This is a
chapter-by-chapter summary of a book by Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to
Living a Good Life (2016) series. One chapter, one article. Read this
summary, buy the book. Enjoy!
“Whether we like it or not,
we are always taking an active role in what’s occurring to and within us”
we are always taking an active role in what’s occurring to and within us”
(Mark Manson)
When
we feel miserable about our lives, it is often because we are not in control –
someone or something has hijacked us and is forcing us through a series of bad
situations. However, when we know that our problems are of our own choosing, we
feel empowered. We might still have a lot of work to do, and even some pain,
but we feel in control of that struggle.
Manson
tells the story of William James, a man who suffered of lot of setbacks in life
including disease and disability. Much of what happened to James was not his
fault, but he suffered for it all the time. James was on the brink of suicide
when he decided to try an experiment: for one year, James decided to take
responsibility for everything that happened to him, whether or not it was his
fault. Eventually, he went on to become the father of American psychology.
Things happen to us that are out of our
control, but Manson reminds us that our interpretation of these things is
always under our control. Taking responsibility
for our own experiences gives us power. It also helps us to realize that we
cannot control anyone else –we can only control how we respond to the other
people in our lives. This is often tricky, such in the face of tragedy. Events like
cancer, tsunamis and car crashes happen to people every day, and those people
did not choose to be affected. However, they must choose how to proceed.
F*ck! Take responsibility for everything that happens
in your life.
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