The goal of this piece was to create a semi-sarcastic guidebook on how to stay miserable, with the idea of showing the audience some of the negative habits they might have and providing a little information on how to combat these habits. The major inspiration for this idea coming from a YouTube video by CGP Grey titled “7 Ways to Maximise Misery,” in which grey analyses these negative habits in a similarly comedic tone. This project is targeted at anyone in lockdown, with an attempt to provide some assistance towards their mental health, while also presenting them with an interesting concept.

The theme of the guidebook follows what is basically a form of religious indoctrination, into a cult that worships misery. The structure takes inspiration from the idea of an explorer’s journal, the text itself reflecting this as if someone is exploring the garden of misery. Using a serious tone, humour is generated from the overall absurdity of the book and what it is covering. With this idea, I wanted to explore having a consistent thematic approach, with all the elements working together to elevate this theme.