The Forgotten Art of Being Ordinary

by C.J. Casciotta, Andrew McLuhan (Foreword)

We’re addicted to our devices. Our kids are too. None of us seem to be better for it. We all know this, but what can we do practically to become less isolated, polarized, and disconnected?

This book answers that question with a bold idea: In an age of personal brands and artificial intelligence, perhaps it’s time to relearn the forgotten art of being ordinary.

In his follow-up to Get Weird, writer and media producer, CJ Casciotta, outlines nine practical solutions and illuminates a better way to live in a culture addicted to media technology, a lifeboat for anyone who feels like they’re drowning in a sea of digital noise.

This is a book for those who are tired of feeling like technology owns them, their children, their politics, and their livelihood, a hopeful and realistic game plan for navigating the 21st century mindfully without losing their souls.

The future of our society will depend on the choices we make right now when it comes to our communication methods. It’s a crisis as urgent as climate change, yet far fewer people are talking about it. The Forgotten Art of Being Ordinary will give you the language you’ve been looking for to start changing the conversation.

Genres: Nonfiction

260 pages, Hardcover

Published September 12, 2023

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a call to pull back from the increasingly curated forms of connection we find online, and to be okay with an ordinary life. By ordinary, this author means building an authentic, multi-faceted life where we communicate as human beings and not avatars. He calls for a society where we think less of how we present ourselves to the world or what people think of us, and more about creating real connections.

In that respect, it reminded me of the thought-provoking book “The Courage to Be Disliked” by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi.

[Tim Meier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an important contribution to our current cultural moment. As we all try to navigate what’s truly “real” in our disconnected and always “on” environment, CJ Casciotta gives us a hopeful roadmap of what it might mean to return to the essence of our humanity in curiosity and community. The original poems are moving and the practical yet challenging examples are powerful. I truly hope many read this book and are moved to change!

[Nichole Naprstek · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's definitely a book I'll be rereading in the future. I first thought it would be a how-to for reducing time spent on social media, but it's more about how we evolved to such a high level of consumption. The points the author brings up offer avenues into exploring your own triggers and habits for doing so.

[Melanie Tolomeo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel inspired to write a review because the author pointed out that many people give star ratings without writing anything. This is just the way the Kindle / Goodreads integration works, and typing on a Kindle would be very challenging, but I digress. I liked this book. It inspired me to limit my social media usage and engage with friends directly more. I think it took a nuanced view of technology. However I think the tone was sometimes smug. It also sometimes portrayed certain things in black-and-white, which is what the author is claiming to avoid. For instance, JoJo Siwa was a big example in it. He doesn’t mention her queerness and how inspiring it is. Also he says there should be more poets and prophets. I see what he’s saying, but I think this is idealizing the poet, who can be as much a victim of “kayfabe” as anyone else. Ironically, I think that this book would be well-suited as a digital garden/website of some sort, where the author has liberty to fix some of this.

Edit: this was also randomly religious which made me feel conflicted

[Corbin Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. I read Digital Minimalism prior to this and the two compliment each other nicely. Definitely put words to a lot of reservations I have around the advancements of technology intertwined into our daily lives without us stopping to ask what the cons are. Highly recommend.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure I understood everything in The Forgotten Art of Being Ordinary by CJ Casciotta–pretty sure some ideas went over my head–but I am glad I picked this up. It was fascinating and gave me a lot to think about. I loved the idea of treating what we create online like a digital garden. A short, thoughtful listen–great to think about as we begin the New Year, especially as our family is working on our relationship with technology and media consumption. Glad I picked this one up.

[Thad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always wise, with wry humor, and constantly challenging our dopamine addiction, CJ has put to paper an important read for our digitally distracted times.

[Kristina Petrova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Second book this year that caught my attention with its title but turned out to include quite a lot of religious quotes/ideas. Didn’t expect that.

[Sophy · Rating 5 out of 5]

CJ has, once again, put his thoughtful work and words out in the world, provoking a necessary and relevant conversation!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for the reminders to keep practicing real time being.

[Reanin Mcroberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

i did not realize what this was about when i picked it up and it really wasn't for me. it's well written and he makes some good points with good stories, but i don't have strong feelings about the "great distraction" of social media and i am exactly the person who feels a huge relief in using a simple emoji to summarize and convey my reactions.