The Art of Seduction

One of the reference books to "The Game" (Sept 20th) had been "The Art of Seduction" by Robert Greene - required reading for the Player newbies. Given its source I didn't count on the tome being anything more than a replication of the Player's Rules however it turned out to be much, much more.

The book notes that we all have the power to attract others to us but few of us are aware of our potential. It addresses seduction in a variety of forms - between a man and a woman, between a politician and the voters, between an artist and their public, etc. It theorizes nine categories of seducers, eighteen types of victims and twenty-four steps along the path of seduction.

Examples are described in both real life and in literature: Andy Warhol, Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Marilyn Monroe, President Kennedy, Valentino, James Dean, Charlie Chaplin. While some stories involved sexual liaisons many more described long-term interpersonal relationships that were buoyed by mystique and intrigue.

Reading the book helped give me some perspective to what attracts people to one another - a core question I've been dealing with. Essentially why do I sometimes meet women who are intensely attracted to me, but to whom I'm not attracted (and vice versa)? Also, what makes two people click? Like anyone would, I found elements of myself described in the "seducer profiles" - not because I plotted to have these characteristics, they're just part of my personality in relationships.

The book gave me a different view of human relationships. I feel like maybe my views of how to act with friends and how to act with lovers were pretty tightly circumscribed. It's like I'm recognizing the "social rules" which formed in my head as a child, a youngster, a young adult and I'm beginning to recognize which rules no longer serve me.