The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F_ck

from the inside out. And it’s even more insidious than most
vices because we don’t even consciously acknowledge that
it’s a pleasure.”
But part of living in a democracy and a free society is
that we all have to deal with views and people we don’t
necessarily like. That’s simply the price we pay—you could
even say it’s the whole point of the system. And it seems
more and more people are forgetting that.
We should pick our battles carefully, while
simultaneously attempting to empathize a bit with the socalled
enemy. We should approach the news and media with
a healthy dose of skepticism and avoid painting those who
disagree with us with a broad brush. We should prioritize
values of being honest, fostering transparency, and
welcoming doubt over the values of being right, feeling
good, and getting revenge. These “democratic” values are
harder to maintain amidst the constant noise of a networked
world. But we must accept the responsibility and nurture
them regardless. The future stability of our political systems
may depend on it.
There Is No “How”
A lot of people might hear all of this and then say something
like, “Okay, but how? I get that my values suck and that I
avoid responsibility for all of my problems and that I’m an
entitled little shit who thinks the world should revolve
around me and every inconvenience I experience—but how
do I change?”
And to this I say, in my best Yoda impersonation: “Do, or
do not; there is no ‘how.’ ”
You are already choosing, in every moment of every day,
what to give a fuck about, so change is as simple as
choosing to give a fuck about something else.
It really is that simple. It’s just not easy.