Alberta Review: Be Badass
A new book from an amazing woman - with a contribution from myself
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A few months ago, my former boss and all-around amazing human being, Jacquie Fenske, approached me to tell a story about my life for a book she was working on. She called it Be Badass and wanted to collect the stories of some of the people in her life who she felt were inspiring, interesting, and had pushed boundaries in thier lives to succeed. It was an honour for her to ask me to submit a chapter. Here is the forward, which sums up well her purpose for the book:
This collaboration is an opportunity to meet some badass leaders.
To quote Will Rogers, “We can expand our knowledge in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people.”
We are all very fortunate that these authors said ‘yes’ to sharing their stories so you can read about their journeys. I am immeasurably fortunate because I have the opportunity to associate with each one of them.
“They don’t sit back. They don’t shut up. They make big moves, and they raise others along with them.” - Lyn Christian.
They are badass. Some do so in quieter ways than others, but they have all demonstrated through creativity, resiliency and by leveraging their strengths that they ‘can’... And they have. They have moved from ideas to actions. They tackle the hard things with a focus on a bigger purpose and goal in life than themselves. They never demand attention. The attention they get is earned through respect that comes from their actions. Are they afraid? Of course. We all feel fear. It’s healthy. But they are dogged in their pursuit of reaching their goal only to set another goal and another. They face their fears head-on. They are unpredictable. Intimidating. They are awesome. They are hell-bent to live life to the fullest. They are Badass.
Today that book goes on sale. You can purchase the e-book here.
As a teaser, I wanted to share with you the first bit of my own chapter, titled "Anyone Can Cook.” I hope you enjoy it.
"If you want to succeed in society, you have to let yourself learn a lot of things you already know from people who don't know anything about them," - Nicolas Chamfort.
Writing, especially good writing, is essentially a series of definitions. What does a word, term, action, or event truly mean? What does it mean to the writer, to society, or to the people who make decisions (whether they should or not is a matter for another time)?
At the same time, this fight over definitions, which is the defining act of being human, is too often an act of gatekeeping. Just as those referenced in my opening quote gatekeep by not knowing things and acting as if they understand them profoundly, too many people, in academia, media, or politics, gatekeep by keeping definitions to themselves in their closed little clique.
As Jonah Goldberg, a wonderfully transgressive conservative writer, puts it:
"A lot of philosophical verbiage—particularly for intellectuals who believe that philosophy should be used as a weapon or tool of political engagement—is intended to buy authority unearned by argument. The language used to justify their power also serves to protect their authority to use it. If you don't know the right terms, you're not one of us, and therefore you can't be part of our project and can't criticize it either. Jargon is both gnosis and shibboleth all at once.”
So there are two sides of the same coin—groups of self- appointed gatekeepers who use definitions to lord over others. And it is in opposition to both that I offer my definition of badass.
Being a badass is ignoring Chamfort's advice. It is taking command of a conversation regardless of social status. This is not a call to be rude, but an understanding that we are all equal and that your thoughts and opinions—if validated by reality, of course—matter as much as your betters. Anyone can cook, as they say.
This is no new concept. Speaking truth to power is a surefire way to get in trouble as much as it is a path to prosperity. It is about much more than simply being a Cassandra. Being ignorant or arrogant gets you nowhere—those who need to hear that truth will too easily dismiss the vulgar.
This means that, unfortunately, you must suffer that too self-important person telling you inaccurate details about something you know much more about but turning that conversation to instead inform them of their misreading or the like.
For those inclined to overly complicate or intellectualize common sense or common topics, a simple "So what you really mean?" often suffices.
So, while the term badass connotes a James Dean-like approach to authority—whaddya got—to me, in my experience, it requires some balance, some nuance, some persuasion, and, most importantly, a lot of pride- swallowing. More like Rick Blaine if we're to keep to the great movie comparisons.
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