derive any benefit by imagining that we have cracked the human nature code. But because I was curious to see what passes for wisdom in our culture.

Better yet, the brief summary allows us to examine some of the primary tenets of today’s secular faith.

In truth, much of it is anodyne. Greene has made a successful career selling banalities and platitudes. He tricks people into believing that you have acquired something resembling wisdom. It is advanced psychobabble, of little interest.

In his book about human nature Greene tells you that you should learn to understand human nature. In truth, this is silly. Do you think that the average human being spends time and energy pretending to understand human nature before venturing out in the social world? Do you think that those humans who have taken the most undergraduate courses in pseudo-philosophy end up being world beaters?

Let’s imagine that you are playing chess. Is it better to take chess lessons or to take a college course in human nature? In truth, there is no such thing as a course in human nature. No professor worth his Ph.D. would dare to insult students with such a manifest con.

Here is Greene’s understanding, which amounts to drivel:

Recognize that people are driven by a complex mix of emotions, desires, and fears. By understanding human nature, you can better navigate social situations and anticipate others' actions.

If it is all that complex, how well do you think that anyone can discern someone else’s emotions, fears and desires? Not very well, if at all. Presumably, therapists are the most qualified to grasp the complexity. Do you really believe that they should be role models, showing us how to relate with other humans?

Besides, social interactions function according to a complex set of rules. If you do not know the rules of the game, your pretend understanding of human nature will not bail you out.

And then, Greene seems to be a shill for therapy. His second command is this:

Master self-awareness: Develop a deep understanding of your own emotions, biases, and patterns of behaviour. Self-awareness allows you to better control your reactions and make more conscious choices.

Yes, indeed, you need a deep understanding, not a superficial understanding. Therapists promise that if you gain such a deep understanding you will do better. It was not true. It is still not true. By now, the promise and premise of therapy has been largely discredited. 

Much of our behavior is automatic and routinized. Sometimes it is good to control your reactions. Sometimes it is not. It depends on circumstances, players and the nature of the game.

If self-awareness were a panacea, all therapy patients would be making intelligent adult decisions. Anyone who believes that deserves to make a mess of his life.

Again, self-awareness has nothing to do with how well or how poorly you play chess or bridge.

Naturally,  Greene is a creature of his time. So, he adds that we should develop empathy. In truth, as we have remarked in these pages, science has shown that the best way to enhance your capacity for empathy is to get pregnant. If you are not going to get pregnant, you are out of luck.

Of course, Greene tells us all to share feelings. 

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. By practising empathy, you can build stronger connections, resolve conflicts, and influence people positively.

And he adds that we should observe non-verbal cues:

Pay attention to body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These non-verbal cues often reveal more about a person's true intentions and emotions than their words.

I do not want to be a killjoy, but what use will all that understanding of the grand abstraction of human nature be and what use will all that empathy be if you want to communicate information? And, what will it serve you if you want to make a plan or even whether you want to know whether you should keep the plan you made.

None of these superficial rules tell you, for example, about being good to your word. To say nothing of the value of hard work. 

Besides, if you are making a plan, you need to know how to coordinate schedules and negotiate different duties and responsibilities. This has very little to do with empathy.

You will notice that Greene says nothing about duties and responsibilities. He does not seem to care that different people have different roles in society. He does not seem to know that different roles involve different duties and responsibilities.

If you do not know your role and do not know the rules, understanding an abstraction will be useless.

Greene does not care about roles or rules. He does care about feeling feelings and learning how to assess different personality types. 

Some individuals may be more analytical, while others are more emotional. Tailor your communication style to connect effectively with different types of people.

Who knows what it means to connect effectively. It is surely not the same in the workplace, over the chessboard, or at the neighborhood pickup bar. 

In a later point he recommends that people connect authentically. This is also psychobabble. You do not want to connect authentically with your manager or your janitor.

Unsurprisingly, Greene cares about emotional intelligence. It is a contemporary buzzword, a sop for people who are in touch with their feminine side. He wants people to learn how to read hearts and minds, and to understand what other people are feeling.

Obviously, this is a part of the game, but it is only a small part. When you have joined a football team and you put on the uniform, how important is it that you understand the emotions of your teammates? Or the emotions of your competition?

We will leave it at that for the moment. Greene promises to help you to learn how to navigate the world of complex human interactions. If such is your predilection, read the book. From the brief summary I found on Facebook, I cannot imagine that it will do anything more than get you lost in your mind.

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