One very strong impression that surfaces, while reading the book, is that the author is someone like a privileged, easily offendable, princess, not a spartan, who after having fought a long war with life, tired, finally sat down to commit to pages his life experiences. The author's views though valid (because he stands on the shoulders of the philosopher giants) are coming out of a tender and inexperienced person. What the author sites as examples of his being offended by the world are not even somethings that one should even consider as problems worth noting in a book that is supposed to help people cope with life. I mean, consider the problems that people in some of the areas of Africa, or Afghanistan, or Syria or Iraq are facing, life-threatening problems. The guy never faced any life-threatening situation let alone a physically threatening one and he has complaints about life treating him not well and then he comes up advice for the rest of us. The advice is well-meant, only the examples from his personal life water them down. I wouldn't think anyone would find those examples so oppressing that one would sit down to write a book about them. He is not someone who is suffering from a crippling condition, not even colored (looks like belonging to an ethnic group does not qualify as belonging to a downtrodden class), living in a developed part of the world; its nothing like being born in a slum of India, belonging to the untouchable cast, so what are all those complaints about that he moans about in his book.
According to author "I’d say that judging is just another form of repression"; now consider a person who has no penny on his person, a homeless guy, a person who hasn't had a thing to eat for three days, a guy who has been thrown out of his home, someone who has been diagnosed by cancer; and our author finds others "judging" something to be concerned about while your life and livelihood is not even threatened and you are thriving otherwise. What problems is he even talking about?
The author hates his own father and brags about it throughout the book. When his father encourages him to become a man, he finds him controlling and manipulative. Thankfully he finds lots of other men to write good words about throughout the book. A man needs advise from other men to find his path through life.
Just look at the people he looks up to;
"This may sound weird, but I kind of look up to the outcasts of society, even though I donʼt agree with them or support their actions. For example, Dutch politician Geert Wilders from the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV) is one of the most criticized and ridiculed people in the Netherlands. Not only because of his anti-Islam agenda and controversial statements but also because of his dyed blonde hair. Despite insults, death threats, and the need for 24/7 security, he keeps on doing his thing. Even the ‘life coach’ I told you about gains at least a modicum of my respect because, despite all the dislikes below his videos as well as trolls, parodies, satire, and downright hateful comments, he just keeps putting himself out there."
A few pages back youtube life-coach was an example of wrong behavior and few pages later, what you read in the quote up there. This guy is confused; should have taken his time before writing a book. This is a messy book to look into for advice.
"After we received our grades, I asked the arrogant young lady about her grade: “A seven,” she said irritated. I laughed and went straight to the pub with my awesome group members to celebrate our victory. This was really one of the best payback moments I’d ever experienced in my life."
A horrible example of a book that claims to teach stoic virtues. Revenge seeking is vice. What is this guy teaching in this book? Contradiction after contradiction.