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Be the Worst You Can Be: Life's Too Long for Patience and Virtue
Charles Saatchi answers questions from journalists and readers.
159 pages, Hardback
First published January 1, 2012
68 people are currently reading
2518 people want to read
About the author
Charles Saatchi
15 books30 followersCharles Saatchi (/ˈsɑːtʃiː/; born 9 June 1943) is an Iraqi-British-Jewish businessman and the co-founder with his brother Maurice of the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi. The brothers led that business – the world's largest advertising agency in the 1980s – until they were forced out in 1995. In the same year, the Saatchi brothers formed a new agency called M&C Saatchi. Charles is also known as an art collector and the owner of the Saatchi Gallery, and in particular for his sponsorship of the Young British Artists (YBAs), including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.(wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 15, 2013
I was quite disappointed by the book, which is essentially a collection of aphorisms, some interesting and quirky, but most neither.
Here are the bits I think are worth.
"Unlock yourself from the neurotic need to please. It erodes the soul"
"Life is more pleasant without asking too many questions of yourself, or seeking a higher purpose"
"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted"
"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm"
"Tenacity and staying resolute are simply being obstinate in a way we approve of"
"War doesn't determine who's right, war determines who's left"
Q: You seem to represent all I find unpleasant about the modern world. People like me, who don't court personal validation, believe in putting other people first. Today everything is about gratification of the self, and choosing our own happiness over anyone else's. Whatever happened to the values I adhere to, like duty, morality, righteousness, and the belief that goodness is its own reward?
A: You may sound like a very good person, but in fact you just suffer from the disease to please. And what's more you seem to want to be congratulated for it. Apparently, goodness is not its own reward.
Here are the bits I think are worth.
"Unlock yourself from the neurotic need to please. It erodes the soul"
"Life is more pleasant without asking too many questions of yourself, or seeking a higher purpose"
"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted"
"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm"
"Tenacity and staying resolute are simply being obstinate in a way we approve of"
"War doesn't determine who's right, war determines who's left"
Q: You seem to represent all I find unpleasant about the modern world. People like me, who don't court personal validation, believe in putting other people first. Today everything is about gratification of the self, and choosing our own happiness over anyone else's. Whatever happened to the values I adhere to, like duty, morality, righteousness, and the belief that goodness is its own reward?
A: You may sound like a very good person, but in fact you just suffer from the disease to please. And what's more you seem to want to be congratulated for it. Apparently, goodness is not its own reward.
January 24, 2013
Aside from the impractical design of the book, which although it looks lovely at a glance is actually irritating to read with all the hyphenations and orphans at the end of paragraphs, (I expected better from someone who is so acquainted with the design world), I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of "questions" and answers. Saatchi is witty and satirical, and if you appreciate this type of humour, you're likely to enjoy it too. Although some comments are there to deliberately provoke, if you take them for what they are, you shouldn't be offended. The writing on the whole is so well done, that you wouldn't really need to know or care about who Charles Saatchi actually is to appreciate it. And you can't say that about many interviews with famous figures.
April 18, 2024
Kindness is lovely, but malevolence is intriguing.
I was intrigued throughout.
I was intrigued throughout.
Read
December 6, 2024Jaukus cinikas gudriai pokštauja žodžiais.
Sabotažinės dejonės priminė smagiuosius interviu iš 70s, kai Lou Reed ar Bob Dylan kandžiodavo šiaipžmogius žurnalistus. Geranoriškumas – miela, bet čia intriguojama piktavališkumu.
Sabotažinės dejonės priminė smagiuosius interviu iš 70s, kai Lou Reed ar Bob Dylan kandžiodavo šiaipžmogius žurnalistus. Geranoriškumas – miela, bet čia intriguojama piktavališkumu.
November 12, 2012
Like others have said, the choice of material is quite interesting; and I appreciate the minimalistic design as well.
The book itself, is a series of Q&A with Charles Saatchi, famous advertising agent and art collector. The book has an obvious satirical tone and Saatchi deliberately tries to be as offensive and confrontational as possible. The book is somewhat amusing and you'll get a few laughs from it but overall, it is slightly disappointing.
The book itself, is a series of Q&A with Charles Saatchi, famous advertising agent and art collector. The book has an obvious satirical tone and Saatchi deliberately tries to be as offensive and confrontational as possible. The book is somewhat amusing and you'll get a few laughs from it but overall, it is slightly disappointing.
October 22, 2023
“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”
This is a collection of Q&As and other various aphorisms and witticisms from the master of manipulation and self-promotion. In many ways this is a funny little book, in one sense it’s about nothing in particular and in other ways it’s about many things, which I suppose is what makes it such a fun and engaging read.
This is the third or fourth book of Saatchi’s I’ve read, and I have to say I have enjoyed every one of them, he always makes for good company and you learn some bizarre and memorable stuff along the way too. Though it has to be said his anti-science BS on human (corporate) generated climate change is nothing more than the rambling rubbish of an ill-informed idiot.
This is a collection of Q&As and other various aphorisms and witticisms from the master of manipulation and self-promotion. In many ways this is a funny little book, in one sense it’s about nothing in particular and in other ways it’s about many things, which I suppose is what makes it such a fun and engaging read.
This is the third or fourth book of Saatchi’s I’ve read, and I have to say I have enjoyed every one of them, he always makes for good company and you learn some bizarre and memorable stuff along the way too. Though it has to be said his anti-science BS on human (corporate) generated climate change is nothing more than the rambling rubbish of an ill-informed idiot.
May 5, 2014
I love this book! It helps you see things differently. Charles Saatchi is a bit sarcastic, funny and shows you the irony behind many things. I thought it was a good read and it made me feel a bit better about not always being my best, I'm human after all!
February 22, 2024
Welp this got old pretty quickly
Also reading it on kindle was an absolute nightmare
Also reading it on kindle was an absolute nightmare
Read
December 14, 2024Ilmastodenialismi vähä threw me off ja muutenki sellasia vanhan miehen jäkätyksiä mutta jotain iha oivaltavia heittoja myös.
September 9, 2012
this a mildly and sometimes very amusing trawl through the wit and wisdom of Charles Saatchi sometime advertising executive and famous contemporary art dealer and collector .
His trick is the take the opposite view on virtually everything which is politically correct and he is an antidote to most any accepted view on anything . Sentimentality is certainly out and common sense , stoicism and realism are in . A typical sample of the Saatchi tone is in answer to the question
What do you think would create world peace ?
Total nuclear annihilation .... boom boom .
There are lots of nice photos of paintings and celebrities and a particularly amusing one of a toddler sitting at a table holding a hand of playing cards with the caption
" How I am seen by my poker opponents "
The caustic approach is refreshing but over 160 pages can wear a bit thin .
The cover is suitably dull looking like a business desk diary with gilt page edges .
His trick is the take the opposite view on virtually everything which is politically correct and he is an antidote to most any accepted view on anything . Sentimentality is certainly out and common sense , stoicism and realism are in . A typical sample of the Saatchi tone is in answer to the question
What do you think would create world peace ?
Total nuclear annihilation .... boom boom .
There are lots of nice photos of paintings and celebrities and a particularly amusing one of a toddler sitting at a table holding a hand of playing cards with the caption
" How I am seen by my poker opponents "
The caustic approach is refreshing but over 160 pages can wear a bit thin .
The cover is suitably dull looking like a business desk diary with gilt page edges .
February 15, 2014
Interesting book to read for enlarging your perspective in life. Love it!
January 15, 2023
buku ini berisi jawaban-jawaban saatchi atas pertanyaan yang diajukan oleh reporter kepadanya (yg menurutku pertanyaan-pertanyaan itu sebetulnya karangannya dia sendiri). membacanya membuat aku teringat aku sendiri di masa lalu.
di saat anak lain punya teman imajiner berupa kelinci lucu raksasa berwarna abu-abu, teman imajinerku adalah reporter yg mengikutiku ke mana-mana untuk mengajukan pertanyaan. reporter imajinerku pada akhirnya berhenti mengikutiku setelah pada suatu siang mamaku melihat aku sedang menjawab pertanyaan reporter, lalu berkomentar dengan nada khawatir: “jangan suka ngomong sendiri to, mbak.”
:)) kayaknya mamaku kuatir anaknya dirazia satpol pp & ditahan di puri nirmala.
buku ini mengingatkanku pada saat-saat itu. ketika aku kalau mandi lama sekali karena selain mandi, aku juga sibuk menjawab pertanyaan dari reporter (iya reporternya mengikutiku sampai ke kamar mandi, soalnya di sana nggak ada satpol pp).
sekarang sih aku kalau mandi cepat - kecuali kalau ada air panas.
ok kembali ke review buku.
salah satu manusia yang paling menarik untuk diajak ngobrol, adalah manusia otentik. dia nggak perlu jadi orang baik, atau politically correct. yang penting dia otentik. apalagi kalau dia witty. & pun kalau ternyata dia ingat trivia lucu-lucu, seperti kata-kata terakhir orang-orang terkenal sebelum mereka mati (“dammit.. don’t you dare ask god to help me!” joan crawford to her housekeeper who began to pray aloud), atau museum-museum yang menarik (seperti misalnya museum yang punya koleksi 100 penis mamalia yang tinggal di iceland).
membaca buku ini rasanya seperti ngobrol dengan orang seperti itu. yang pesonanya di masa lalu selalu salah aku terjemahkan & sulit aku bedakan, antara ingin memiliki orangnya, atau sebetulnya hanya ingin memiliki kualitas yang aku lihat ada pada dirinya?
:))
ngakak. ini review buku, apa curhat.
di saat anak lain punya teman imajiner berupa kelinci lucu raksasa berwarna abu-abu, teman imajinerku adalah reporter yg mengikutiku ke mana-mana untuk mengajukan pertanyaan. reporter imajinerku pada akhirnya berhenti mengikutiku setelah pada suatu siang mamaku melihat aku sedang menjawab pertanyaan reporter, lalu berkomentar dengan nada khawatir: “jangan suka ngomong sendiri to, mbak.”
:)) kayaknya mamaku kuatir anaknya dirazia satpol pp & ditahan di puri nirmala.
buku ini mengingatkanku pada saat-saat itu. ketika aku kalau mandi lama sekali karena selain mandi, aku juga sibuk menjawab pertanyaan dari reporter (iya reporternya mengikutiku sampai ke kamar mandi, soalnya di sana nggak ada satpol pp).
sekarang sih aku kalau mandi cepat - kecuali kalau ada air panas.
ok kembali ke review buku.
salah satu manusia yang paling menarik untuk diajak ngobrol, adalah manusia otentik. dia nggak perlu jadi orang baik, atau politically correct. yang penting dia otentik. apalagi kalau dia witty. & pun kalau ternyata dia ingat trivia lucu-lucu, seperti kata-kata terakhir orang-orang terkenal sebelum mereka mati (“dammit.. don’t you dare ask god to help me!” joan crawford to her housekeeper who began to pray aloud), atau museum-museum yang menarik (seperti misalnya museum yang punya koleksi 100 penis mamalia yang tinggal di iceland).
membaca buku ini rasanya seperti ngobrol dengan orang seperti itu. yang pesonanya di masa lalu selalu salah aku terjemahkan & sulit aku bedakan, antara ingin memiliki orangnya, atau sebetulnya hanya ingin memiliki kualitas yang aku lihat ada pada dirinya?
:))
ngakak. ini review buku, apa curhat.
January 28, 2018
Q&A into Mr Saatchi's life and mind. I found it amusing: kind of sarcasm and bluntness I love. Nor sure I'd love having to face him though :/
November 10, 2024
Just a coffee table book about a narcissist. Too many of them in the old days of advertising
May 18, 2018
Charles Saatchi é, simultaneamente, cofundador da agência de publicidade britânica Saatchi and Saatchi e negociante de arte, proprietário da Saatchi Gallery. Na vida particular, foi casado três vezes, a última das quais com a chef e jornalista Nigella Lawson. Portanto, alguém sem dúvida curioso e com muito para dizer. E é isto este livro: uma série de perguntas a que Saatchi responde com o seu estilo sempre sardónico. Algumas respostas são de nos deixar de boca aberta. Com outras, talvez secretamente, até concordamos.
Há uma nuvem de non-sense sempre por cima das nossas cabeças quando lemos Be the worst you can be, talvez pela conjugação do conteúdo mordaz com a forma: capa preta dura gravada a dourado, páginas com um design que nos faze lembrar um livro de horas.
Eis algumas das suas pérolas:
- Do you believe in the ten commandments?
A on overrated lifestyle guide, unsustainable and and largely ineffective, only succeeding in making people confused and guilty.
For example: You shall not covet you neighbour's wife, nor his house, nor his servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's. This was always obviously a no-hoper of a Commandment. Coveting is all everyone does, all the time, everyday. It's what drives the world economy, pushes people to make a go of their lives, so that they can afford to the Executive model of their Ford Mondeo to park next to their neighbour's Standard model. And would you want to be married to someone nobody coveted?
- Have you ever been on a protest march?
I always hope it pours with freezing rain on a protest march, so the marchers can feel more deeply self-satisfied with their humanitarian credentials.
- Will you tell me a secret about art world that will make me feel like an insider?
The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. It was the fashion in Renaissance Florence to shave them off.
- Does money buy happiness?
It's certainly true that when I've seen a man get rich, his next ambition is to get richer.
- What's the best career advice you ever gave anyone?
Don't be irreplaceable; if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
- What's your favourite joke?
All those who believe on telekinesis, raise my hand.
- What was the best piece of advice your father gave you?
Always remember you are unique and just like everyone else.
- Do you ever complain to newspaper editors if an article is nasty about you?
Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.
-What is the one thing you would never, ever want to do again in your life?
Wet my bed.
-How do you feel about women who wear fur?
People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than a motorcycle gang.
-Do you have a close friend who you would entrust any secret to, and is it a man or a woman?
A friend is someone who will help you move home. A real friend is someone who will help you move a body.
-What do you think would create world peace?
Total nuclear annihilation.
-When you drop it, toast always seems to land butter side down. Why?
I attach my toast to the cat's back, prior to buttering. Cats always land on their feet, so the bread is therefore certain to land butter side up. But apologies, was yours a rhetorical question?
-Are you subject to hypochondriad tendencies - many self-absorbed men are?
I always worry that doctors call what they do «practice».
-What is the odddest habit you will admit to?
When driving and looking for an address, I turn down the volume on the radio.
-What kind of person spends £2 on a fancy bottle of mineral water?
Try spelling Evian backwards.
-Have you ever consulted a psychic, fortune teller, tarot reader, medium or clairvoyant of any sort?
Why do we never see the headline «Psychic wins £100 Million Lottery»?
-Are you a good multitasker?
I have tried but multitasking for me means screwing up several things at once. I can, however, read on the lavatory.
-Have you lost money by entrusting it to hedge funds?
No. I think it's a good clue that someone who invests your money is called a broker.
Há uma nuvem de non-sense sempre por cima das nossas cabeças quando lemos Be the worst you can be, talvez pela conjugação do conteúdo mordaz com a forma: capa preta dura gravada a dourado, páginas com um design que nos faze lembrar um livro de horas.
Eis algumas das suas pérolas:
- Do you believe in the ten commandments?
A on overrated lifestyle guide, unsustainable and and largely ineffective, only succeeding in making people confused and guilty.
For example: You shall not covet you neighbour's wife, nor his house, nor his servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's. This was always obviously a no-hoper of a Commandment. Coveting is all everyone does, all the time, everyday. It's what drives the world economy, pushes people to make a go of their lives, so that they can afford to the Executive model of their Ford Mondeo to park next to their neighbour's Standard model. And would you want to be married to someone nobody coveted?
- Have you ever been on a protest march?
I always hope it pours with freezing rain on a protest march, so the marchers can feel more deeply self-satisfied with their humanitarian credentials.
- Will you tell me a secret about art world that will make me feel like an insider?
The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. It was the fashion in Renaissance Florence to shave them off.
- Does money buy happiness?
It's certainly true that when I've seen a man get rich, his next ambition is to get richer.
- What's the best career advice you ever gave anyone?
Don't be irreplaceable; if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
- What's your favourite joke?
All those who believe on telekinesis, raise my hand.
- What was the best piece of advice your father gave you?
Always remember you are unique and just like everyone else.
- Do you ever complain to newspaper editors if an article is nasty about you?
Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.
-What is the one thing you would never, ever want to do again in your life?
Wet my bed.
-How do you feel about women who wear fur?
People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than a motorcycle gang.
-Do you have a close friend who you would entrust any secret to, and is it a man or a woman?
A friend is someone who will help you move home. A real friend is someone who will help you move a body.
-What do you think would create world peace?
Total nuclear annihilation.
-When you drop it, toast always seems to land butter side down. Why?
I attach my toast to the cat's back, prior to buttering. Cats always land on their feet, so the bread is therefore certain to land butter side up. But apologies, was yours a rhetorical question?
-Are you subject to hypochondriad tendencies - many self-absorbed men are?
I always worry that doctors call what they do «practice».
-What is the odddest habit you will admit to?
When driving and looking for an address, I turn down the volume on the radio.
-What kind of person spends £2 on a fancy bottle of mineral water?
Try spelling Evian backwards.
-Have you ever consulted a psychic, fortune teller, tarot reader, medium or clairvoyant of any sort?
Why do we never see the headline «Psychic wins £100 Million Lottery»?
-Are you a good multitasker?
I have tried but multitasking for me means screwing up several things at once. I can, however, read on the lavatory.
-Have you lost money by entrusting it to hedge funds?
No. I think it's a good clue that someone who invests your money is called a broker.
July 3, 2013
Didn't realize the way Saatchi's mind worked until I got my hands on this work of his.
I also did not hesitate to buy this book right away; Be The Worst You Can Be contained all in all enjoyable cynicism and raw honesty from a person whom I related to better than the majority of people I've lived with every single day.
Despite the low-res photos, it sure did gave me very good distractions from any present situation I was put in real life (in which would be the only criteria I put for a book to be considered as slightly acceptable).
I also did not hesitate to buy this book right away; Be The Worst You Can Be contained all in all enjoyable cynicism and raw honesty from a person whom I related to better than the majority of people I've lived with every single day.
Despite the low-res photos, it sure did gave me very good distractions from any present situation I was put in real life (in which would be the only criteria I put for a book to be considered as slightly acceptable).
October 28, 2013
Chazza's latest tabloid travails of course add to the piquancy of some of the scribblings her. Even the cover. However, ignore that (if you can) and your in for another amusing musing. Bitty, all over the shop - questions about ads and art answered, whole cut and paste wafflings from the interweb etc - but he's a witty writer - and well worth the cost of getting him another gallery and contributing to the domestic goddess' pay off
July 13, 2012
Obviously it's not life-changing or great literature but it is very funny and certainly did make me think from time to time. I disagree with a lot of what he says, but actually think some of his narcissistic, deliberately offensive, confrontational, yet self-deprecating, opinions were worth bearing in mind.
January 31, 2016
Hillarious wry observations of Saatchi had me chuckling the afternoon away.
Little gems such as "I once thought I made a mistake, but I was mistaken" and "Why if ignorance is bliss, aren't more happy people in the world?", give you a whole new way of looking at the sad world of today.
A nice little earner for the man who has everything but wants none of it!
Little gems such as "I once thought I made a mistake, but I was mistaken" and "Why if ignorance is bliss, aren't more happy people in the world?", give you a whole new way of looking at the sad world of today.
A nice little earner for the man who has everything but wants none of it!
July 30, 2012
This is a reasonably diverting way to spend a couple of hours. It's a strong indicator of his vanity that he wanted to publish this very expensively produced and designed book in this format. I was surprised by what poor quality a lot of the images were. Lots of them were badly pixelated. It's fairly amusing but not worth spending any money on.
August 7, 2016
I've gone through this book multiple times, and every time I pick up on something new.
I don't love Charles Saatchi but I don't hate him either. I found this book to be interesting, funny, and beautiful to look at. As an artist myself, I think it does a good job at showing how to not take yourself to seriously. I would recommend this book to those whose humor can handle it.
I don't love Charles Saatchi but I don't hate him either. I found this book to be interesting, funny, and beautiful to look at. As an artist myself, I think it does a good job at showing how to not take yourself to seriously. I would recommend this book to those whose humor can handle it.
March 26, 2020
"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted."
"Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced you can't be promoted. "
"It's ok for little girls to whine. They are practicing to become women. "😂😂
"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you're good, is like expecting the bull not to charge because you're a vegetarian."
"Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced you can't be promoted. "
"It's ok for little girls to whine. They are practicing to become women. "😂😂
"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you're good, is like expecting the bull not to charge because you're a vegetarian."
June 13, 2012
I know that the three wise monkeys are called mizaru (see no evil) kikazaru (hear no evil) and iwazaru (speak no evil).
November 30, 2012
Putting life in perspective.
Read
February 16, 2013Outstanding tonic. Refreshing and comforting.
July 31, 2013
love it xxxxxxxx
July 18, 2013
A short and concise version of Babble - still hilarious!
Read
March 5, 2024full of fun bits of information
April 9, 2014
Clever writing. A little bit like an almanac in places. Would like to buy.
December 13, 2014
It's. . .weird. It's a collection of super-eclectic responses to flame male an artist has received over the years. Some good trollery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews