A Latter Day Saint, and Agony Uncle. Review on The Rudest Book Ever - Shwetabh Gangwar

I came across ‘The Rudest Book Ever’ when I was browsing for some good books in a Crossword store. I picked it up because of its rude title.

One rarely comes across a book with a negative title that, prima facie, turns the potential reader away. Now, why would an author shoot himself in the foot? One reason could be he is relying on reverse psychology to bail him out. Does reverse psychology work? Well, at least, in my case it did. As I said, I did pick up the book because of its outrageous title.

The title fuelled my curiosity and set me on course to do a little research – Shwetabh Gangwar started his YouTube channel in 2016, at the age of 26. The channel is named in Anglo-Sanskrit style and is called Mensutra. The channel has about 1.35 million subscribers at the time of writing this review. Mr Shwetabh Gangwar, also, runs a YouTube channel in his own name with a subscribers list boasting of over 87000, and counting. He doles out videos with free, unsolicited advice to all those needy, deprived, and helpless souls who did not receive proper upbringing from their parents. At least, that is what he leads us to believe through his bold advice.

If you remember, back in the old days, we had these ‘agony aunt’ and ‘agony uncle’ columns manned by some self-proclaimed experts to solve all our problems, real or perceived. Whether they succeeded or not only the users of those services can vouch for, but, my point is – if some section of people perceive that there is a dire need for something in our society, then, there are others who will jump at the opportunity to take advantage of that situation to fill their pockets. History has been a mute witness to so called ‘experts’ taking advantage of gullible people. His YouTube channels are earning a lot for him. I do not want to go into figures, and I am not the one to begrudge him his success. After all, he is doing what the ‘targeted’ audience expects him to do – hand out advice.

Unravelling the book:

The book is replete with expletives that hit you in the face. It is a blessing that I cannot reproduce them on this site even if I wanted to. The author’s idea is to rudely wake you up from your purported deep slumber. It is, basically, an omnibus of perspectives and ideas on freeing your mind from all bullsh-t. Assuming, your mind is full of bullsh-t. The author assumes that your parents, friends, society, or internet have thoroughly failed you, in your growing years as a person, in making you understand the ‘Truth’ of life you would otherwise not know if you hadn’t been lucky enough to get this ‘miracle book’ in your hands. Therefore, I won’t be surprised if you regard it as the Gospel of self-development.

If people who are familiar with his work feel Shwetabh Gangwar has strong opinions, it would still be an understatement. I feel his opinions are outrageous. You can argue everyone in this world tends to have opinions, and what can we make of a human being who does not have one? I would say that person is dead, and only the dead have no opinions. I have no issues with crazy ideas or strong opinions. My point is, his opionions are farfetched and need an anchor.

The author goes on to claim that every piece of information available now is just the product of someone’s ideas and thoughts. Did you ever hear of the saying, “Old Wine in New Bottle? ” If you did, you would understand what the author is driving at. If not, you can watch old Hindi movies and then watch the new, or you can listen to old Hindi songs and then listen to the new… you’re getting there. Maybe, whatever I have written in this review is someone’s ideas, not mine. So confusing and confounding? No, not at all, if you cut out the hyperbole all it means is that you should have your own opinions and ideas and even if they are not entirely yours, don’t be apologetic about it.

The book is full of assumptions and presumptions without any scientific basis to it. Further, the solutions lack any scientific base either. It is one man’s observations about the youth and their problems and his own prescription as to how to deal with them. It’s like a spiritual leader telling you what your problem is    ( because, you don’t know what your problem is) and then telling you what to do with your problem    ( because, you don’t know how to solve it) .

Incidentally, I find a simile in all this shenanigan; it reminds me of what advertising agencies do for a living. Through their cunning sophistry, they first convince you that all is not well in your life - that there is this particular problem, which you have been bearing it for so many years unknowingly. After giving you the shock of your life, they will reassure you by pointing out that better days are just around the corner. They will then unleash the product before your eyes and claim that if you use that particular product you will be able to get rid of the problem you actually didn’t know existed until that very moment. Real smart-alecks, these advertisers!

This book actually teaches you to be opinionated, self-centred, selfish, rude and crude as if these are the new mantras for success. The crude language in the book definitely rubs off on you if you are impressionable, which you would be if you are in that age group which this book clearly targets.If any of you guys, I mean young adults between the age of 18 and 25 years, realise that you have been short changed by your parents or the people you dearly depended upon for growing up to be a go-getter. Then this book is right up your stinking dark alley. You can now become the crude and rude person you always wanted to be. I am not sure of your success, though.

This book is like a field mine, especially, for impressionable youngsters… don’t go anywhere near it.

mbfarookh ©