Perspective: The subtle art of not giving a F...

One's Christians perspective on this popular book (at the time of writing this review it boast sales of over 16 million!).

A few technical details:

Subtitle: A Counterintuitive Approach to living a good life

Author: Mark Manson

Published by: Harper, 2016

Aside from its deliberately antagonistic use of the 'F' word, the book could just as easily be titled something like: 'The subtle art of prioritising what you care about', or 'Letting go of what doesn't matter', because, at its core, that is what it addresses.

It challenges what we care about and why and touches on what influences what we care about and why. Then basically encourages us to challenge and change this according to various principles to help us live a happier life because we put what matters first to us, first and make sure we don't add to that unnecessary cares. The fact that the book uses the 'F' word is really a marketing aspect of the books that appeals to people's natural day to day language and feelings.

Overall the book gives some interesting social commentary, critiques the influence of the media in general and facebook (not so much regarding the time spent but rather how it can influence to care about things we don't need to). It comments that religion can offer for some people helpful things, although this is broad encompassing all religions and, in my view, reading between the lines, suggests that we don't really need religion as we could deal with these issues in other ways. But that is my interpretation.

It draws from various counselling theories and practices, although without stating as such, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Rational emotional behavioural therapy and also draws from things like the importance of personal responsibility. All of which have been covered extensively in various fields of therapy/self help in different ways. He also adds to responsibility the issue of challenging our sense of entitlement and that this leads to unhappiness because we can believe it is everyone else's job to sort out our problems. And, interestingly, he adds the importance of trust and that without it things fall apart. He make note of this especially on his website by saying it is one view he changed on over time.

Mark uses the F word a lot, especially in the opening chapter which while it is not necessary, using this creates an appeal to a wider audience. From a Christian perspective this is not a Christian book so I don't expect it to act like one, so to speak. The book honestly addresses issues that Christians will face, simply because we are human. It also is not a book about not caring at all, as the title might imply, but rather, choosing what really matters, what you really want to care about.

Does the book offer something unique, even for a Christian? Theologically speaking the book bluntly addresses issues which, when you know your Bible, the Bible openly addresses. Themes of how difficult life can be, the reality of our short lives and the inevitability of death addressed in the book here and there are openly discussed and acknowledged in scripture.

Prioritising what we care about, looking at our thoughts and feelings and the importance of personal responsibility are also addressed in scripture. And the overall theme of the book, regarding not caring about things that really don't matter is a strong Biblical idea and theme. The main difference being that the Bible's answer to these things lies in faith and relationship with God which, for obvious reasons the book doesn't suggest.

Christian books have also addressed these themes and issues countless times. Addressing the types of issues raised in this book is actually very common in Christian circles. For example, Cloud and Townsend go into a lot of depth regarding responsibility in their various 'Boundaries' books. One of the themes in the books is also learning to accept suffering as part of life and learning healthy ways to embrace it rather than spend our lives trying to avoid it. Scripture embraces suffering and the reality of death as part of life long before Mark Manson addressed it. Scripture reminds us that suffering leads to perseverance and character development and to consider it joy when we face trials because of the growth that comes from them (James 1). We are even given a suffering saviour, and we know that his suffering brought about our very salvation which we remind ourselves at every communion we take. Scripture also faces us with a blunt view of death, even describing our lives as fading like a passing flower that is blown away by a simple gust of wind.

Scripture also challenges the sense of entitlement through themes of grace and responsibility and encouraging personal growth which we need to do ourselves and not just expect others to do. And the strong emphasis on the importance of trust, for a believer this is a core part of the gospel, trusting God and working together as family of believers to help and support each other-which requires trust.

I think the social commentary, while addressed by Christian authors based on scripture, is contemporary and relevant. Addressing how we are exposed to perfection from all over the world and can often compare ourselves to others can create a strong sense of failure. Mark also makes the very relevant point of how the creation of insecurity is good for making money, so companies often want you to feel insecure as you will buy their products, so again, challenging what we expose ourselves to (guard your heart). Again, very true and a Biblical idea.

Scripture says be content with what you have (because you have Christ) it encourages thankfulness and challenges us to give anxieties to God. Scripture encourages us to think about what we think about and to set our minds on things above, to think about good right, noble things and to guard our hearts.

Overall, the book was refreshing as it was good to hear a secular response to issues being addressed by scripture. While the answer was not scriptural it was still good to hear and it makes me think.

One of the things it reminds me of, with over 16 million copies sold to, I am guessing, largely secular readers, how relevant scripture really is. In fact scripture was addressing these issues for 1000's of years, long before the 2016 release of this book. The more we know scripture the better we can engage with these issues which, by the readership of this 1 book, clearly there is a need for these things. Christians are in a position to be able to address these issues. As Paul writes 'I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some' (1 Corinthians 9:22b NIV 1984). Whether you agree with the style of this book or not, or read it or not, never think that the Bible is irrelevant, over 16 million people have bought a book in the last 8 years which engages with Biblical themes and ideas- death, suffering, trust, anxiety, failure and much more.

16 million + people are looking for answers that scripture engages with and are caring too much about unimportant things.

16 million people are interested in this stuff which we find throughout the pages of scripture. So make of the book what you want, but know that people are looking for answers and at the centre of those answers, which I'm sure Mark might disagree with, is the gospel of Jesus Christ.