Tryin´ Hard to Mellow Out treats serious subjects lightly. If follows from Arnold´s notion that people can do serious work exceptionally well best in an atmosphere of fun. Creativity and humor provide that atmosphere. Writers know that sex and violence are the elements of a good story. Arnold´s Tryin´ Hard uses both to communicate—along with satire. His section on Change, Governance, and Perspective is filled with both as you might expect when politicians are key elements. His section on Help for Leaders and Followers is filled with both when political leaders and news media are featured. It´s a Strange World Today is filled with both as the unusual connections between us all are observed. Looking to the Future shows the expectation and hope that both sex and violence will continue to be with us in the future. Arnold has other fun treatments of serious subjects. The Fallback Position "for Managers and Others Who May Be Fired at a Moment´s Notice by an Employer with the Potential to be Completely Unfair, Unreasonable, and Inconsiderate." It was written for those in danger of being right-sized, down-sized, and re-organized out of a job.

ジョン・エメリー・アーノルドは、社会の歪みを「深刻な事柄ほど軽妙に扱う」という逆説的な美学で切り裂きます。権力や雇用不安といった重苦しい題材を、性や暴力、鋭い風刺で包み込む文体は、読者に不敵な笑いと深い内省を同時に突きつけます。ユーモアを武器に混沌とした世界を生き抜くための知性は、まさに文学的処世術の極致です。 映像版では、原作の知的な毒気が鮮烈な視覚表現へと昇華されました。活字ならではの心理的な深掘りと、映像がもたらす風刺のスピード感が融合するシナジーは圧巻です。画面上の皮肉を堪能した後に、原典の行間に潜む「真剣に遊ぶ勇気」を再発見する体験は、現代を生きる我々に強烈な刺激と解放感を与えてくれるはずです。