Introduction

This introduction covers some key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is about how Jesus interacted with other people. It examines the career of T. E. Lawrence, who became famous as Lawrence of Arabia. The book asks whether women have a different path to charisma than men. It examines Marilyn Monroe’s career through the lens of her different networks. She comes from the working class but happens to be good-looking and grows up on the periphery of the Hollywood studios. The book sums up the different dimensions of charisma: frontstage charisma; backstage charisma; and success-magic charisma. It also examines how non-charismatic persons become charismatic. “Charismatic” is used for religious cult leaders, populist politicians, entertainers, sports stars, even just people who dress stylishly or over-the-top. In the business world, since the success of Steve Jobs with Apple, there has been a deliberate effort to make every CEO charismatic, in staged product launches and media-broadcast appearances.