I will be going into a top business school this fall

I was the one that mentioned the "paying".

I still stand by my remark, that humans are basically evil--because they're either misinformed or uninformed.
C'est la vie.

If they had any reputable sources, they wouldn't there.

OP, just make smart decisions. People will backstab you if you let them (and some can figure out ways to do it even without your own involvement). And other people will be great support systems and you will be mutually beneficial to each other. You can't be a jaded asshole trusting no one, but you can't trust everyone all of the time. You have to be smart.

Prepare by learning to look at people's motives. It helps you pick out those who want to use you for gain only or will agree to a mutually beneficial action or those who genuinely want to help. Understanding what drives people and how they are making their decisions is a great way to stay alert, perceptive, and open. Some of the best leaders were very adept at interpreting other people and their actions, and the world of business is often just the monetary exploitation of interpreting people and their actions. There's more personality and psychology in business than you would think.

It's smart to be aware of people. There are those that will be magnificent at "game of thrones" style bullshit. You won't detect their deception, their gossip taking you down won't get back to you, and they will fuck with you. These people are rare, but they are everywhere. They will be kind, do you favors, and make it seem like they are a great person to be in league with, but it's all about their gain, setting you up, learning more about you, and waiting for their opportunity. Littlefinger's can fuck up your shit. If you stand out as a star, have a limited resource, or try to act like these power-hungry individuals, then you could get targeted. So be careful. And be proactive, because you can't just keep your head down and expect everything to go okay if one person is spreading gossip and the other one is undermining you to faculty/bosses. You have to be engaged and networked to hear about or see this shit going down.

But those people are rare, so don't look at everyone as a horrible asshole.

You are that same user! I remember the unique IDs lol

Based user - you understand my struggles. Being surrounded by morons in a pseudo-competitive environment.

You implied you didn't know.
Just because college is a joke, doesn't mean it isn't competitive.

continued

I always respect people that make clear boundaries around themselves. They don't allow themselves to get taken advantage of, they have healthy self-respect, and are not afraid to stand up for themselves respectfully. They will gladly help you if they can, but they're not going to bend over backwards and jump at your feet waiting for the opportunity. They are trustworthy and clear in what they expect, clear in what they will allow, and clear on what they will do for you. And I mention respect because you want to be a respectable person, and that is better ammo than backstabbing bullshit. If you whine, cry, piss, stoop to anyone's level, wallow in gossip, drag people down, refuse to help others all the time, refuse to allow others to help you all the time, or just act like a fucking twat, then you're not going to get respect, and you're going to get bogged down in "game of thrones" style backstabbing bullshit. Be above it. Respect yourself. Be willing to help others when you can. Be willing to say when you can't (directly, respectfully). Don't burn bridges. Be willing to receive help from others -- It's not weakness. If you're letting someone who genuinely wants to help (remember when I said it's important to understand other people's motives? make sure you understand their motives) help you, then they will feel good about your interaction and themselves, and have positive feelings associated with you. Don't be an island. Communicate, interact, network, and do all that shit, but always remember, be respectable. And I think that respectable core is what helps you avoid that game of thrones style shit, or if you do get drug into it, then it helps you come out the other side unscathed or at least not as damaged. You have to be open to others. There's no other way to get things done that is mutually beneficial to everyone and the business, but you base everything on that respectability (not authority, not weakness, not power, and not games).

>Curious of this statement, download book
>Read summary of all 48 laws

Eh, you've got a point. Don't wanna come across as being a heartless monster to strangers.

Strongly recommend Robert Greene.

I would also read The Prince and the famous How to win friends and influence people.

Quite the opposite. All of those I know that went to big schools found it to be highly collaborative and cooperative. You make lasting friendships and really have each others' backs.

>The Prince and the famous How to win friends and influence people.

Shit recommendations. Only ever read the Prince if you're reading it side-by-side with Frederick the Great & Voltaire's chapter by chapter Anti-Machiavel, which is more useful to anyone who intends to run a company or large team.

Carnegie is a hack, book is designed to move copies first and foremost, the gains are made only from false confidence it invests in the reader (though its falsehood doesn't negate its effectiveness) and reminders for empathy - those gains are countered by the rest of its toxic suggestions that you have you viewing people as simplistic narcissistis. You'll only find it works on the lowest of the low: the same ignorant, entitled, uncultured, unself-aware proletariats that buy into that industry of airport self-help.

Other recommendations are military strategy: Sun Tzu's Art of War and Clausewitz' Art of War are king. John Keegan's Face of Battle & Mask of Command are more fun, lighter (but not pop trash) reads.

Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs are great too, as well as a Shell CEO's The Living Company, the economic history of Bernstein, the mgmt theory of Drucker, etc.

Don't limit your reading to the obvious. All successful men have been voracious readers.

i went to NYU stern...not a top business but still good

no problems with people, just be nice and work to get those internships pretty much...but i'm also a fairly large muscular guy that people sometimes find intimidating.

>Frederick the Great & Voltaire's chapter by chapter Anti-Machiavel
chapter by chapter refutation*

Also these:
You're there to network, not for lectures, retard. That does include networking with your professors.

>those gains are countered by the rest of its toxic suggestions that you have you viewing people as simplistic narcissistis. You'll only find it works on the lowest of the low: the same ignorant, entitled, uncultured, unself-aware proletariats that buy into that industry of airport self-help.

Welcome to the world, where people like you if you're nice to them and tell them their pretty.

Definitely recommend Art of War.

Never heard of The Living Company..already ordered it through Amazon.

>Clausewitz' Art of War
On War* fuck.

> base everything on that respectability (not authority, not weakness, not power, and not games).
Agreed. Respectfulness is tantamount. You'll only win respect through trustworthiness, integrity and resoluteness with your ideals.

The only caveat is power. Power is king, it rules everything. The only reason respect has a place is because it's power mediated through game theoretical socialization. It's more efficient by being a trustful and trustable actor than not, if it wasn't.

>Welcome to the world, where people like you if you're nice to them and tell them their pretty.
The question is, which stratum of people? Most intelligent individuals see right through it, and, depending on your context, you probably don't have much to gain from the support of idiots - and a lot to lose by visibly treating people as such. What do you think you'll think when you see some dolt trying to apply Carnegie on you?

the seduction book is okay to let girls know about cause it actually turns them on

but yeah greene is a good author

Most people see right through it if you're a kiss ass that's for sure. But if they see you're a genuine nice person to everyone and always have a smile on your face?
What's not to like.

It's hard not to bring your guard on people who genuinely have great personalities.

I think you're falsely linking being a nice person to being stupid bimbo.

People are emotional creatures and make terrible choices. In the end of the day, people are willing to break a great deal with someone because "they didn't feel good about making a deal with them"

*bring your guard down

That's just basic etiquette. You'd be better off reading that old pdf 'The Well-Cultured Anonymous', it has all the same advice without the toxic anti-advice. The problem is the attitude in which it has you seeing people, it's far more dangerous than the cliche Machiavelli psychopath because they're at least self-aware, Carnegie encourages dulling self-criticality in favor of its artificial method with a negative outlook.

>People are emotional creatures and make terrible choices. In the end of the day, people are willing to break a great deal with someone because "they didn't feel good about making a deal with them"
And this isn't the same thing. That's following your gut instinct, there's nothing irrational about it. It's simply unconscious heuristics.

What Carnegie suggests is that simply by cultivating a certain artificial exterior, people will like you and agree with you - though this is true to a certain extent, if you actually want to look into it, ditch his psuedo-science in favor of textbooks on body language. That's not how things work in the business world. You put on a smile and act polite, make friendly gestures, etc. in all situations, even if it's very clear that you're total rivals. That's just the base standard. People aren't privy to this shit.

At best you'll be able to net a potential-less, self-obsesed kid or two in your class, but again, I doubt they'd offer you much in return.

Frankly, a much better suggestion is too ditch the bs and just work on being a genuine, sincere, good person. Be optimistic and empathetic, be unobtrusive and unintrusive. People will like you, not just because you're 'pleasant' to be around like a good housewife, but because that agreeability is grounded in respect.

This gave me wood. Will you go out to eat with me?