Re: "The Small Stuff" book review

On Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:12:27 -0000 (UTC), Tara <[email protected]>
wrote:

>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. :)

Much more than dude.
-- 
Noah Sombrero mustachioed villain
Don't get political with me young man
or I'll tie you to a railroad track and
<<<talk>>> to <<<YOOooooo>>>
Who dares to talk to El Sombrero?
dares: Ned
does not dare: Julian  shrinks in horror and warns others away