The Law of the Sublime - Robert Greene

[LordFall]

Seems like he went through his own Eckhart Tolle like experience being stuck in his backyard for 7 years after having a stroke and ended up seeing life in a new light and writing this book. Looks like a banger, I'm excited to read it. By listening him to talk about it, the main idea seems to be about enjoyment of the present moment and being able to enjoy the sublime simplicity of life. He breaks it down into 12 areas that he feels represent most the concept. 

He's probably my favorite author of all time so I'm very excited to see how he mixes his usual practicality and historical prose with a more spiritual topic. Interesting to see him go from more achievement-based topics to a more esoteric inquiry with the one before that being a Marcus Aurelius type book on his 366 Meditations and before that reflecting on human nature and now the sublime nature of existence itself. 

Edited Wednesday at 11:41 PM by LordFall

[Rigel]

I like his deep voice

The laws of human nature’s been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time. Haven’t read it yet. Is it good?

Edited Wednesday at 11:26 PM by Rigel

[LordFall]

16 minutes ago, Rigel said:

I like his deep voice

The laws of human nature’s been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time. Haven’t read it yet. Is it good?

Yeah I think it's phenomenal, I'm about halfway through it so far. It's much more brutal than 48 Laws of Power into dissecting the ego. Whereas 48 Laws of Power is more about figuring out how the outside world works, this one is more about how the mind works and plays tricks on you and how character traits like narcissism and anxiety form and how attitude has made and broken famous people in history. I'm gonna finish it over the next month and then more than likely to pickup a copy of The Law of the Sublime.

Edited Wednesday at 11:42 PM by LordFall

[Natasha Tori Maru]

I'm keen for this!

I listened to his recent interview on Huberman's podcast - he goes into the painstaking process of writing everything by hand there. I love how he dives into the experience and phenomenology of becoming an 'ink fetishist' after having to write so much - colours, feel etc. I resonate a lot with his story as his suffering has been immense - suffering culminated to produce my first really big enlightenment breakthrough. I experienced a permanent shift of consciousness. I have never been the same since. 

Greene has such a powerful mind to reframe, his gratitude and appreciation have deepened and he has made the best of the result of his existence following his stroke. He isn't afraid to face the darkness of humanity - his own - and the light, also. He is also a lovely orator with a rich, well paced speaking voice.

I think haters mostly don't understand him.

Edited Wednesday at 11:51 PM by Natasha Tori Maru

[Ramanujan]

@LordFall laws of human nature is a masterpiece. I am half way through

Its as greate as 48 laws of power

 

His book Mastery is grabage

 

33 strategies of war, 48 laws of power and laws of humam nature are 10/10 books

 

 

No idea what to expect from law of the sublime. Its not his area of expertise. 

Edited yesterday at 03:51 AM by Ramanujan

[Ramanujan]

robert greene's area of expertise is on social skills. he should stick to that.  he should not write book on areas outside his expertise

[LordFall]

@Natasha Tori Maru glad you enjoy his writing as well! There aren't many authors that produce similar work to his; truly fascinating books.

12 hours ago, Natasha Tori Maru said:

He isn't afraid to face the darkness of humanity - his own - and the light, also. He is also a lovely orator with a rich, well paced speaking voice.

I think haters mostly don't understand him.

I assume that's the part that subconsciously scares a lot of people. I've also seen a lot of feedback saying they dislike his historical anecdotes and the reader would've enjoyed a more to the point type of narrative. Which seems a bit silly to me since both there are a lot of books that do have this dry and straight to the point writing style and the historical context tie in is what I find to be one of the most valuable aspect of his work.

8 hours ago, Ramanujan said:

@LordFallHis book Mastery is garbage

33 strategies of war, 48 laws of power and laws of humam nature are 10/10 books

Yeah I would agree for 48 Laws of Power and Laws of Human Nature. Haven't read 33 Strategies but I've read the 50th Law, his book co-written with 50 cent, I thought that one was similarly quite good.

What didn't you enjoy about Mastery? I thought it was quite profound and I enjoy some stuff he wrote about like going back to your childhood genuine interests for clues for your life purpose. It definitely lacked the practicality of some more direct books like Alex Hormozi's books on business for example but I think his aim was to be esoteric and not a how to guide. 

[Heaven]

I don’t know why but it just feels like mental  masturbation. Saying many words to try to invent a new concept. Couldn’t relate at all.

[Ramanujan]

2 hours ago, LordFall said:

Haven't read 33 Strategies

is is a 10/10 book. fucking amazing

2 hours ago, LordFall said:

What didn't you enjoy about Mastery? I thought it was quite profound and I enjoy some stuff he wrote about like going back to your childhood genuine interests for clues for your life purpose. It definitely lacked the practicality of some more direct books like Alex Hormozi's books on business for example but I think his aim was to be esoteric and not a how to guide

I read his book  a long time ago. I tried to find my life's task. After 3 years i discovered leo's course. But mastery by Robert Greene  was my main OS . I tried to find my life's task ,  i neglected everything. I thought if i find my life's task , i can become greate. After 7 years i found my life's task. I realised , India is not America. Very few opertunities exist. All these 7 years , i wasted opertunities after opertunities. I cannot make money from my life's task. It  can only be done on the side. I wasted 7 years trying to find my life's task. 

Fuck him. American self help gurus can say anything they want. India is different. The only way to have a decent life in India is to study well in school and college. Its a hellhole here. 

Americans have an easy life. If Robert Greene was born in India , he would beg for a government job or an IT job 

American self help gurus will struggle if they are born in India or Africa or other 3rd World countries

[Ramanujan]

5 minutes ago, Heaven said:

I don’t know why but it just feels like mental  masturbation. Saying many words to try to invent a new concept. Couldn’t relate at all.

Yeah probably.  I expect it to be a disaster. He is a good writer. Maybe it is good as a literature. But no good practical value

[Ajay0]

 I read some of Robert Greene's books, but found them machiavellian and indulging in politics related to psychology and marketing.

It may be good for superficial short-term tactics while engaging in the material world, but does not provide the strategic substratum for long-term development leading to peace and happiness.

If you are living solely by such machiavellian tactics, life is bound to be superficial, conflict-prone and hollow, imho.

I noticed that Greene himself is a student of Zen Buddhism, possibly feeling discontentment or dissatisfaction with his personal philosophies.
 

13 hours ago, Ramanujan said:

I tried to find my life's task. After 3 years i discovered leo's course. But mastery by Robert Greene  was my main OS . I tried to find my life's task ,  i neglected everything. I thought if i find my life's task , i can become great.

 It is finding your life task that gives you meaning and purpose in life, otherwise your are bound to live a superficial life  even if you are employed and having lot of money, indulging in mere creature comforts of sex, gluttony, inertia like a worm .  You will soon be dissatisfied by such a life and will not also be motivated to self-actualization work as a person.

As Nietzche stated, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how".

13 hours ago, Ramanujan said:

American self help gurus will struggle if they are born in India or Africa or other 3rd World countries

I got most of my inspiration from ancient Indian scriptures like the Thirrukural, Yoga Vasistha, Bhagavad Gita and others...

Quote

 

"The lotus flower rises to the level of water;
Greatness of men rises with mental strength." ~ Thirrukural

  "The hero who has hurled his javelin at an oncoming elephant, looks around for another weapon; finding none, he laughs exultingly as he plucks a fresh spear out of his own wounded chest."  ~ Thirrukural

 

These teachings on mental strength and positivity helped me a lot in handling adversity and overcoming challenges and goals, imho.

 

[Ramanujan]

4 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

It is finding your life task that gives you meaning and purpose in life, otherwise your are bound to live a superficial life  even if you are employed and having lot of money, indulging in mere creature comforts of sex, gluttony, inertia like a worm .  You will soon be dissatisfied by such a life and will not also be motivated to self-actualization work as a person.

As Nietzche stated, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how".

Finding your life's task is important. But the way Amercian self help gurus preach, how to find it , is what i hate. You have to pay bills. So you need to do a job  to pay bills. you need bachelors or masters to get a good job. 

It will take a  long time to find your life's task. Took 7 years for me.  So it should be done on the side. You  need to get a job , work , pay bills , and also find your life's task on the side. That is the most healthy way to find your life's task.


And even after finding your life purpose , you may not be able to make money from it. Like i cannot make money from my life purpose.  If you live in a 3rd world country , you may not be able to make money from your life purpose. Like if my life purpose was to be a physicsist , i wont get a good job in india. In india very little research options exist on physics . Also i dicovered my life purpose in age 27. So if i want to be a physicist at age 27  , then i need to get a PHD. That would take 10 years. How would i support myself in those time. ie by going to a 9-5 job and doing my passion on the side.

 

Robert greene said everything can become good if you find your life's task. I found my life's task at age 27. I realised , i need a master degree to get a decent job in corporate world. All those 7 years , i did nothing. Now i need another 6 years to get a masters degree so i can enter IT and get a decent job

 

Things are more complicated than "find your life's task and it will solve everything". Modern "success " field is only 50 years old. it is a young field. A lot of things are not discovered yet.

 

 

The best way i found is to go for a 9-5 job and follow your intrest and passion on the side

 

 

4 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

I got most of my inspiration from ancient Indian scriptures like the Thirrukural, Yoga Vasistha, Bhagavad Gita and others...

nice

good job

 

4 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

These teachings on mental strength and positivity helped me a lot in handling adversity and overcoming challenges and goals, imho.

There is greate wisdom on these teachings

[Ulax]

He's an interesting character.

I feel like Jordan Peterson, Owen Cook and Todd V itches the scratch more for me than Greene. But i can understand the attraction of Greene.

Might check this book out

[BlessedLion]

Fascinating to see how Robert moved through topics like Power and Sedecution to now uncovering more mystical aspects of life. It's like watching someone move up the Spiral but with such a gift for understanding and communicating those aspects. 

 

I saw his interview about this book with Chris Williamson and it's a gem in itself, can't wait to read this.

[BlessedLion]

On 11/5/2026 at 0:33 PM, Ramanujan said:

robert greene's area of expertise is on social skills. he should stick to that.  he should not write book on areas outside his expertise

? Why should we limit and box people into what they can write about

[Ulax]

On 04/11/2026 at 11:50 PM, Natasha Tori Maru said:

I think haters mostly don't understand him.

Many have this naive notion of humanity. That there are the good and the bad. But Greene is Jungian in his acknowledgement of the bad in all of us, and the badness in everyday society. People don't like that.

[Ulax]

Just now, BlessedLion said:

? Why should we limit and box people into what they can write about

When people write outside of their skillset, they will produce bs

[BlessedLion]

19 hours ago, Ramanujan said:

I tried to find my life's task ,  i neglected everything. I thought if i find my life's task , i can become greate. After 7 years i found my life's task. I realised , India is not America. Very few opertunities exist. All these 7 years , i wasted opertunities after opertunities. I cannot make money from my life's task. It  can only be done on the side. I wasted 7 years trying to find my life's task. 

You seem to come to this point a lot. 

 

Have you read "Truth Be Told" by Om Swami? It may put things in perspective. 

 

Also, just because your particular case didn't work out it doesn't mean the author, book, material, or ideas suck. 

[BlessedLion]

2 minutes ago, Ulax said:

But Greene is Jungian in his acknowledgement of the bad in all of us, and the badness in everyday society. People don't like that.

I'd agree, i tried the Laws of Power book and found it way too negative and ultimately untrue. 

There seem to be a camp of people who believe everything humans do boils down to power and sex, which is a large factor, but it's not everything and honestly not that important, well sex is important, power dynamics, meh.

[BlessedLion]

5 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

I read some of Robert Greene's books, but found them machiavellian and indulging in politics related to psychology and marketing.

It may be good for superficial short-term tactics while engaging in the material world, but does not provide the strategic substratum for long-term development leading to peace and happiness.

If you are living solely by such machiavellian tactics, life is bound to be superficial, conflict-prone and hollow, imho.

bingo