1. 1-Sentence-Summary:
1.1. The Art Of Seduction is a template for persuading anyone, whether it’s a business contact, a political adversary, or a love interest, to act in your best interest.
2. Favorite quote from the author:
2.1. "When our emotions are engaged, we often have trouble seeing things as they are." - Robert Greene
3. 3 lessons:
3.1. The most important trait all seducers share is that they constantly surprise us.
3.1.1. Humans are pattern-seeking machines. As soon as we figure something out, it’s boring. In movies as in life, flat, one-dimensional characters don’t interest us. They can’t hold our attention for long.
3.1.2. As a corollary, the single most seductive thing you can do is to stay interesting by being unpredictable.
3.1.2.1. That doesn’t mean you should create artificial complexity, but break patterns.
3.1.3. Above all, don’t be an easy target. Play hard-to-get not because it works, but because you should be. You’re worth it.
3.2. Seductive characters fall into nine categories, depending on which seduction technique they primarily use.
3.2.1. The Siren.
3.2.1.1. As a woman, you can portray the ultimate fantasy for a man: an uninhibited, promiscuous, pure symbol of pleasure.
3.2.2. The Rake.
3.2.2.1. As a man, you can speak to the universal female need for desire, attention, and appreciation by showing her you’d do anything for her.
3.2.3. The Ideal Lover.
3.2.3.1. The ideal lover represents the fantasy of those dreams without the disappointment we’re used to from reality, life, and other people.
3.2.4. The Dandy.
3.2.4.1. Most of us are trapped in societal roles. The dandy refuses to play them. By defying all expectations and curating his or her own self-image, the dandy shows us what it means to be free.
3.2.5. The Natural.
3.2.5.1. Our ideals are our childhood selves. Naturals remind us of who we once were – an honest, spontaneous, playful human being – and that’s why they’re attractive.
3.2.6. The Coquette.
3.2.6.1. Coquettes are masters of the bait-and-switch. They raise our hopes, then shoot us down, again and again. Sadly, that only makes them more desirable.
3.2.7. The Charmer.
3.2.7.1. We all like to feel comfortable. In a charmer’s presence, we always are. They lift us up by highlighting our best traits, rather than focusing on presenting themselves.
3.2.8. The Charismatic.
3.2.8.1. Some traits radiate from the inside out. Confidence, purpose, contentment, sexuality, when someone has an intense aura on the outside but stays rather detached, we can’t help but be smitten.
3.2.9. The Star.
3.2.9.1. Most of us want to escape our lives, most of the time. A star allows us to do just that by following them in their crazy, glamorous life that indulges our fantasies.
3.3. There are nine anti-seductive behaviors you should become aware of and try to avoid.
3.3.1. Brutes forget that romance is play. They skip the best part and thus come off as blunt.
3.3.2. Suffocators drown you in affection before they even know you.
3.3.3. Moralizers can’t take a joke because all they want is for you to be like them.
3.3.4. Tightwads are cheap. But seduction is about abundance, about giving.
3.3.5. Bumblers are so insecure, they have to drag everyone around them down to their level.
3.3.6. Windbags don’t pay attention to a single word you say because they’re busy thinking about their own next sentence.
3.3.7. Reactors are whiny. They kill the mood by complaining all the time.
3.3.8. Vulgarians write off attraction as humbug. That’s a buzzkill.
3.3.9. Greedy pigs tend to want too much from anyone, which is exhausting.