The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (The Movie)
The movie, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, based on the book of the same name, opened 4 January 2023.
Movie Spotlight – The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
I would like to start this review by saying that The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a must-see movie. Even if you have read the book, bought the T-shirt and the posters, this is an experience that I can’t recommend enough. As the author, Mark Manson, says, his book is a different approach to what a good life should be.
Contrary to that, the title must say this is not a movie about not caring. Just the opposite, it shows us that our experiences as human beings are heightened not by being careless but by being empathic and connected.
The Eternal Pursuit of Happiness
The big question in all our lives is: What do you need to be happy? Do you need more of everything life offers, or do you actually need less?
The reality is the more you have, the less you will enjoy. That is because everything comes to us with a price tag. I personally used to say that my money is my energy. It is the time and life force I invest in one project.
But to clarify, our general equivalent of exchange to have access to good and pleasure is measured in time. Time is our money in real life. How many hours of your life do you want to exchange to have that sports car or that big house?
Happiness is a Problem
That is a bombastic statement, but it does make sense in the context of a generally programmed life we should want to live. But Mark Manson is not your regular run-of-the-mill self-help guru.
“To be happy, we need something to solve. Happiness requires problems. Happiness is, therefore, a form of action; it’s an activity, not something that is passively bestowed upon you.”
He states that the Pursuit of Happiness comes from a delusional positivity standpoint. But, it can also come through the ideas and concepts propagated by the new age self-help gurus or even the adepts of the Gospel of Prosperity. That is because there is no affirmed formula for Happiness; there is no equation, no cookie-cutter solution that will make us happy ever after.
Learn more about getting your book, product, or event featured in an OMTimes Spotlight!
Many years ago, one of our magazine writers published an article about the Importance of “Darkworking.” By that, she meant we needed to address our shadow side before we endeavor into the paths of light and dare to call ourselves “lightworkers.” But, unfortunately, I remember that she received so much criticism from the self-entitled crowd, the holier-than-thou group, that she abandoned the magazine and quietly returned to anonymity.
I believe it is important to sit and explore our negative feelings because they reveal a lot about our inner landscape, vulnerabilities, and where we need improvement. But, unfortunately, we can’t get such extensive information from positive feelings such as excitement and joy. The reality is that life will always have struggles, that we ultimately have to make an effort to grow up to become a people and find our individuality. However, negative experiences and emotions can be quite transformational if you are paying attention.
But by individuality, we don’t mean that anyone is the exception. In fact, we have more commonalities as human beings than cultural or political (ideological) differences. Jung says that the individuation process is a process of growth and transcendence, not exclusion or privilege. We are all quite mundane people, to say the least.
Manson talks again about the supposed “Human Right” to take more than one gives and why we do feel entitled to do so. His analysis encompasses the cross-section between a society that engenders the subliminal thought that we are special and unique and an economy designed to capitalize on the monetization of people’s attention. This type of economic vision built in us a sense of entitlement and privilege.
We can see this facet at work throughout all the social media channels, one with its particularities: The Human Highlight Reel is common to all of them.
The Metrics of Success – What Makes Us Successful?
This is a delicate investigation through the deepest realms of our psyche. Success is not measured by a specific benchmark. Instead, it is a measure of relativity. We commit a sin against ourselves when we measure our success based on someone else experiences and results. The idea that everyone is special could be interesting but also confining. It takes the elements of surprise, creativity, and growth required to be a complete Human being.
Why should we endeavor to change?
Most of us fight change, no one wants to change, and by doing so, most of us avoid going out on a limb or making a quantum leap in our daily lives. Change can be brutal! But why is that? Manson talks about the “disappointing Panda,” a fictional character that would help us face our vulnerabilities, question our motives and take responsibility for our lives and mistakes. Even something that goes wrong in our lives may not be our fault, but it is our responsibility because it is OUR LIFE.
Through a shift in our way of seeing and engaging with our lives, we open ourselves to an infinite potential of possibilities, including becoming better people.
About Exploring our Mortality: Death as a teacher.
This concept is not new. The Buddhists recommend their practitioners think about their mortality to prepare themselves to one day taste “impermanence.” Stoics also share the same notion of familiarizing ourselves with our mortality to masterer the gentle art of Giving a F*ck. The same Buddhist doctrine warns us that we believe we have endless time, which is one of the many illusions, the many stories we tell ourselves. We don’t… we are finite beings.
Death brings clarity of purpose, and it is a way to define what is really relevant in our lives, what we should be giving a f*ck about.
Like we said in the beginning, this is a must-watch movie, but beyond that, I would invite you also to read the book and sign up for Mark Manson’s newsletters. He has a surprising amount of goodies that can help us to get a grip on our reality and achieve a non-F*ck giving mastery.
Click HERE to Connect with your Daily Horoscope on OMTimes!
Visit Our Astrology Store for Personalized Reports
About the Author
Creatrix from Sirius. Fairly Odd Mother of Saints (Bernards). Fish Tank aficionado by day, ninja by night. Liane is also the Editor-in-Chief of OMTimes Magazine and Ministry Earth Magazine, Co-Founder of Humanity Healing International and Humanity Healing Network, and Board Member of Saint Lazarus Relief Fund.
OMTimes is the premier Spiritually Conscious Magazine. Follow Us On Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest, and Youtube
