[tortasaur]

IMO it's really obvious when someone's applying the strategies in that book without addressing their underlying behavior. One of my bosses had the dark triad traits, and it was painfully obvious that he was following the book's advice to the letter. Referring to people by name often and the like doesn't mask narcissistic behavior, it just makes a narcissist appear dishonest.

[pjmorris]

I grew less distrustful of the book when I read in it that, in the author's view, the key ingredient to its advice was sincerity. Carnegie even makes the point that the advice is useful whether or not you are sincere, and calls out its danger.

[randomsearch]

Put another way: people are extremely good at detecting inauthenticity.