What Would Skeletor Do? Diabolical Ways to Master the Universe
What Would Skeletor Do? Diabolical Ways to Master the Universe by Robb Pearlman was a quick pick offered up by one of my more sarcastic friends/watchers, but every now and then, my brain needs a break from the serious, so I figured, what the hell?
This book was a weird cross between graphic novel, solid psychological advice, and cheeky humor. And I pretty much giggle snorted my way through this book in about 30 minutes. It includes pictures from the He-Man cartoon…Skeletor being the villain from He-Man of course.
Solid psychological advice, is to never give up. Which Skeletor never does, which is something to be admired. And sometimes not quitting is evil, wrong-headed, and reprehensible.
So how can never quitting be both good and bad. So people who never quit and took it to a good place would be Oprah Winfrey. JK Rowling…never quit. Awesome!
Negative examples of never quit would be John Hinckley Jr. Mark David Chapman. Date rapists. Serial rapists, murders, serial killers. Are you going to the dark place, like Hinckley or Chapman. Or using the no to inspire yourself to inspire others.
Other bonne mots from the book are “Sometimes friends need your help. If they’re able to ask for it or cry out in agony as the are being carried away by dragosaurs or attacked by swamp beasts. But sometimes, people are too shy or scared to ask for help. Regardless, it’ll take a lot less time and effort on your part if you either ignore them completely, or distance yourself in advance of any of their hardships.”
Well…he’s not wrong. But what kind of person does that make you. Pretty psychotic on the whole, though. On the other hand, sometimes “friends” are so overwhelmingly negative and toxic, you really are better cutting them out of your life completely. Like for example…Skeletor. Do you really need a Skeletor in your life?
I mean, he’s the walking, talking definition of a needy, abusive friend, you’re probably better off kicking him to the curb. So there’s some solid advice here….between the abusive assholery. And however amusing Skeletor may be, I’d have kicked his ass to the curb a long time ago if he were one of my “friends.”
And the whole book is like this…good advice wrapped in “you probably shouldn’t do that unless you’re Skeletor.” Unless it really is good advice.
But it was fun. Then there’s the snarky cheekiness. Like “Mansplaining is necessary, and usually well received.”
“Don’t forget leg day.”
“It’s time you stop subscribing to traditional gender roles. Support girls who play with cars. Encourage boys who play with dolls. Go see a women’s basketball game and pay a man to mop up while wearing a harness and calf high boots.” Which…A plus advice. I would definitely pay a man to mop up while wearing calf high boots.
So part graphic novel, part psychological, part general humor. This book was a tongue in cheek sarcasta-manual on how to live life. It was a very fast 30 minute read that left me wondering: Is this genuinely good advice? Or the outcome of an extremely toxic personality? Skeletors personaly, not Mr. Pearlman's. I have not met Mr. Pearlman. I'm sure he's lovely.
Review was initially posted on YouTube on March 6, 2022, but is now available on Rumble and PodBean.
