Greatist Reads discussion

We'll start discussing the intro/chapter 1 on March 31st.

Great!

Hello reading friends! What are your thoughts about the book so far? How was the intro/chapter 1?

Which of the "15 Things Ordinary People Embrace About the World" did you most relate to?

How about the "26 Things Average Earners Worry About"?

I honestly had mixed feelings about the intro and first chapter. There’s a lot of relateable content but sometimes the tone felt like an echo of criticism often aimed at my generation in a way that didn’t sit well with me. The first chapter definitely invited me to reflect on my own work history and how lucky I’ve been to not really have a big stint of unemployed job searching.

By far, the lists are my favorite part of these early chapters! From 15 Things Ordinary People Embrace, I really related to:

2) It’s perfectly normal not to get praised...

I’ve struggled with this so much since I left school and entered the work world full time. We get so used to being evaluated regularly with grades that it’s hard to just go along without the same structure of constant assurance we’re doing well.

From 26 Things Average:

7) Four legged family members

When I was in grad school, I never went to the doctor because I was afraid of bills I couldn’t pay. I felt much worse when it came to worrying about vet bills for my cat. It wasn’t his fault his momma didn’t make much money, after all. I’ve thought very hard about whether to get another pet because of this consideration .

Amanda wrote: "I honestly had mixed feelings about the intro and first chapter. There’s a lot of relateable content but sometimes the tone felt like an echo of criticism often aimed at my generation in a way that..."

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!

So far I'm enjoying the book but have a few issues with it. The author has a great sense of humor and feels very relatable. I think the message behind the book is very powerful however, at times, I feel like the author is making a case for settling. I don't know if anyone else gets this vibe.

I also looove the lists. At first I thought it was a little cumbersome but they are great. From "15 Things" I loved
13. "It's ok to do things we love even if we are pretty unimpressive at them"

From "26 Things":
4. Procreation
12. Paying back debts and loans.

EEP!

Jordan wrote: "So far I'm enjoying the book but have a few issues with it. The author has a great sense of humor and feels very relatable. I think the message behind the book is very powerful however, at times, I..."

So true! I definitely got that feeling during some parts. Though she is sure to add (later on) that everyone's perception of what average means to them is going to be different and it doesn't mean giving up on dreams/goals if you want to go for them :)

And, #12 from 26 Things. Yes!

In the Intro, she talks about how childhood participation trophies and constant praise can mess with our perceptions in adulthood. That really resonated with me. In the first chapter though, her attempts to take it further and reframe our definition of 'success' felt a bit meandering. Sometimes, her point was spot on — other times, I didn't quite buy into it (like: "A good-enough attitude goes a long way."). As others have noted, I like the lists!