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A review by waybeyondblue
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
1.75
I'm happy for all the people who love this book, and hope it gives them whatever they were looking for - but it wasn't for me. There were some core ideas that I liked - gratitude practice; the importance of forgiveness and letting go; meditation; surrendering control; and the emphasis on self-love. Her nan, who made some cameo appearances, also sounded cute. But I felt that these concepts were often appropriated from spiritual practices, and then undermined by being put to the use of manifesting (usually material) desires.
The chapter on money was particularly uncomfortable, especially the idea that it can just be materialised into your life if you want it bad enough (never mind the complexities of social structures, barriers, and systemic disadvantages). I also felt angry that depression was presented as something to just switch off and get over. This is completely misinformed, shows no empathy, and could be quite harmful for anyone living with depression. These are my main reasons for giving it such a low score.
On a less serious note, I also didn't like the use of language - calling anyone who can't, doesn't, or won't live according to her terms 'lame', 'lazy', 'whiney'. And there were way too many lists for me! Rather than making things easier to remember, there were so many that by the end they all just bled in to one, giant, never-ending list.
It left me feeling more bad than badass in the end.
The chapter on money was particularly uncomfortable, especially the idea that it can just be materialised into your life if you want it bad enough (never mind the complexities of social structures, barriers, and systemic disadvantages). I also felt angry that depression was presented as something to just switch off and get over. This is completely misinformed, shows no empathy, and could be quite harmful for anyone living with depression. These are my main reasons for giving it such a low score.
On a less serious note, I also didn't like the use of language - calling anyone who can't, doesn't, or won't live according to her terms 'lame', 'lazy', 'whiney'. And there were way too many lists for me! Rather than making things easier to remember, there were so many that by the end they all just bled in to one, giant, never-ending list.
It left me feeling more bad than badass in the end.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness