Mark Manson - The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F__k (2016, HarperOne) - libgen.li

was the most professional member of the group too. He didn’t do drugs. He
had a steady girlfriend. There were even a few people in suits and ties who
thought he should be the face of the band, not John or Paul.
His name was Pete Best. And in 1962, after landing their first record
contract, the other three members of the Beatles quietly got together and
asked their manager, Brian Epstein, to fire him. Epstein agonized over the
decision. He liked Pete, so he put it off, hoping the other three guys would
change their minds.
Months later, a mere three days before the recording of the first record
began, Epstein finally called Best to his office. There, the manager
unceremoniously told him to piss off and find another band. He gave no
reason, no explanation, no condolences—just told him that the other guys
wanted him out of the group, so, uh, best of luck.
As a replacement, the band brought in some oddball named Ringo Starr.
Ringo was older and had a big, funny nose. Ringo agreed to get the same ugly
haircut as John, Paul, and George, and insisted on writing songs about
octopuses and submarines. The other guys said, Sure, fuck it, why not?
Within six months of Best’s firing, Beatlemania had erupted, making John,
Paul, George, and Pete Ringo arguably four of the most famous faces on the
entire planet.
Meanwhile, Best understandably fell into a deep depression and spent a
lot of time doing what any Englishman will do if you give him a reason to:
drink.
The rest of the sixties were not kind to Pete Best. By 1965, he had sued
two of the Beatles for slander, and all of his other musical projects had failed
horribly. In 1968, he attempted suicide, only to be talked out of it by his
mother. His life was a wreck.
Best didn’t have the same redemptive story Dave Mustaine did. He never
became a global superstar or made millions of dollars. Yet, in many ways,
Best ended up better off than Mustaine. In an interview in 1994, Best said,
“I’m happier than I would have been with the Beatles.”
What the hell?
Best explained that the circumstances of his getting kicked out of the
Beatles ultimately led him to meet his wife. And then his marriage led him to
having children. His values changed. He began to measure his life differently.
Fame and glory would have been nice, sure—but he decided that what he