One particularly smart structural element of the book is that Schur introduces each chapter with a question (like the above), and the questions increase in complexity throughout. In moral philosophy, a field filled with dense, impenetrable prose, the great thing about Schur’s non-academic background is that his writing is funny, approachable (not a word I have ever associated with philosophy), and relatable. Schur combines his penchant for comedy with discussion of some of the world’s most thorny questions, like “We’ve done some good deeds… so can we take three of these free cheese samples from the free cheese sample plate at the supermarket even though it clearly says ‘one per customer?’” Based on his research for The Good Place, Schur changed writing genres from 30-minute TV comedy to a debut book, How to Be Perfect. After that show concluded, Schur created The Good Place, a show I have not watched that is imbued with concepts from moral philosophy (each character, it seems, embodies a different philosophical strain).

I know of Michael Schur as co-creator of Parks and Recreation, a rare TV show I have watched and enjoyed (minus season 1). This certain class of people might also dearly want to be able to talk about the Trolley Problem or existentialism intelligently with their friends because our friends can or because it’s fun. How to Be Perfect speaks most clearly to a class of rich, highly educated people that both its author, Michael Schur, and I (and perhaps you) fall into: people who want to use their privilege to help others and improve the world rather than to exploit others and serve oneself.

How to be perfect mike schur