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A review by nattycran
Pantsdrunk: Kalsarikanni: The Finnish Path to Relaxation by Miska Rantanen
4.0
Päntsdrunk is one of the funniest self help books I've ever read. It is shameless and delightful. It is a philosophy that encourages "spontaneous bathing, belching, intent nose-picking, air guitar-playing, singing, leisurely masturbating, flatulating, talking to yourself, or screaming into a pillow" (page 31). That is the kind of realness that I wanted to be served. As wonder as it is to be told to exercise and journal everyday it is also wonderful to have the beauty in my disgusting habits praised on occasion.
Before you go off thinking that this book is just for humor, it is important to note that the author, [a:Miska Rantanen|4655491|Miska Rantanen|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], is the director of the Norra Haga Party Central Institute, which appears to be some kind of non-prophet (I cannot read Finnish). "He has spent fifty years researching the Finnish way of life" is all that his bio says. I trust him to write about his own culture.
Outside of enabling our base desires to be gross in solitude, this book does something that humorless self help books like [b:Finding Sisu: In Search of Courage, Strength, and Happiness the Finnish Way|36722041|Finding Sisu In Search of Courage, Strength, and Happiness the Finnish Way|Katja Pantzar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1513022443s/36722041.jpg|58518522] do not--it advocates for people who are feeling stressed, dependent, or otherwise unwell to seek actual medical attention. It is almost like the author cares about mental health!
The book itself is beautiful. The illustrations are both beautiful and whimsical without distracting from the info graphs and photographs included. What is also awesome about this book is that it is littered with funny little testimonies. A personal favorite is from an individual identified as only "woman, 42, CEO".
Anyone who knows me in my personal life can vouch for the fact that this kind of behavior is iconically me. Self help should be about growing as yourself, not becoming a drone or a knock off version of somebody else. Pantsdrunk enables this.
But what really is Päntsdrunk? It can't be as easy as just getting drunk naked and alone. That is answered as well.
If the Dude abides, we should too.
Before you go off thinking that this book is just for humor, it is important to note that the author, [a:Miska Rantanen|4655491|Miska Rantanen|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], is the director of the Norra Haga Party Central Institute, which appears to be some kind of non-prophet (I cannot read Finnish). "He has spent fifty years researching the Finnish way of life" is all that his bio says. I trust him to write about his own culture.
Outside of enabling our base desires to be gross in solitude, this book does something that humorless self help books like [b:Finding Sisu: In Search of Courage, Strength, and Happiness the Finnish Way|36722041|Finding Sisu In Search of Courage, Strength, and Happiness the Finnish Way|Katja Pantzar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1513022443s/36722041.jpg|58518522] do not--it advocates for people who are feeling stressed, dependent, or otherwise unwell to seek actual medical attention. It is almost like the author cares about mental health!
The book itself is beautiful. The illustrations are both beautiful and whimsical without distracting from the info graphs and photographs included. What is also awesome about this book is that it is littered with funny little testimonies. A personal favorite is from an individual identified as only "woman, 42, CEO".
"I joined the Social Democratic Party while päntsdrunk. I read the original party platform from 1903, cried a little, and then joined. I'm still a member." (page 163).
Anyone who knows me in my personal life can vouch for the fact that this kind of behavior is iconically me. Self help should be about growing as yourself, not becoming a drone or a knock off version of somebody else. Pantsdrunk enables this.
But what really is Päntsdrunk? It can't be as easy as just getting drunk naked and alone. That is answered as well.
The most accurate representation of pantsdrunk is, however, to be found in the Coen brothers' cult classic The Big Lebowski (1998). At 32 minutes, there's a scene where the protagonist, the Dude, is lying on the rug, listening to 1987 Venice Beach Bowling League playoffs on his Walkman after downing White Russians. Focus, bliss, contentment!" (page 78).
If the Dude abides, we should too.