Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self

The key on the cover of Shobeir Shobeyri's debut book “Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self” intrigued me to find out what treasures could be unlocked inside.

The book is an abstract stream of consciousness/manifesto of sorts about society's quest for happiness.

The author contemplates on religion, Gnostic principles like the belief we are on earth to experience both the good and bad in life and philosophical concepts such as ego and humanity. The author frequently draws on their own life experiences and perspectives to illustrate examples of their philosophical beliefs. I enjoyed reading some of the side stories like “The Story of The Waiter” and many of the author's notes provided some interesting food for thought.

While the author had some engaging ideas, they could benefit from considering that not all readers are coming from the same perspectives and life experiences as they are. The chapter “4th Principle of Humanity” chapter on sexism made generalizations about men and women and their ‘desires' that did not take into account the perspectives of women or LGBTQ+ readers. That particular chapter was quite uncomfortable to read at best.

Overall, I feel a three star review is warranted because I appreciate the author's enthusiasm and overall message of empowerment and bettering one's self. It is evident that the author is well-read and passionate about their beliefs. They put considerable effort into organizing and categorizing their philosophies into a book that will offer readers insight into a wide range of belief systems. A unique effort.