everything is fxcked
by mark manson
self help
copyright 2019
read in june 2019
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
i've read just less than a third of this book. already, i'm prepared to pass judgment. if i read on and have more to say, i'll update this post.
trouble is, i tend to not finish non-fiction. if i fail to finish fiction it's because it's bad fiction. non-fiction, i just read a bit, get the drift, skim forward looking for key points. this is a good book for skimming.
chapters so far have started with examples of misery and suffering, samples of things which are "fxcked". at a world level -- chapter one -- then at a personal level. there's a lot of, this happens therefore you feel rotten. if you recognise the cause-and-effect then this may be a good book for your self help. i keep thinking, no, that's silly, are people really that negative?! though a lot does make me think, yes, i can see that.
having explained why we are so fxcked, the author... well, i was going to say, the author tells us how to feel more positive. after all, the subtitle is, a book about hope. but no, so far there is understanding but no hope. i'm happy to believe that hope comes in later chapters.
so if this is a self help book, why is it any better than any other? why is it a best seller? i would guess that it's the good use of analogies -- explanations are simple and clear. plus the author's language and writing style.
the explanations are solid analogy. the "consciousness car" being driven by the "feeling brain" and the "thinking brain", that's a central analogy. quite clever, really, and quite clear.
the writing style is chatty and full of swearing. that is the author's schtick, his way of standing out from the crowd.
there's an australian movie about a man who runs a portable toilet business. the movie is rather embarrassing. whenever the main character mentions toilet waste or toilet use -- we laugh. because ha ha he can't say that in a movie ha ha. at least i believe that that was the source of the movie being classed as a comedy, there were no other jokes.
this book is like that movie. we have to think that the book is clever -- or admit that we are too narrow-minded to accept swearing in a self-help book.
apart from that... the analysis is quite good and very interesting. not as universal as the author claims but still valid. worth reading.
if later chapters do lead to "hope" then i expect more of the same: chatty, rude, good analysis, not universally true. not that much is ever universally true. i expect good suggestions, easy to read, may be helpful. no better than other self-help books but very easy to read.
if i change my mind, i'll update this post... if there is really good self help, i may upgrade my rating.
don't give up at question one, that's just the author's schtick, the post is very much a style-sample of the book. easy to read, clear, rude, with good advice. if you like it, you will like the book.
==== Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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"Be excellent to each other" … Bill & Ted
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dying for you to read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au :-)
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