Ira Glass

And then he lists all the stuff that he and his trained researcher read to figure out how the great leaders of all ages had dealt with people. He says, I recall that we read over 100 biographies of Theodore Roosevelt alone. We were determined to spare no time, no expense, to discover every practical idea that anyone had ever used throughout the ages for winning friends and influencing people.

Anyway, on page 61 of the edition that I have, Dale Carnegie tells one of the many, many stories he uses to illustrate the very main idea that underlies the whole book. He says, Personally, I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn't think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted.

Anyway, on page 61 of the edition that I have, Dale Carnegie tells one of the many, many stories he uses to illustrate the very main idea that underlies the whole book. He says, Personally, I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn't think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted.

I didn't bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or a grasshopper in front of the fish and said, wouldn't you like to have that? Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people? To win friends and influence people, Dale Carnegie says over and over in the book, think about what they want. People, he says, are only interested in themselves.

I didn't bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or a grasshopper in front of the fish and said, wouldn't you like to have that? Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people? To win friends and influence people, Dale Carnegie says over and over in the book, think about what they want. People, he says, are only interested in themselves.

And if you can get yourself to the point where you are genuinely interested in them and what they like and what they want, then they will like you and they will do your bidding. Okay, so imagine you are 11 years old and your dad notices that you don't bring many friends around the house and he takes you aside and he gives you a copy of this actual book This happened.

And if you can get yourself to the point where you are genuinely interested in them and what they like and what they want, then they will like you and they will do your bidding. Okay, so imagine you are 11 years old and your dad notices that you don't bring many friends around the house and he takes you aside and he gives you a copy of this actual book This happened.

This happened to Paul Feig growing up in suburban Michigan.

This happened to Paul Feig growing up in suburban Michigan.

Now, in fact, in school, Paul had plenty of friends. He was kind of a class cut-up. And his way of winning friends was the same as other kids. He talked about what they saw on TV. And he tried to be funny. It was just around the house that he was quiet and withdrawn. But he figured, you know, he wanted to be more popular. He wanted more friends.

Now, in fact, in school, Paul had plenty of friends. He was kind of a class cut-up. And his way of winning friends was the same as other kids. He talked about what they saw on TV. And he tried to be funny. It was just around the house that he was quiet and withdrawn. But he figured, you know, he wanted to be more popular. He wanted more friends.

So he decided to try out some of the techniques in the book.

So he decided to try out some of the techniques in the book.

Yeah, I was wondering about that one in particular, if as an 11-year-old you tried to employ that one.

Yeah, I was wondering about that one in particular, if as an 11-year-old you tried to employ that one.

Paul used techniques from the book to try to talk to girls, asking them about themselves, what their dads did for a living. Just, you know, showing an interest in them, as the book suggests. And it kind of freaked them out. Because, you know, kids do not talk like that.

Paul used techniques from the book to try to talk to girls, asking them about themselves, what their dads did for a living. Just, you know, showing an interest in them, as the book suggests. And it kind of freaked them out. Because, you know, kids do not talk like that.

More proof to take to your dad.

More proof to take to your dad.

So when Paul's teacher decided to do this exercise where they elected a class president, he ran. And he won. And his father was very, very pleased. The book was working. There was just one problem.