Apologies on the delay here. Had an immediate project that needed to get done, so this chapter summary is a week delayed. I tried to summarize this one so it doesn't include as much random shit as the last few did.

I hope the wait is worth it, here we go, a summary of Chapter 6 from Robert Greene's Laws of Human Nature.

Elevate Your Perspective: The Law of Short-Sightedness

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Video Summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EFq-R\_Vaz8

Written Summary:

Introduction:
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How many times has something like this happened to you?

You meet a girl, things are going good. Maybe you hang out a few times, and she seems to like you. Then she just randomly stops answering your texts. She disappears. You think about all the memories you had and the ones you planned on making. Why would she just disappear? Didn’t she feel there was a connection as well? After texting her 4 times in as many days, you decide you’re going to move on with your life. So you send her one last text saying “I don’t know what happened, I thought there was a great connection, but you’re clearly not interested so I’m going to see other people”

Then the girl gets back a few days later saying: “hey so sorry, I was caught up at my new job and I was very stressed, my phone was stolen, there was a family issue I had, etc.”

You realize you overreacted, you try to backtrack, but the damage has already been done. You’ve blown it.

You, my friend, have been caught up in the Law of Short Sightedness.

This happens to everyone. Maybe not the needy texts, but the jumping to conclusions. But it’s not entirely your fault. We evolved to react to what is happening in the moment. It protected our ancestors as reacting to new information could have been the difference between living or getting eaten by a lion. In our current world, however, it does much, much, much more harm than good.

It is our animal nature to be most impressed by what we can see and hear in the present. This is why we love gossip, what’s in the newspaper, and schemes that promise quick riches.

But there’s a way to counteract this natural tendency to make poor short sighted decisions. To stop reacting to every new piece of information. It’s called taking the Far-Sighted perspective.

If you’re standing at the bottom of a mountain, you can only see the area in front of you. As you ascend the mountain a little bit, you get a bit more perspective. At the top of the mountain you have a perfect panoramic scene of reality. A true lay of the land.

This mountain is a metaphor for time, Time is the greatest teacher of them all. The revealer of reality. This problem you’re experiencing, will feel unimportant in a year.

We need to simulate the passage of time to get a clear picture of the events that are unfolding.

Keys to Human Nature:

We don’t always have time to sit and wait it out 3 years, So when you’re presented with a new problem to solve or something that affects you emotionally, try this:

  • Start to deepen and widen your perspective. Don’t just grab an immediate explanation when thinking about the problem. Look for other possibilities or motivations for the people involved. Look at the overall context of the event, not just immediately what grabs your attention.
  • Consider the various possible ramifications of any action we take
  • train yourself to detach from the heat of the moment. Work to calm down your excitement or your fear.
  • Imagine as best you can the negative consequences of the various strategies you’re contemplating. Imagine how the problem or opportunity might play itself out over time. How other problems not apparent might suddenly loom larger in the future.
  • Focus on your long-term goals and realign your priorities in the present according to them.

If you can do this, you can simulate the passage of time and have a clearer understanding of what’s happening and what actions you should take. This will prevent many, many headaches in your life.

Becoming The Far Sighted Human

Most of us do not think too far into the future as it makes us think about the passage of time and death. We think fondly of the past, live for pleasures in the present. But we pay a price for this. Repressing the thought of death and aging creates an continual underlying anxiety.

Reacting to events in the present puts us on a roller coaster ride. Up and down with each change in fortune.

Your task as a student of human nature: widen your relationship to time as much as possible. Slow it down.

Don’t see the passage of time as an enemy, but rather as a great ally. Every stage of life comes with its advantages. Youth are most obvious, but with age comes perspective.

Aging does not frighten you, death is equally your friend, motivates you to make the most of each moment, gives a sense of urgency, time is your great teacher and master.

This problem you’re experiencing, will feel unimportant in a year. Lower your anxiety, adjust your priority.

Think about your long term goals, they aren’t vague dreams but concrete objectives.

Feel a connection to your past so you know who you are, what you like, and feel a connection of self love.

Like everyone, you enjoy the present and its pleasures, you understand and enjoy trending topics. But you derive greater pleasure from reaching your long term goals and overcoming adversity.

Expanded relationship to time makes you calmer, more realistic, more in tune with the things that matter. Also makes you a superior strategist.

TL;DR: Don't get emotional when things happen or a decision needs to be made. Imagine what it will be like in the future and looking back, what's the right answer? This will help you react calmly instead of making rash decisions