The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

This book was great. In a similar vein to Atomic Habits and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , this book pleasantly surprised me by drawing upon quite a few philosophical notions, particularly that of stoicism philosophy and elements of Buddhism. Moreover, I was very pleased to see this book similarly critique other ‘easy recipe’ self-help books, instead prioritising unrooting and fixing problems by establishing long-term and firm-foundation practices through consistent disciplined habits, self-reflection, and a well-established system of values.

The desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is itself a positive experience.

Manson’s writing style is punchy and direct, and while I can understand that some people may find this slightly abrasive, I felt it was rather refreshing in comparison to many of the ‘with the right mindset, you can achieve all of your dreams xoxo’ fluff (and personally found some of the quips to actually be genuinely funny, shockingly). There’s not a lot of beating around the bush, the concepts are clear, well-articulated, and logically sound.

This is the most simple and basic component of life: our struggles determine our successes.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Would I Recommend? Yes