Re: "The Small Stuff" book review

On Jul 31, 2026 at 5:01:35 PM EDT, "Dude" <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 7/31/2026 1:38 PM, Tara wrote:
>> On Jul 31, 2026 at 4:23:49 PM EDT, "dart200"
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 7/31/26 1:06 PM, Tara wrote:
>>>> On Jul 31, 2026 at 3:52:16 PM EDT, "dart200"
>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 7/31/26 10:00 AM, Dude wrote:
>>>>>> On 7/31/2026 8:56 AM, dart200 wrote:
>>>>>>> On 7/31/26 8:15 AM, Tara wrote:
>>>>>>>> On Jul 31, 2026 at 10:53:13 AM EDT, "Noah Sombrero" <[email protected]>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:12:02 -0000 (UTC), Tara <[email protected]>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> (I haven't read this book yet but I heard the author interviewed on
>>>>>>>>>> CBC this
>>>>>>>>>> a.m and liked what he said).  Just another self-help book or one of
>>>>>>>>>> that ilk?
>>>>>>>>>> Nah, I don't think so.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> The Small Stuff
>>>>>>>>>> How to lead a more gratifying life
>>>>>>>>>> -Ian Bogost -  Atlantic Columnist
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> <snip>
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> In other words, why well off people are not happy.  So they pine for
>>>>>>>>> the good old days, forgetting that they were not happy then either.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Uhhh. No, not really what the book is about.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> why don't you read the book.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> "sleek, but soulless, design".  Of course that is not satisfying.  On
>>>>>>>>> the other hand, if a person has a satisfying fulfilled life, it won't
>>>>>>>>> matter what knickknacks one includes or not.  Who notices such things?
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On the other hand, "automated self-checkout counters"?  Who puts up
>>>>>>>>> with such emptiness?  As if people needed another way to avoid
>>>>>>>>> interacting with each other.  But if you have plenty of human
>>>>>>>>> interaction in your life, maybe those counters wouldn't matter so
>>>>>>>>> much.  There it is, we are so isolated from each other in our cars,
>>>>>>>>> and lockable houses that we need to interact with clerks in stores.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> How do we feel?  Lonely and bored.  Scared of each other, and out of
>>>>>>>>> patience with ideas we don't want to listen to (from other people).
>>>>>>>>> Simple, huh?
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> His approach is more about being aware of the pleasure and experience of
>>>>>>>> holding and drinking a warm cup of coffee on a cold morning.  kind of
>>>>>>>> stuff
>>>>>>>> like that.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> it's called mindfulness and it's been written about by like a million
>>>>>>> times by now
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> but in this case instead of actively cultivating mindfulness of what
>>>>>>> he's still manually doing (which life still involves a lot of), it
>>>>>>> seems he's bitching about being robbed of petty shit like manually
>>>>>>> flushing toilets in public restrooms. or not having a pile of keys in
>>>>>>> ur pockets instead of using the rfid in my watch. or paying for
>>>>>>> everything with dirty ass money instead of just tapping my phone.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> it's like an even more retarded form of complaining that dishwashers
>>>>>>> and washing machines have ruined taking care of households because
>>>>>>> we're not spending a hours a day manually washing dishes and laundry
>>>>>>> anymore 🙄
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> this is the kind bonehead that bitches that electric cars having "no
>>>>>>> soul" cause they don't go vroom vroom when u hit the gas! like ok
>>>>>>> bro ... is the small electric wine that goes along with the rocket
>>>>>>> ship acceleration not enough for you to be mindful of? 🤣
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Everyone that thinks, is being mindful everyday...
>>>>>> 
>>>>> counterpoint: all the absfg duds reading this
>>>> 
>>>> you know... it's an old one but apropo here I think. Why don't you go back
>>>> under the rock you crawled out from. Seriously
>>> 
>>> what are you going to do about it? ban me?
>>> 
>>> u can say whatever u want to about me, it will _never_ hurt me more than
>>> abject ignorance you duds constantly put on displace
>>> 
>>> the fact i have to exist on planet with such ungodly stupidity is a
>>> _far_ worse feeling than whatever the fuck mean words on a screen
>> 
>> You do know there is a psychological term and diagnosis for your feelings of
>> superiority don't you. And it's not pretty.
>> 
> Something got cut out by Nick attempting to manipulate the conversation.
> 
> Everyone that thinks, is being mindful everyday. Never underestimate the
> poer of very short spans of time, like thinking or being mindful.
> 
> Mindfulness just means to think things over. Almost everyone who can
> think pauses at least once or twice every day to think things over.
> 
> Based on that definition of mindfulness, you are practicing being
> mindful. Mindful even every second if you count the small things you
> think about and post to this board. Nick.
> 
> Nick is way out of his league on this board!
> 
> "You are soaking in it" - Madge

I always thought that Mindfulnes is about being aware of yourself and what's
going on around you. But then, whatdoIknowanyway. :)