Law 13 – When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s Self-interest, Never to their Mercy or Gratitude People are generally motivated by their self-interest – and that is what you must appeal to if you want something from them. Trying to bring up the past and inducing feelings of guilt in them are strategies that … Read more
‘David’ by Michelangelo Greene tells us that unless you want to mislead or distract someone, it is better not to argue. It is more effective to display with actions the point you intend to make. Human beings are rarely swayed by reason. “The truth is generally seen, rarely heard.” – Baltasar Gracian In 131 B.C., … Read more
P.T Barnum The Chinese general, Chuko Liang, had a great reputation. During the war of the Three Kingdoms (A.D 207-265), he dispatched his large army to a far away camp, while he stayed in a small town with only a few soldiers. Suddenly, a vast army of 150,000 soldiers led by Sima Yi approached his … Read more
Law 4: Always Say Less than Necessary When it comes to speech, less is more, and more is less. Remaining silent or saying only few words makes you sound more profound and mysterious. People will respect you for it. But when you say too much, you will likely suffer the repercussions. King Louis XIV of … Read more
Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions Greene recalls a story that took place in France in the seventeenth century, that was a violation of this law. There was a Marquee who wanted to seduce a Countess, but being young and inexperienced, he had no idea what to do. A famous Courtesan at the time, Ninon de … Read more
Law 1: Never Outshine the Master Many believe that flaunting your talents to your superiors is a good idea. But this is grave mistake. Masters and people who have ascended to positions of power, are not much different from the kings and queens of antiquity. They have fragile egos, and nothing could provoke their wrath … Read more
Epilogue: Myth and Society 1. The Shapeshifter Campbell concludes by commenting on the relevance of myths today, how myths are viewed and how you can make use of them in your own life. It is important to remember that there is no system for interpretation myths. If you seek to understand them, then you must … Read more
Part Two: The Cosmogonic Cycle Chapter 4: Dissolutions 1. End of the Microcosm In this chapter, Campbell discusses the final part of the hero journey, death. There are two types of deaths that mythologies describe, the first is personal, and the second is universal. “The End of the Microcosm” is the personal death of the … Read more
Part Two: The Cosmogonic Cycle Chapter 3: Transformations of the Hero 1. The Primordial Hero and the Human This chapter is about how the cosmogonic cycle is carried out by mortal heroes rather than gods and stories about children, who are predestined to become the heroes of their culture and the founders of new cities. … Read more
Part Two: The Cosmogonic Cycle Chapter 2: The Virgin Birth 1. Mother Universe Some mythologies emphasize the maternal rather than paternal aspect of the creator, and she plays the roles that are traditionally assigned to males. She’s also a virgin, because her husband is the Invisible Unknown. 3. The Virgin Birth Here Campbell tells us … Read more