In this blog post, I will briefly introduce Kang Jun-man’s *Ask Your Soul (Aphorisms for Happiness)* and summarize my main impressions and the book’s key features.

Writing Style and Structure

While Kang Jun-man’s past writings were combative and direct, perhaps due to the weight of time, this book adopts a much softer tone—even using honorifics—that evokes a sense of the transience of life.
Regarding the ordinary problems we encounter as we navigate the world, the author skillfully weaves in quotes from celebrities and intellectuals to enhance the text’s appeal. Covering 50 themes, he avoids conventional answers for each topic and offers a fresh perspective through his unique lens.
Topics range from flattery, sycophancy, pride, honesty, hypocrisy, rejection, emotions, sadness, self-love, power, courage, and walks to the soul. Like a skilled chef preparing a dish, the author’s writing—deliciously crafted from the tip of his pen—evokes freshness along with deep thought and reflection.
This book is a quick read, yet it’s the kind you’ll want to keep by your side and revisit many times. That’s because it offers wisdom for navigating life and helps individuals lead happier lives.

Key Examples and Reflections

In fact, a significant driving force behind capitalism stems from comparison with others. It is precisely because there is someone to compare ourselves to that we strive to surpass them and grow. However, there are significant individual differences in human ability, and some people simply cannot succeed no matter how hard they try. Such people feel their lives are unhappy.
Even people who seem enviable to others feel intimidated when they see someone who is one step ahead of them. This is because comparison is endless. Instead of comparing yourself to others, why not highlight and focus only on the things you’ve done well and the positive aspects of your own life? Doing so will bring peace of mind, reduce the need to compare yourself to others, and allow you to live a life filled with confidence.
Chapter 4, titled “Don’t Be Fooled by the Lie That ‘Honesty Is Good,’” features the story of Jack Welch, former CEO of GE. He created a compensation plan and code of conduct designed to encourage employees to be honest, but these measures were out of touch with the realities of corporate life. For example, one might picture a boss who says, “Order whatever you want,” at a company dinner, only to then declare, “I’ll have the jajangmyeon!” Jack Welch was also nicknamed the “neutron bomb” due to his record of laying off 112,000 employees during his tenure. The author raises the question: Can a powerless employee truly be honest in front of such a person?
Our souls often show leniency by turning a blind eye to small matters, but they never turn a blind eye to major issues. Most people believe that even if they live without a soul, they have merely covered it with a blanket—they haven’t killed it. The message running throughout the book is that when we truly feel something is wrong, we must all ask our own souls.
Right now, South Korea is filled with gloomy news, both domestically and internationally, due to COVID-19. In times like these, *Ask Your Soul* seems like a book that will serve as a source of vitality, embracing both your soul and your body. I hope that, especially during difficult times, you will not lose heart but overcome the crisis through positive thinking and reading.