‘F**k It’ by John C. Parkin
I’ve just finished John C. Parkin’s ‘F**k It’; a book giving a Western bent to Eastern philosophical ideas (most particularly the concept of ‘non attachment’). Prior to reading Parkin’s work I’d dipped my toes into the great lake of Eastern philosophy with works like the ‘I Ching’, ‘Tao Te Ching’ and Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’ (the usual suspects in this area really). Hubristically, I thought I’d summed up their collective knowledge pretty concisely in a single line: ‘People would be far more content if they could just stop interfering in the natural ebb and flow of life.’ Parkin’s far more economical titular two word summation, however, is infinitely more succinct (and memorable). The book revolves around the central premise of saying f**k it to various parts of your life – money, diet and even health – with a view to attaining a more anxiety-free existence. Parkin writes with a sardonic wit, rare in authors of books which sit in this section of the library. Far from diminishing the impact of Parkin’s core message (see title), his humorous tone lends the book a levity which makes it both incredibly accessible and effortless to move through. Whilst reading ‘F**k It’ I couldn’t help but thinking how much I was reminded of Chuck Palahniuk’s brilliant ‘Fight Club’. In fact I imagine if Tyler Durden were to give seminars on Eastern philosophy this would be a foundation text. So for anyone who is currently questioning the importance they place on the (im)material, looking for some encouragement to escape overly prescriptive living or simply looking for a non-fiction companion piece to sit beside Fight Club on your shelf I’d recommend checking out Parkin’s manifesto.
