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Why Being an Asshole Can Be a Valuable Life Skill
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Why Being an Asshole Can Be a Valuable Life Skill

Mark Manson
Mark Manson, 2018
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

Society perceives agreeable people as warm, tactful and cooperative – all good qualities, of course. But a 2011 study published in the Industrial and Labor Relations Review came up with an interesting finding: Disagreeable people make more money. Mark Manson’s interpretation is that being an “asshole” is an important life skill. He tempers this conclusion with a couple of important caveats. He defines “asshole” as someone who’s willing to be disliked, and only “ethical assholes” need apply. Despite the strong language, getAbstract recommends this article to people who fear their agreeableness is getting in the way of their success.

Take-Aways

  • Agreeable people have a handicap in negotiations, and their agreeableness is often the result of a fear of discomfort, not innate kindness.
  • People who don’t mind being disliked are better at fighting for what they need in negotiation, and often come up with the optimal deal.
  • The world needs “ethical assholes” to protect people from unethical assholes. Ethical assholes need to be comfortable with discomfort.

About the Author

Mark Manson is an entrepreneur and author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life and Models: Attract Women Through Honesty. He blogs at MarkManson.net.

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