Two books, one being the answer to the other, absurdist pragmatism at its finest

Last week on my way home from work I stopped at a suburban Vinnies and stumbled upon two books. One seemed to be the answer to the other, so I purchased both.

“Everything Is F*cked” by Mark Manson

“The Warren Buffett Way” by Robert G. Hagstrom

Reading these books was a bit like having Camus for the main course, then washing it down with a stock market manual — absurdist pragmatism served with a twist of nausea. A philosophical gut-punch followed by a financial pat on the back.

So what did I learn from these two books? Frankly, nothing that I didn’t know already — except that my suspicion that the world is fundamentally messed up isn’t just a personal illusion, but a shared perception by many. It’s a mild consolation and definitely not a reason for celebration.

One book teaches us how to see clearly through the illusions of meaning. The other shares insights on how to act wisely within the illusions of money.

The key takeaway from these two books would be that it’s pragmatic to learn how to exploit, or at least wisely navigate, the system, rather than try to “fix” it.

Mark Manson says: “This world is absurd. Your suffering is real. The narratives are false. Beware the trap of blind hope.”

Warren Buffett says: “Buy great businesses and wait. Understand human psychology and use it to your advantage.”

Juxtaposing the two, the books are effectively contrasting systemic critique with systemic mastery.

The world may be irrational, structurally unfair, or even nihilistic at its core. But if we wish to endure, or even thrive, we may be better off learning how the system works and bending its rules in our favour. And f*ck it that it’s a selfish path to the eventual self-annihilation of humankind because no one really cares and surviving bacteria will think us all.

About the author

Martin Tutko is a product designer by trade and a part-time philosopher by hobby. Thinking, researching and doing design since 1998. And as of 2023 also sharing and writing about some of my experiences as a product designer 🧑🏻‍💻🌟