Robert Greene: The Art of Seduction Quotes

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In his 2001 book The Art of Seduction, Robert Greene provides insight into the nature of seduction, offering a template for how to successfully seduce people. Seduction is often sexual, but can also be used to gain adoring friends, followers, and political supporters.

Below is a selection of The Art of Seduction quotes with explanations.

The Art of Seduction Quotes

In The Art of Seduction, Robert Greene offers insight into the psychology of attraction and provides a template for how to successfully entice lovers or devoted followers. According to Greene, we all want the power to seduce, whether we admit it or not.

The following The Art of Seduction quotes highlight some of his key ideas.

“Seduction is a game of psychology, not beauty, and it is within the grasp of any person to become a master at the game.”

According to Greene, contrary to popular belief, one quality that a successful seducer doesn’t require is traditional good looks. Seduction primarily involves using psychological techniques to manipulate your chosen victim. Everyone can learn to implement these techniques successfully, regardless of their appearance. 

“Get rid of any moralizing tendencies, adopt the seducer’s playful philosophy, and you will find the rest of the process easy and natural.”

Greene says that if you want to be a good seducer, you must abandon the traditional morality and adopt the seducer mindset. Seducers don’t think about whether their actions are “right” or “wrong.” For example, Greene says you can’t consider whether tailoring your personality to a target is deceptive and morally wrong. This would undermine your game. Instead, he says a good seducer thinks of their actions as nothing more than an entertaining game that allows them to get what they want.

“we have of seeing love and romance as some kind of sacred, magical realm where things just fall into place, if they are meant to. This might seem romantic and quaint, but it is really just a cover for our laziness.”

According to Greene, you must not fall into the trap of thinking that if love is meant to be, it’ll simply fall into place naturally. You must put effort into your seduction: Contact your victim frequently and incorporate seductive tactics into every interaction you have with them.

Robert Greene: The Art of Seduction Quotes

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Here's what you'll find in our full The Art of Seduction summary:

  • The psychology of how to successfully entice lovers or devoted followers
  • Greene's advice for choosing a seduction target based on their characteristics
  • A step-by-step guide on how to seduce your chosen target

Darya Sinusoid

Darya’s love for reading started with fantasy novels (The LOTR trilogy is still her all-time-favorite). Growing up, however, she found herself transitioning to non-fiction, psychological, and self-help books. She has a degree in Psychology and a deep passion for the subject. She likes reading research-informed books that distill the workings of the human brain/mind/consciousness and thinking of ways to apply the insights to her own life. Some of her favorites include Thinking, Fast and Slow, How We Decide, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram.

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