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THE REVIEW
Processing a failure like processing grief.
There was a moment when I aimed high in my job, betting everything on the green table, trying to play the best cards. And lost. Almost everything. The consequence of a too daring choice, fueled by a bloated ambition of hateful youthful enthusiasm, was a trauma that chased me for two years. Two years spent trying to reshape a life I had started to consider "mediocre" while in reality, it had the right and the dignity to simply consider itself "average".
One of the first attempts at recovery is constituted by this text. Hastily brought over from England, Downshifting not only did not benefit me but amplified the feeling of temporary inadequacy to the time and events happening to me. Through a series of key chapters, the manual intends to convince you that it is possible (and sustainable) to live a good life by renouncing career ambitions, thus with little money, favoring an exclusive relationship with nature, without sacrificing hobbies, affections, vacations, and above all, always keeping, in business dynamics, the knife on the handle side.
Chapters that sound like curses such as: is this any way to live? or the work trap or even when the answer is no, seem like big lollipops to you after hours of desperate crying. But a hundred pages are enough for you to realize that the thing, unless you have a good nest egg saved up, or unless you decide to remain single for life, is not feasible at all. In fact, it turns out to be a big scam. And you should understand this right away, just from the "35" font size of the "easyRedLarge Bold" typeface, as if to say: you are a fool; since I’m using gigantic fonts, at least you are able to read this.
This concept has even been tried to be imported to Italy; the creator has not a single cent of credit from my side.
Downshifting represents a moment of personal weakness. I don’t believe there are any special strategies in processing a failure. Perhaps the only one is the passing of time.
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Summary by Bot
This review reflects a deeply personal and critical perspective on John D. Drake's Downshifting. The reviewer shares how the book amplified feelings of inadequacy rather than alleviating them. The promise of living well by working less is seen as unrealistic unless one has financial security. Ultimately, the book is described as a disappointment and a questionable guide to handling failure and career setbacks.
