The Art of Seduction (22 page)

comes from, but it can be felt by everyone; it radiates outward, without the
extraordinary quality of a
appearance of conscious effort. The face of the Charismatic is usually ani-
person, regardless of
mated, full of energy, desire, alertness—the look of a lover, one that is in-
whether this quality is
actual, alleged or

stantly appealing, even vaguely sexual. We happily follow Charismatics
presumed. "Charismatic
because we like to be led, particularly by people who promise adventure or
authority," hence, shall
prosperity. We lose ourselves in their cause, become emotionally attached
refer to a rule over men,
to them, feel more alive by believing in them—we fall in love. Charisma
whether predominately
ex tern al or p redominately

plays on repressed sexuality, creates an erotic charge. Yet the origins of the
internal, to which the
word lie not in sexuality but in religion, and religion remains deeply em-
governed submit because of
bedded in modern charisma.

their belief in the

extraordinary quality of the

Thousands of years ago, people believed in gods and spirits, but few
specific person.
could ever say that they had witnessed a miracle, a physical demonstration —MAX WEBER, FROM
MAX

of divine power. A man, however, who seemed possessed by a divine
WEBER: ESSAYS IN SOCIOLOGY,
spirit—speaking in tongues, ecstatic raptures, the expression of intense EDITED BY HANS GERTH AND

C . W R I G H T M I L L S

visions—would stand out as one whom the gods had singled out. And this man, a priest or a prophet, gained great power over others. What made the Hebrews believe in Moses, follow him out of Egypt, and remain loyal to him despite their endless wandering in the desert? The look in his eye, his inspired and inspiring words, the face that literally glowed when he came down from Mount Sinai—all these things gave him the appearance of having direct communication with God, and were the source of his authority. And these were what was meant by "charisma," a Greek word referring to prophets and to Christ himself. In early Christianity, charisma was a gift or talent vouchsafed by God's grace and revealing His presence. Most of the great religions were founded by a Charismatic, a person who physically displayed the signs of God's favor. Over the years, the world became more rational. Eventually people

came to hold power not by divine right but because they won votes, or proved their competence. The great early-twentieth-century German soci
97

98
•
The Art of Seduction

And the Lord said to
ologist Max Weber, however, noticed that despite our supposed progress,
Moses, "Write these
there were more Charismatics than ever. What characterized a modern
words; in accordance with
Charismatic, according to Weber, was the appearance of an extraordinary
these words I have made a

covenant with you and

quality in their character, the equivalent of a sign of God's favor. How else
with Israel." And he was
to explain the power of a Robespierre or a Lenin? More than anything it
there with the Lord forty
was the force of their magnetic personalities that made these men stand out
days and forty nights; he
and was the source of their power. They did not speak of God but of a
neither ate bread nor drank

water. And he wrote upon
great cause, visions of a future society. Their appeal was emotional; they
the tables the words of the
seemed possessed. And their audiences reacted as euphorically as earlier au
covenant, the ten
diences had to a prophet. When Lenin died, in 1924, a cult formed around
commandments. When

Moses came down from
his memory, transforming the communist leader into a deity.
Mount Sinai, with the two

Today, anyone who has presence, who attracts attention when he or she
tables of the testimony in
enters a room, is said to possess charisma. But even these less-exalted types
his hand as he came down

from the mountain, Moses
reveal a trace of the quality suggested by the word's original meaning.
did not know that the skin
Their charisma is mysterious and inexplicable, never obvious. They have an
of his face shone because he
unusual confidence. They have a gift—often a smoothness with language—

had been talking with

God. And when Aaron
that makes them stand out from the crowd. They express a vision. We may
and all the people of Israel
not realize it, but in their presence we have a kind of religious experience:
saw Moses, behold, the
we believe in these people, without having any rational evidence for doing
skin of his face shone, and
so. When trying to concoct an effect of charisma, never forget the religious
they were afraid to come

near him. But Moses
source of its power. You must radiate an inward quality that has a saintly or
called to them; and Aaron
spiritual edge to it. Your eyes must glow with the fire of a prophet. Your
and all the leaders of the
charisma must seem natural, as if it came from something mysteriously be
congregation returned to
him, and Moses talked
yond your control, a gift of the gods. In our rational, disenchanted world,
with them. And afterward
people crave a religious experience, particularly on a group level. Any sign
all the people of Israel came
of charisma plays to this desire to believe in something. And there is noth
near, and he gave them in
commandment all that the
ing more seductive than giving people something to believe in and follow.
Lord had spoken with him

Charisma must seem mystical, but that does not mean you cannot learn
in Mount Sinai. And

certain tricks that will enhance the charisma you already possess, or will
when Moses had finished

speaking with them, he put
give you the outward appearance of it. The following are basic qualities
a veil on his face; but
that will help create the illusion of charisma:
whenever Moses went in

before the Lord to speak

with him, he took the veil

off, until he came out; and

Purpose.
If people believe you have a plan, that you know where you are
when he came out, and
going, they will follow you instinctively. The direction does not matter:
told the people of Israel
pick a cause, an ideal, a vision and show that you will not sway from your
what he was commanded,

the people of Israel saw the
goal. People will imagine that your confidence comes from something
face of Moses, that the skin
real—just as the ancient Hebrews believed Moses was in communion with
of Moses's face shone; and

God, simply because he showed the outward signs.

Moses would put the veil

upon his face again, until

Purposefulness is doubly charismatic in times of trouble. Since most
he went in to speak
people hesitate before taking bold action (even when action is what is re
with him.
quired), single-minded self-assurance will make you the focus of attention.

— E X O D U S 34:27 O L D

People will believe in you through the simple force of your character. When

Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to power amidst the Depression, much of the public had little faith he could turn things around. But in his first few months in office he displayed such confidence, such decisiveness and clarity
The Charismatic
•
99

in dealing with the country's many problems, that the public began to see
That devil of a man

him as their savior, someone with intense charisma.

exercises a fascination on

me that I cannot explain

even to myself, and in such

a degree that, though I fear

Mystery.
Mystery lies at charisma's heart, but it is a particular kind of
neither God nor devil,
mystery—a mystery expressed by contradiction. The Charismatic may be
when I am in his presence
I am ready to tremble like

both proletarian and aristocratic (Mao Zedong), both cruel and kind (Peter
a child, and he could make
the Great), both excitable and icily detached (Charles de Gaulle), both inti-
me go through the eye of a
mate and distant (Sigmund Freud). Since most people are predictable, the
needle to throw myself into
the fire.

effect of these contradictions is devastatingly charismatic. They make you

—GENERAL VANDAMME, ON

hard to fathom, add richness to your character, make people talk about you. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

It is often better to reveal your contradictions slowly and subtly—if you throw them out one on top of the other, people may think you have an erratic personality. Show your mysteriousness gradually and word will spread. [
The masses
]
have never
You must also keep people at arm's length, to keep them from figuring
thirsted after truth. They
you out.

demand illusions, and

Another aspect of mystery is a hint of the uncanny. The appearance of
cannot do without them.
They constantly give what

prophetic or psychic gifts will add to your aura. Predict things authorita-
is unreal precedence over
tively and people will often imagine that what you have said has come true.
what is real; they are
almost as strongly

influenced by what is

untrue as by what is true.

Saintliness.
Most of us must compromise constantly to survive; saints do
They have an evident

not. They must live out their ideals without caring about the consequences.
tendency not to distinguish
between the two.

The saintly effect bestows charisma.

Saintliness goes far beyond religion: politicians as disparate as George —SIGMUND FREUD,
THE

STANDARD EDITION OFTHE

Washington and Lenin won saintly reputations by living simply, despite
COMPLETE PSYCHOLOGICAL

their power—by matching their political values to their personal lives. Both
WORKS OF SIGMUND FREUD,

men were virtually deified after they died. Albert Einstein too had a saintly aura—childlike, unwilling to compromise, lost in his own world. The key is that you must already have some deeply held values; that part cannot be faked, at least not without risking accusations of charlatanry that will destroy your charisma in the long run. The next step is to show, as simply and subtly as possible, that you live what you believe. Finally, the appearance of being mild and unassuming can eventually turn into charisma, as long as you seem completely comfortable with it. The source of Harry Truman's charisma, and even of Abraham Lincoln's, was to appear to be an Everyman.
Eloquence.
A Charismatic relies on the power of words. The reason is simple: words are the quickest way to create emotional disturbance. They can uplift, elevate, stir anger, without referring to anything real. During the Spanish Civil War, Dolores Gómez Ibarruri, known as La Pasionaria, gave pro-Communist speeches that were so emotionally powerful as to determine several key moments in the war. To bring off this kind of eloquence, it helps if the speaker is as emotional, as caught up in words, as the audience is. Yet eloquence can be learned: the devices La Pasionaria used—

100
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The Art of Seduction

catchwords, slogans, rhythmic repetitions, phrases for the audience to repeat—can easily be acquired. Roosevelt, a calm, patrician type, was able to make himself a dynamic speaker, both through his style of delivery, which was slow and hypnotic, and through his brilliant use of imagery, alliteration, and biblical rhetoric. The crowds at his rallies were often moved to tears. The slow, authoritative style is often more effective than passion in the long run, for it is more subtly spellbinding, and less tiring.

Theatricality.
A Charismatic is larger than life, has extra presence. Actors have studied this kind of presence for centuries; they know how to stand on a crowded stage and command attention. Surprisingly, it is not the actor who screams the loudest or gestures the most wildly who works this magic best, but the actor who stays calm, radiating self-assurance. The effect is ruined by trying too hard. It is essential to be self-aware, to have the ability to see yourself as others see you. De Gaulle understood that self-awareness was key to his charisma; in the most turbulent circumstances—the Nazi occupation of France, the national reconstruction after World War II, an army rebellion in Algeria—he retained an Olympian composure that played beautifully against the hysteria of his colleagues. When he spoke, no one could take their eyes off him. Once you know how to command attention this way, heighten the effect by appearing in ceremonial and ritual events that are full of exciting imagery, making you look regal and godlike. Flamboyancy has nothing to do with charisma—it attracts the wrong kind of attention.

Uninhibitedness.
Most people are repressed, and have little access to their unconscious—a problem that creates opportunities for the Charismatic, who can become a kind of screen on which others project their secret fantasies and longings. You will first have to show that you are less inhibited than your audience—that you radiate a dangerous sexuality, have no fear of death, are delightfully spontaneous. Even a hint of these qualities will make people think you more powerful than you are. In the 1850s a bohemian American actress, Adah Isaacs Menken, took the world by storm through her unbridled sexual energy, and her fearlessness. She would appear on stage half-naked, performing death-defying acts; few women could dare such things in the Victorian period, and a rather mediocre actress became a figure of cultlike adoration.

An extension of your being uninhibited is a dreamlike quality in your work and character that reveals your openness to your unconscious. It was the possession of this quality that transformed artists like Wagner and Picasso into charismatic idols. Its cousin is a fluidity of body and spirit; while the repressed are rigid, Charismatics have an ease and an adaptability that show their openness to experience.

The Charismatic • 101

Fervency.
You need to believe in something, and to believe in it strongly enough for it to animate all your gestures and make your eyes light up. This cannot be faked. Politicians inevitably lie to the public; what distinguishes Charismatics is that they believe their own lies, which makes them that much more believable. A prerequisite for fiery belief is some great cause to rally around—a crusade. Become the rallying point for people's discontent, and show that you share none of the doubts that plague normal humans. In 1490, the Florentine Girolamo Savonarola railed at the immorality of the pope and the Catholic Church. Claiming to be divinely inspired, he became so animated during his sermons that hysteria would sweep the crowd. Savonarola developed such a following that he briefly took over the city, until the pope had him captured and burned at the stake. People believed in him because of the depth of his conviction. His example has more relevance today than ever: people are more and more isolated, and long for communal experience. Let your own fervent and contagious faith, in virtually anything, give them something to believe in.
Vulnerability.
Charismatics display a need for love and affection. They are open to their audience, and in fact feed off its energy; the audience in turn is electrified by the Charismatic, the current increasing as it passes back and forth. This vulnerable side to charisma softens the self-confident side, which can seem fanatical and frightening.

Since charisma involves feelings akin to love, you in turn must reveal your love for your followers. This was a key component to the charisma that Marilyn Monroe radiated on camera. "I knew I belonged to the Public," she wrote in her diary, "and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else. The Public was the only family, the only Prince Charming and the only home I had ever dreamed of." In front of a camera, Monroe suddenly came to life, flirting with and exciting her unseen public. If the audience does not sense this quality in you they will turn away from you. On the other hand, you must never seem manipulative or needy. Imagine your public as a single person whom you are trying to seduce—nothing is more seductive to people than the feeling that they are desired.

Adventurousness.
Charismatics are unconventional. They have an air of adventure and risk that attracts the bored. Be brazen and courageous in your actions—be seen taking risks for the good of others. Napoleon made sure his soldiers saw him at the cannons in battle. Lenin walked openly on the streets, despite the death threats he had received. Charismatics thrive in troubled waters; a crisis situation allows them to flaunt their daring, which enhances their aura. John F. Kennedy came to life in dealing with the Cuban missile crisis, Charles de Gaulle when he confronted rebellion in
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The Art of Seduction

In such conditions, where
Algeria. They needed these problems to seem charismatic, and in fact some
half the battle was hand-

have even accused them of stirring up situations (Kennedy through his
to-hand, concentrated into
brinkmanship style of diplomacy, for instance) that played to their love of
a small space, the spirit

and example of the leader
adventure. Show heroism to give yourself a charisma that will last you a
counted for much. When
lifetime. Conversely, the slightest sign of cowardice or timidity will ruin
we remember this, it
whatever charisma you had.

becomes easier to

understand the astonishing

efect of Joan's presence

upon the French troops.

Magnetism.
If any physical attribute is crucial in seduction, it is the eyes.
Her position as a leader
They reveal excitement, tension, detachment, without a word being spo
was a unique one. She was
not a professional soldier;
ken. Indirect communication is critical in seduction, and also in charisma.
she was not really a soldier
The demeanor of Charismatics may be poised and calm, but their eyes are
at all; she was not even a

magnetic; they have a piercing gaze that disturbs their targets' emotions,
man. She was ignorant of

war. She was a girl dressed

exerting force without words or action. Fidel Castro's aggressive gaze can
up. But she believed, and

reduce his opponents to silence. When Benito Mussolini was challenged,
had made others willing to
he would roll his eyes, showing the whites in a way that frightened people.
believe, that she was the

mouthpiece of God.
•
On

President Kusnasosro Sukarno of Indonesia had a gaze that seemed as if it
Friday, April 29th, 1429,

could have read thoughts. Roosevelt could dilate his pupils at will, making
the news spread in Orléans
his stare both hypnotizing and intimidating. The eyes of the Charismatic
that a force, led by the
never show fear or nerves.

Pucelle of Domrémy, was

on its way to the relief of

All of these skills are acquirable. Napoleon spent hours in front of a
the city, a piece of news
mirror, modeling his gaze on that of the great contemporary actor Talma.
which, as the chronicler
The key is self-control. The look does not necessarily have to be aggressive;
remarks, comforted them

greatly.

it can also show contentment. Remember: your eyes can emanate charisma,

— V I T A SACKVILLE-WEST,

but they can also give you away as a faker. Do not leave such an important
SAINT JOAN OF ARC

attribute to chance. Practice the effect you desire.

Genuine charisma thus means the ability to internally gen-

erate and externally express extreme excitement, an ability

which makes one the object of intense attention and unre-

flective imitation by others.

— L I A H GREENFIELD

Charismatic Types—Historical Examples

The miraculous prophet.
In the year 1425, Joan of Arc, a peasant girl from the French village of Domrémy, had her first vision: "I was in my thirteenth year when God sent a voice to guide me." The voice was that of Saint Michael and he came with a message from God: Joan had been chosen to rid France of the English invaders who now ruled most of the country, and of the resulting chaos and war. She was also to restore the French crown to the prince—the Dauphin, later Charles VII—who was its rightful heir. Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret also spoke to Joan. Her visions were extraordinarily vivid: she saw Saint Michael, touched him, smelled him.

The Charismatic • 103

At first Joan told no one what she had seen; for all anyone knew, she
Amongst the surplus
was a quiet farm girl. But the visions became even more intense, and so in
population living on the
margin of society
[
in the

1429 she left Domrémy, determined to realize the mission for which God
Middle Ages
]
there was
had chosen her. Her goal was to meet Charles in the town of Chinon,
always a strong tendency to
where he had established his court in exile. The obstacles were enor-
take as leader a layman, or
mous: Chinon was far, the journey was dangerous, and Charles, even if she
maybe an apostate friar or
monk, who imposed

reached him, was a lazy and cowardly young man who was unlikely to cru-
himself not simply as a
sade against the English. Undaunted, she moved from village to village, ex-
holy man but as a prophet
plaining her mission to soldiers and asking them to escort her to Chinon.
or even as a living god. On
the strength of inspirations

Young girls with religious visions were a dime a dozen at the time, and
or revelations for which he
there was nothing in Joan's appearance to inspire confidence; one soldier,
claimed divine origin this
however, Jean de Metz, was intrigued with her. What fascinated him was
leader would decree for his
followers a communal

the detail of her visions: she would liberate the besieged town of Orléans,
mission of vast dimensions
have the king crowned at the cathedral in Reims, lead the army to Paris;
and world-shaking
she knew how she would be wounded, and where; the words she attributed
importance. The conviction

of having such a mission,

to Saint Michael were quite unlike the language of a farm girl; and she was
of being divinely appointed
so calmly confident, she glowed with conviction. De Metz fell under her
to carry out a prodigious
spell. He swore allegiance and set out with her for Chinon. Soon others of-
task, provided the
fered assistance, too, and word reached Charles of the strange young girl on
disoriented and the
frustrated with new

her way to meet him.

bearings and new hope. It

On the 350-mile road to Chinon, accompanied only by a handful of
gave them not simply a
soldiers, through a land infested with warring bands, Joan showed neither
place in the world but a
unique and resplendent

fear nor hesitation. The journey took several months. When she finally ar-
place. A fraternity of this
rived, the Dauphin decided to meet the girl who had promised to restore
kind felt itself an elite, set
him to his throne, despite the advice of his counselors; but he was bored,
infinitely apart from and
above ordinary mortals,

and wanted amusement, and decided to play a trick on her. She was to
sharing also in his
meet him in a hall packed with courtiers; to test her prophetic powers, he
miraculous powers.
disguised himself as one of these men, and dressed another man as the —NORMAN COHN, prince. Yet when Joan arrived, to the amazement of the crowd, she walked
THE PURSUIT OF THE