Where I Lost Confidence In the Author

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I feel like he offers a couple of good ideas, a couple good ways to approach some things, and I appreciate those helps.

But overall--this is pretty much just the thoughts of a guy with no particular expertise and no deep insight. I was buying it all at first, and then he delivers some clunkers and some right-wing cliches and... nope. Just a dude talking out his ass. Mostly.

I finished the book, though, and I thought he succeeded in making some good points. I also rather liked the conversational tone and only kinda-ironic use of a rough, curse-filled colloquial register. It makes the discussion feel more real. And I agree with the main thesis that I--we--everyone--should care more about what matters and leads to happiness and less about dumb stuff in order to have a happier, healthier life. (Not new--Ecclesiastes covered all this pretty well a few thousand years ago.) I just wish he'd had more practical advice on *how* to change your brain. Maybe it's in there; I didn't find it.

So--not as deep as I hoped. Not as helpful. YMMV.

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