The pace of modern life is accelerating. To keep up, we must keep on moving and adapting – constantly striving for greater happiness and success. Or so we are told. But the demands of life in the fast lane come at a price: stress, fatigue and depression are at an all-time high, while our social interactions have become increasingly self-serving and opportunistic.

How can we resist today's obsession with introspection and self-improvement? In this witty and bestselling book, Danish philosopher and psychologist Svend Brinkmann argues that we must not be afraid to reject the self-help mantra and 'stand firm'. The secret to a happier life lies not in finding your inner self but in coming to terms with yourself in order to coexist peacefully with others. By encouraging us to stand firm and get a foothold in life, this vibrant anti-self-help guide offers a compelling alternative to life coaching, positive thinking and the need always to say 'yes!'

Svend Brinkmann was living the relatively sedate life of a professor of psychology at Aalborg University when Stand Firm was published. The book was an overnight sensation in Denmark and catapulted him into the media limelight as a leading public intellectual and cultural critic. Svend now travels widely to host events and lecture on the big questions of modern life. He has featured in several documentaries, and presented Live Fast on Danish television and the Meaningful Life series on national radio.

Acknowledgements

Introduction
1. Cut out the navel-gazing
2. Focus on the negative in your life
3. Put on the No hat
4. Suppress your feelings
5. Sack your coach
6. Read a novel ? not a self-help book or biography
7. Dwell on the past

Notes