The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life - book cover
Happiness
  • Publisher : Harper
  • Published : 13 Sep 2016
  • Pages : 224
  • ISBN-10 : 0062457713
  • ISBN-13 : 9780062457714
  • Language : English

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

#1 New York Times Bestseller

Over 10 million copies sold

In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.

For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F**k positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.

Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.

There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.

Editorial Reviews

"Resilience, happiness and freedom come from knowing what to care about--and most importantly, what not to care about. This is a masterful, philosophical and practical book that will give readers the wisdom to be able to do just that." -- Ryan Holiday, New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy

"Mark's ability to dig deep and offer amazing, yet counter-intuitive, insight into the challenges of life makes him one of my favorite writers, and this book is his best work yet." -- Matt Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of Travel the World on $50 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter

"This book hits you like a much-needed slap in the face from your best friend: hilarious, vulgar, and immensely thought-provoking. Only read if you're willing to set aside all excuses and take an active role in living a f***ing better life." -- Steve Kamb, bestselling author of Level Up Your Life and founder of NerdFitness.com

"The opposite of every other book. Don't try. Give up. Be wrong. Lower your standards. Stop believing in yourself. Follow the pain. Each point is profoundly true, useful, and more powerful than the usual positivity. Succinct but surprisingly deep, I read it in one night." -- Derek Sivers, Founder of CD Baby and author of Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur

"An in-your-face guide to living with integrity and finding happiness in sometimes-painful places… This book, full of counterintuitive suggestions that often make great sense, is a pleasure to read and worthy of rereading. A good yardstick by which self-improvement books should be measured." -- Kirkus Reviews

Readers Top Reviews

This book is a game changer. It makes you think in a way you never have.. Must read for people who think they are depressed, 'something is wrong with me',, 'why me' type of questions.. Trust me there is nothing wrong with you.. an eye opener for me truly. Just order it already !!!
Yij
What's that? A book changed my life? Nonsense!! Well, actually that's true, it DID change my life. Here's a very long review which I feel needs to be addressed, as many people don't know what the book is about, give it a 1-star rating and shrug it off as a money-grab scheme using foul language as a means to bait audiences. Which I honestly first thought it was. ----------------------------------- I have to admit, I wasn't convinced (ignorant, you could say) of all these self-help books people lavish over, I honestly thought it was a load of hippy crap as a means to make a quick buck... Although after a bout of depression last year (yea the "D" word get's thrown around alot these days), I myself was seeking out therapy. I was recommended this author and discovered this book. After asking myself "If this doesn't work, I'll just try something else" I figured I had nothing to lose. And WOW. This book really changed my perspective on things and ultimately I feel much better and improved! Not 100%, but I'm getting there slowly. As you could tell from the title, the author isn't shy of using profanity, and I like this. I've read other self-help books and while they're good and all, Mark Manson really engages you on a personal level. Imagine going to the doctor, and he's been all professional... but a tad boring and nearly sends you to sleep. Now imagine the same doctor taking you to the bar, having a pint and a laugh, but telling you the same advice. Who would you connect with better? Yea, I thought so. Controversial title aside, the book isn't about just not giving a damn, but about focusing WHAT to not give a damn about. Stop getting stressed about by what the media (and others) want us to be, not getting worked up by social media, stuff like that. Instead, focus the damns on the important stuff: family, friends, your well being. The book does take a while to pick up, with the early chapters focusing on examples of people who you may or may not relate to, or even care about. It can start to drag on, but eventually, Mr. Manson really dives into the meat of the book, and asks yourself to challenge your beliefs. Knowing that you're not always right all the time. Not denying your own flaws by redirecting the blame onto other people when challenged (many people are guilty of this). Acknowledging you're not perfect and rolling with it. Realising your emotions and problems aren't exclusive: nearly everyone in the world will have experienced what you felt at some point in their lives. Real stuff that actually helps you come to terms with yourself and not inflating your ego, or doing some tantric yoga exercises to unlock your inner chi circles. Real stuff. I consider this book my bible: I read certain parts every now and then to maintain my self improvement, it gives me solace during times where I'm feeling...