Mark
Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a
F*ck is a not-so-subtle book that tugs at those of us who have suffered
some form of first world crisis. We all know what we're talking about here: career,
marriage, money, and whether to go out or just binge on Netflix all weekend.
Manson argues that most of these issues can be a drain on our energy and our time. Instead, we should spend time worrying about things that really matter and just
let the rest of it the (expletive) go.
If
it sounds like your typical self-help talking point, it is. However, the
majority of the book provides wit, sarcasm, clever metaphors, and thought which deliver the typical self-help points in a relatively different,
outside-the-box, package. It’s not a positive package though and it’s not fluffy, nor
is it intended to be. Manson ropes in his personal experiences to shape the
narrative that life isn’t always fair, nor is it intended to be, but we
ultimately are responsible for our happiness in life regardless of whatever
cards we're dealt.
Manson
can come across as crass to those who aren’t accustomed to seeing f bombs
delivered in regular doses in a book. He can also blend that harsh reality in a
bow of typical self helpdom that may cause an eye roll or two. However, the book does teach some valuable concepts in a 21st Century way that will help
those of us going through those inevitable malaises of life to realize that
more often than not, life really isn’t that bad.
