The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Ill save you 5 hours 17 minutes....

Basically, apply the mantra "I don't give a f##k" to things that don't matter.

Essentially, be responsible, but take chances when opportunity presents itself...

Question: "Should I apply for this higher position even though I feel I'm not qualified?"
Answer: "F##k it. I'm applying. "

The result is you either get the job, or you don't get it. If you get the job, you would have never gotten it if you hadn't said f##k it. If you don't get the job, that's also okay as you are still alive and there will be plenty of opportunities for you as long as you at least recognize them, so F##k It !

That's pretty much it.

132 people found this helpful

EXTREMELY bizarre ending. Spoiler alert

The book starts off great in some banter and stories, the word 'fuck' is thrown around making Mark Manson ultra relatable. The middle is the usual content of self reflection/ self help. -You are part of your problem. It's a refreshing reminder to reevaluate your own thoughts.
SPOILER ALERT
The last chapter is a confusing near suicide attempt? The book ends with him speaking of how he inched closer and closer the the edge of a cliff and sat on the edge asking himself "if this is really it, if this is all there is?"
His senses and body take over ultimately grounding him back in reality and leaves him feeling "alive" and hopeful. Not my idea of how to end a self help book. I understand the last words are hopeful but the last 10 minutes literally put you on the edge of cliff "taking microsteps" inching closer until your legs are dangling over the edge.... rather an inappropriate ending for people that had just invested hours and dollars into self help. I really liked the book up until the last chapter. The last chapter has completely distracted me from the over all message. I dont think I'd recommend although there were several spots I bookmarked and made notes. Wont be buying his other book.

89 people found this helpful

Its really directed at frustrated young men.

This book is very much directed at and written for angry/frustrated young males and that type of that demographic. It's deliberately not clear in the title or outer cover. So its a waste of money for the rest of us because its clearly written with the kinds of narrative and concepts that would be important to mostly young men or men who "want to feel young". Buddist concepts as well as thoughts on prioritizing or eliminating feelings, things, goals and people unless they truly matter are repeated over and over, The book has some concepts that were good in that they encourage emotional balance in cases where an individual may be overloading themselves. However, it seems like he's encouraging the reader to constrict in social/emotional growth and relationship maturity in many important ways by radical avoidance as oppose to thoughtful selection. I find the advise therein limited in a long term and practical use even for the selected demographic. So, it seems shallow and very casual in terms of encouraging truly life altering change.

30 people found this helpful

A book for 20-somethings, but not me

I think The Subtle Art... might have had more impact upon me if I was 20-something instead of 59-years-old. The language isn't really an issue (it just becomes another word that doesn't even seem to have much meaning); it's more that Manson is repetitive and doesn't offer anything original that most people haven't learned for themselves in a few decades of experience. For me, the same ideas are expressed much more elegantly, cogently, and thoroughly in The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman.

3,542 people found this helpful

The author doesn't give a 'F*ck' about your time

I think their is some merit to the ideas of Mark Manson, but they do not give enough content for a whole book, which was rather a waste of time. The first parts of the book were interesting, but later on it was just dragging on and on with no real content. Most of the writing is " I think" rather than "I know" - there are rarely examples or evidence. It's like a living-room chat with a friend.
You could probably sum this book up in a 20 min TED talk without losing anything that matters...

1,499 people found this helpful

Not what I expected

Thought I was going to get something that would inspire me. Did not at all.

7 people found this helpful

Could have been a good book

While reading the title I was quite appealed by this book, unfortunately its substance did not follow up.
The introduction is really good and very eyes-opening which got me very hyped. However, after barely one hour read I gave up due to the flood of (very long) anecdotes which has totally drown my interest.
For a counter-intuitive approach, the book is processing in the most standard (if not over-utilized) way like any self-help book out there.
If you have plenty of time listening to over-detailed stories then it might be your book. On the other hand, if you are more pragmatic and a "straight-to-the-point" reader like me it will require much more courage to focus and find pleasure in your reading/listening.

7 people found this helpful

AKA common sense, and buddhism reframed

Is there anything you would change about this book?

No

Would you recommend The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck to your friends? Why or why not?

Not really, most are smarter than that

What aspect of Roger Wayne’s performance would you have changed?

He was the best part about the book

Did The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck inspire you to do anything?

It inspired me to disconnect from my Social Media

Any additional comments?

This is really basic, simple shit. I can imagine if you have no familiarity with the basic principles of Buddhism and Taoism, you might dig this. Its basic philosophy rephrased with significantly more uses of the word Fuck.

465 people found this helpful

I can't finish this

This book just goes around and around in circles, If there's a point, I am halfway through and don't care if I ever find out what it is.

6 people found this helpful

Neo-Stoicism

Many people cannot look their dark side directly in the face. So, let them continue to suffer. There are Stoics who sound less dark in their presentatko. Still the concepts are in essence the same. Look into Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus for further examples of Stoicism

5 people found this helpful