We live, we love, we strive

I recently picked up Robert Greene’s “The Daily Laws: 366 Meditations on Power, Seduction, Mastery, Strategy, and Human Nature“, after listening to a few of his YouTube videos especially those with Jordan Peterson. Both of them are such prolific and bold writers – each with a mind of their own, discussing controversial topics, providing originality to the self-improvement genre of books. I love how they discuss things in a “rebellious” way which highlighted a lot of the thoughts of our generation.

Robert Greene even shared his darker side of being a rebel, which gave inspiration to his book “The 48 Laws of Power“.

While I’ve not finished reading the book, the initial chapters of “The Daily Laws: 366 Meditations on Power, Seduction, Mastery, Strategy, and Human Nature” focus on looking back at times when we are younger to explore what makes us excited to work on, and to hone the personal discipline in mastery.

This is where I struggled…

Coming from a ok-income single-parent childhood, I was confined to going to school, heading back home, passing my exams and rising through the education system – No music school/lessons, no sports exposure, no hanging out much after school. That’s when I realised, I’ve lost the early childhood experience of discovery and exploration. I “lost freedom” since my most earlier days as a kid…

At first glance such people can seem quite exciting. They hate authority and love the underdog. Almost all of us are secretly attracted to such an attitude; it appeals to the adolescent within us, the desire to snub our nose at the teacher. They don’t recognize rules or precedents. 

Robert Greene on “The Relentless Rebel”

I start to trace back in time if I am indeed “The Relentless Rebel”…

While I do not associate myself as “The Relentless Rebel” because my only need is to be harmonious or “leave me alone with your BS”, I do realise some similar traits on the rebellious side and dispelling any criticisms I don’t agree with. For example, I do mistrust most people in power, but I also realise it became much stronger with my earlier career experiences. When I used to take everything at face value and look up to certain figures at work because of their power and authority, I started envisioning each of them holding a knife behind their back, waiting to strike someone to advance their own agenda…

I started becoming more of a lone wolf.

Is it healthy in a corporate world?

Is it necessary?

The moment you think you are this powerful, autonomous individual…That’s dangerous.

Robert Greene

Corporates will always have individuals out to manipulate and even they are being manipulated to drive the needs of the owners of the businesses. Ultimately, no one is free of manipulations in this generation where every other platform or application is out to get your information and monetise them.

It is not possible to rid all of them.

Yet we so need to survive in this capitalistic world.

I learned my only need was to stick with people I am comfortable enough, not too intruding and have a peace of mind. That’s where I believe stoicism really helps the current generation of people (if you’re like me).

*Fun fact* Realised Robert Greene was Ryan Holiday’s mentor! Now I see why I was intrigued by his writings even before I got to know more of Robert Greene.