It Takes a Lot of Courage to Be a Contrarian

In a world that rewards conformity, being a contrarian isn't just bold—it's downright heroic. Picture this: You're in a boardroom. An idea is proposed that is clearly off the wall, but to your surprise one by one everyone around the table affirms that this is a good idea, nodding along in agreement. When it's your turn, do you zip it or say, "Wait, this is silly." Or, more tactfully, you suggest that they are pros and cons to everything and you suggest there may be another way to look at this.

Hearts race, eyes narrow. Why? Because challenging the status quo demands courage—the kind that separates visionaries from the herd. 

History is littered with contrarians who reshaped our world. Galileo stared down the Inquisition, insisting the Earth orbited the Sun, not vice versa. He faced house arrest, yet his defiance made a significant contribution to modern astronomy. 

Fast-forward to 2008. Michael Burry, the investor immortalized in The Big Short, bet against the housing market when Wall Street laughed him off. Labeled a lunatic, he profited billions while the economy crumbled. Or consider Rosa Parks, whose simple refusal to move sparked the Civil Rights Movement. These weren't reckless rebels, brave souls who put something on the line to go against tradition.

So, why does contrarianism require such guts? First, the social sting. Humans are wired for belonging. Dissent risks isolation, mockery, or (in our social media age) worse—cancellation. Second, there's a personal toll. Doubt creeps in when you're the lone voice. Self-doubt whispers, "What if I'm wrong?" Or perhaps the more common response, "Is this my line in the sand? Is this an issue I want to be a martyr for?"

It's challenging to stand alone, and sometimes costly. See (or read) Ibsen's An Enemy of the People.

When others are hugging the status quo, being contrarian can be the driving force of innovation. Steve Jobs bucked the trend of button-heavy phones with the iPhone, turning Apple into a trillion-dollar titan. Warren Buffett thrived by zigging when others zag, famously advising to "be fearful when others are greedy."

Being contrarian isn't about being difficult—it's about integrity. It takes courage to question echo chambers, whether in politics, business, or daily life. (Where are the individualist voices in the GOP or Dem parties? What is all this unapologetic party lockstep alignment about?) 

As for courage, yes, it's necessary. Why do we hold back? Someone once said courage is like a muscle that is strengthened with use. And like a virus, it's contagious.

Embrace the discomfort. The world needs more contrarians—not to divide, but to elevate us.  

Illustration: A Gemini 2.5 modified version of one of my doodle drawings.

The Increasing Normalization of Censorship and Canceling

"Fantasia" -- Collaboration with Dream by Wombo

The title of this blog post comes from an interview with Jordan Peterson titled Jordan Peterson: The radical Left is guilt-tripping the West into oblivion.

The description for this podcast: Dr Jordan Peterson discusses how to win the culture war, with insights from Soviet and Nazi dissidents who stood up against tyranny and compares their struggles with clampdowns on free speech today. He sits down with The Telegraph’s Steven Edginton in a wide-ranging discussion from why Britain was a miracle for the world to whether he is addicted to Twitter.

Best quote so far: "Courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought."

* * * * *

I continue to be fascinated with the ways AI can be used. The above was my intro to a blog post about a Jordan Peterson interview with Steve Edginton. You can read what I began to write initially. I intended to draw attention to some insightful quotes. The first that jumped out at me is cited above.

Then I changed my intent by having ChatGPT rewrite the same introductory comments but in different styles. Here are the results of making this request. 

Formal and Analytical Style:
In this thought-provoking podcast, Dr. Jordan Peterson delves into the strategies for prevailing in the ongoing cultural conflict, drawing upon the experiences of dissidents from the Soviet and Nazi regimes who bravely opposed oppression. By juxtaposing their struggles with contemporary challenges to free speech, Peterson provides insightful commentary on the current state of societal discourse. In an engaging conversation with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, topics range from the exceptionalism of Britain on the global stage to Peterson's contemplation on his own relationship with social media, including his reflections on the scarcity of genuine courage in today's world. Amidst this exploration, Peterson's observation that "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" resonates as a poignant reflection on the complexities of human nature.

Conversational and Reflective Style:
So, picture this: Dr. Jordan Peterson, right? He's diving deep into this podcast, talking all about how we can actually win this whole culture war thing. And get this – he's using stories from these real-life heroes who stood up against some seriously messed-up regimes like the Soviets and Nazis. It's wild, man. Plus, he's chatting it up with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, shooting the breeze about everything from why Britain's kinda like this miracle for the world to whether Peterson's got, like, a Twitter addiction. And hey, you know what's got me thinking? That line he drops about how "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" – it's hitting me right in the feels, you know?

Sensational and Provocative Style:
Brace yourselves for the ultimate showdown in this electrifying podcast as Dr. Jordan Peterson unveils the secrets to victory in the culture war! Prepare to be blown away as Peterson draws inspiration from the harrowing tales of dissidents who dared to defy tyranny under the shadows of Soviet and Nazi rule. But hold onto your hats, folks, because the shock doesn't stop there – Peterson isn't afraid to tackle the hot-button issue of free speech crackdowns head-on! And in a no-holds-barred interview with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, Peterson spills the tea on everything from Britain's global significance to his own social media habits. And if you thought you'd heard it all, think again – Peterson's revelation that "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" will leave you on the edge of your seat, questioning everything you thought you knew!

* * * * *

So, what's the point? My intent was actually to share this observation: it takes courage to speak out and take a stand. Would you agree? 

Related Link: What Good Am I?

What good am I if I know and don’t do If I see and don’t say, if I look right through you --Bob Dylan

Flashback Friday: Ida B. Wells, Courage Personified

Ida Bell Wells

Courage Made Her Influential
Originally published Jan. 2020

Last week when I shared A Little Girl’s Dream on my blog here, it prompted me to become more familiar with the stories of African Americans who were early pioneers in the pursuit of freedom and justice. Many of their names were familiar to me but I knew very few of their stories, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman preeminent examples.

While doing research this week for Black History Month (Feb 1-29) I came across a list titled the 100 Greatest Books by African American Women. It was an enlightening read. This blog post, featuring one of the women in this book, two years ago on Dr. Martin Luther King Day.

* * * *
Ida born into slavery in 1862 during the Civil War in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Her parents were slaves till the 13th Amendment freed them after the war. In 1877 a yellow fever epidemic killed both of her parents while she was away visiting her grandmother.

The authorities would have split the family but she said she could raise her younger siblings, and took a test that enabled her to get a teaching job. Her only previous experience was teaching her younger brothers and sister.

One day Ida took a seat on a train but was forcibly removed to the smoking car. She sued the railroad and actually won a $500 settlement. The headline in the papers read, “Darkey Damsel Gets Damages.”

Naturally, the railroad didn’t like that outcome and took the matter to a higher court where the decision was reversed.

Ida wrote about these experiences for her church newspaper The Living Way, and even though she never received the money, she saw the impact her writing had on people who reacted to what she wrote. She was learning the power of the written word. In 1889 she became part owner of a black-owned newspaper called Free Speech and Headlight. For two more years she also continued teaching until she was dismissed for writing about conditions at the black schools.

Ida learned early the power of the written word, but it was her courage that most stands out. She wrote about what she saw in order that others would know what was going on.

Ida had friends who ran a black grocery store called The People’s Grocery, which was in competition with a white grocery store. An incident occurred which escalated. Three black men were taken to jail. Then, in the middle of the night 75 masked men came, took them from the Shelby County Jail and shot them dead.

It was this event that led Ida to begin investigating and writing about lynchings. After writing an editorial about another incident, her newspaper office was burned to the ground.

Ida married in Chicago and raised a family there.

Ida was in New York at the time her office was looted and destroyed. She was urged not to return and began writing from up North. She later moved to Chicago.

In 1892 Ida Wells began publishing her lynching research in pamphlet form It was titled Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases. The following year her lynching research was compiled in a book titled The Red Record. Frederick Douglass wrote the introduction.

She was invited to speak in England and Scotland. She spoke with eloquence and passion about the unfair treatment of blacks. Her pamphlets included disturbing photos of actual lynchings.

Ida claimed that "ten thousand Negroes have been killed in cold blood, [through lynching] without the formality of judicial trial and legal execution." She believed that the massive rise in such killing after the Civil War was because previous to the war Blacks had more value as “property” of the slaveholders.

Ida found support from white women involved with the battle for women’s rights, becoming friends with Susan B. Anthony and others in the movement.

In 1928 she began working on her autobiography, but it was never finished. She died in 1930 after an influential career. Her story was published posthumously four decades later in 1970. For more than half a century she used her writing skills to promote freedom, safety, and justice.

* * * *
Information for this brief bio came from the Walter Dean Myers' book Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told and Wikipedia.

Related Link

Strange Fruit

 

Trivia: Have you seen those shiny new quarters with Maya Angelou on them?

Profiles in Courage: Breaking Records and Breaking Barriers in Pro Sports--Henry Aaron, Jim Brown, Marion Motley

I saw all three of these heroes in the 1963 All Star Game.

Hank Aaron passed away today. The headline of the AP news story reads, "Hank Aaron, the baseball legend who endured racist threats with stoic dignity as he broke Babe Ruth's home run record, has died at 86."

The title is heartbreaking because it says so much about the cruelty many of our black heroes were experiencing while we cheered for them from the stands. The story, if you are unfamiliar with it, was that as the veteran all-star Aaron was approaching Babe Ruth's home run record, he began getting death threats. 

This was not in the news, but did come out later. It is an appalling commentary of our nation. It took courage to go out there and do the work he'd be called to do. 

 It also brings to mind for me some other stories from sports history.

An Aside: My favorite player of the era was the Puerto Rican star from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Roberto Clemente. Sometime in the mid-Sixties I sent him a letter and said how much I appreciated him (or something to that effect.) He sent me a note and an autographed photo of himself. The striking thing about that was that this was not a publicity still or a professionally printed photo made for signing. It looked like a page from a magazine that was cutout and signed with a ballpoint pen. I had that photo on the bulletin board in my room all through high school.

Henry Aaron influenced me, too. I had read a long article in Sports Illustrated about his consistency as a player. The sportswriter described how Aaron's power was in his wrists. Because I was determined to be a baseball player one day--had been playing seemingly every day since 7--I used to work out a lot. Our coach of the freshman team at BRHS-Wet shared an exercise that was designed to strengthen your wrists and I took it to heart based on the Aaron article. There is no sweeter sound than the crack of a bat on a ball the lines into the outfield and it's done with a flick of the wrists.  

* * * 

Marion Motley and Jimmy Brown

Nearly everyone knows the story of how Jackie Robinson was the first African American to cross into the Majors from the Negro  Leagues in baseball. Football stories are less well known.

When I read Jimmy Brown's autobiography years ago, he told stories about some of the tricks white opponents from the Jim Crow South did to hurt him. For example, when he was tackled, they would sometimes have a fistful of dirt, sand or whatever and fling it into his eyes while he was on the ground under a pile where the refs couldn't see.

In preparation for last Sunday's playoff game between the Browns and the KC Chiefs, I decided to watch a "History of the Cleveland Browns" DVD that I have. Every Browns fan should own a copy. It would make you proud. Paul Brown, founder and first head coach of the team, is one of the truly great coaches in NFL history. Many of his innovations are still in use today.

Paul Brown took the lead in bringing black players into pro football. It seemed strange to him that these men who fought for our country in WW2 could not participate in pro sports. In 1946, the year before Jackie Robinson crossed the color barrier in baseball, Paul Brown recruited three Negro players, among them the powerful running back Marion Motley.

Motley and the Browns were the best in the game for many years, but few knew the challenges he had to deal with. Again, just one anecdote tells a lot. Football is a very physical game, and normally the goal is to tackle the guy running with the ball. Sometimes, however, the white boys on the other team took a different approach. Instead of tackling him they would hold him up to keep him from falling, pummeling his body with their fists. 

I only learned about this from the documentary, which I'd watched before but with fresh eyes again last weekend.

Here's some football trivia you may not know. As you know, there are many arguments about who is the greatest this or greatest that. I did a research paper on who is the greatest baseball player of all time. The first step is to establish criteria.

That being said, who was the greatest running back of all time? It could be argued that the player who has the most rushing yards in a season is the top dawg. But as we know, today they play more games in a season than they used to. Today's rushers get four extra games in a season.

My favorite player was Jimmy Brown. Over the last half century I have compared all highly touted running backs against Brown. Here is a stat worthy of note: most yards per game, lifetime. No player in NFL history has averaged more than 100 yards per game, except Jimmy Brown. 

Interestingly, Marion Motley, the Cleveland Browns running back who preceded brown, set another record that no other running back has ever broken: most yards per carry average, lifetime. Motley averaged 5.7 yards rushing every time he touched the ball. 

* * * 

These two stories came to mind when I learned of Hank Aaron's passing today. They were heroic not just for the achievements on the field, but for the character they displayed. 

In his Hall of Fame acceptance speech Henry "Hank" Aaron said, "A man's ability is only limited by his lack of opportunity." These are words to ponder well and take to heart.

Photo courtesy Gary Firstenberg

* * * 

The Mirror of Our Acts Reveals Who We Are

"...leaning over the mirror of our acts, our souls will recognize what we are."
--Andre Gide, Journals

For nearly all of us mirrors play a role in our morning rituals. Whether for shaving or make-up, fixing one's hair or straightening one's tie, the mirror is a useful tool, presenting to our eyes a true reflection of what is there so we can fix it as we primp and preen.

On other occasions, a reassuring glance in the mirror before a job interview or an important date gives us confidence that at least the external things are taken care of -- our hair isn't mussed, collar turned right, no food crumbs on our chin.

At the end of the day there's another mirror which is equally valuable to us, and perhaps even more so once we practice using it. We can call it the mirror of our acts. As we quiet ourselves and reflect on the day, we discover that our actions reveal our souls as surely as the bathroom mirror reveals our faces.

The mirror of our acts reveals us as we truly are, giving a more precise picture of ourselves than we may wish to see. For it reveals not only our strengths, but also our limitations; it shows not only our inward beauty, but also the defects that mar that beauty. When I look back on my day, standing honestly before this mirror of my soul, what do I truly see reflected there? Thoughtfulness and sensitivity? Selfishness? Duplicity and deceit? Laziness? Industriousness? Courage? Courtesy? Foolish pride? Pettiness? The character defects we see need not discourage us. Recognizing one's shortcomings is the essential first step to the cure.

Taking time for reflection is an essential facet of personal growth, as important to our souls as diet and exercise are for our bodies. Whether it be at day's end, the middle of the night or early dawn, it can be a most useful tool to help us grow to our full stature as human beings.

* * * *

The above originally appeared in my unpublished 1993 devotional Nightfall: A Time To Reflect at the End of the Day and was re-published here on my blog in January 2017.

* * * *
BONUS TRACK
Susie got a Kia Soul last week at The Duke Boys in Duluth. The result has been a lot of punning around. Here are a few one liners you might enjoy.
--Don't sell your Soul to the devil, sell it to The Duke Boys.
--When we found the car we began telling people she finally found her Soul.
--When I received the insurance documents for the glove box, I said, "It's a sad age we live in when you have to have paperwork for your Soul.
--When she visited our grandson, daughter and son-in-law in Iowa, we said she was just going wherever her Soul takes her.
--Like many modern vehicles due there's a thermometer reading on the dashboard. Susie can always know the temperature of her Soul.
--And when she saw a billboard that said, "Gardening feeds your soul" she replied, "No, my Soul runs on gasoline."

Alas. The temp on our thermometer today was 30 below. Stay warm.

Courage Made Her Influential: Ida B. Wells

Ida Bell Wells

Last week when I shared A Little Girl’s Dream on my blog here, it prompted me to become more familiar with the stories of African Americans who were early pioneers in the pursuit of freedom and justice. Many of their names were familiar to me but I knew very few of their stories, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman preeminent examples.

While doing research this week for Black History Month (Feb 1-29) I came across a list titled the 100 Greatest Books by African American Women. It was an enlightening read. This blog post today on Dr. Martin Luther King Day is about one of these women, Ida Bell Wells.

* * * *
Ida born into slavery in 1862 during the Civil War in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Her parents were slaves till the 13th Amendment freed them after the war. In 1877 a yellow fever epidemic killed both of her parents while she was away visiting her grandmother.

The authorities would have split the family but she said she could raise her younger siblings, and took a test that enabled her to get a teaching job. Her only previous experience was teaching her younger brothers and sister.

One day Ida took a seat on a train but was forcibly removed to the smoking car. She sued the railroad and actually won a $500 settlement. The headline in the papers read, “Darkey Damsel Gets Damages.”

Naturally, the railroad didn’t like that outcome and took the matter to a higher court where the decision was reversed.

Ida wrote about these experiences for her church newspaper The Living Way, and even though she never received the money, she saw the impact her writing had on people who reacted to what she wrote. She was learning the power of the written word. In 1889 she became part owner of a black-owned newspaper called Free Speech and Headlight. For two more years she also continued teaching until she was dismissed for writing about conditions at the black schools.

Ida learned early the power of the written word, but it was her courage that most stands out. She wrote about what she saw in order that others would know what was going on.

Ida had friends who ran a black grocery store called The People’s Grocery, which was in competition with a white grocery store. An incident occurred which escalated. Three black men were taken to jail. Then, in the middle of the night 75 masked men came, took them from the Shelby County Jail and shot them dead.

It was this event that led Ida to begin investigating and writing about lynchings. After writing an editorial about another incident, her newspaper office was burned to the ground.

Ida married in Chicago and raised a family there.

Ida was in New York at the time her office was looted and destroyed. She was urged not to return and began writing from up North. She later moved to Chicago.

In 1892 Ida Wells began publishing her lynching research in pamphlet form It was titled Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases. The following year her lynching research was compiled in a book titled The Red Record. Frederick Douglass wrote the introduction.

She was invited to speak in England and Scotland. She spoke with eloquence and passion about the unfair treatment of blacks. Her pamphlets included disturbing photos of actual lynchings.

Ida claimed that "ten thousand Negroes have been killed in cold blood, [through lynching] without the formality of judicial trial and legal execution." She believed that the massive rise in such killing after the Civil War was because previous to the war Blacks had more value as “property” of the slaveholders.

Ida found support from white women involved with the battle for women’s rights, becoming friends with Susan B. Anthony and others in the movement.

In 1928 she began working on her autobiography, but it was never finished. She died in 1930 after an influential career. Her story was published posthumously four decades later in 1970. For more than half a century she used her writing skills to promote freedom, safety, and justice.

* * * *
Information for this brief bio came from the Walter Dean Myers' book Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told and Wikipedia.

Related Links
12 Facts About Marting Luther King, Jr. That You May Not Know
Who Killed Dr. Martin Luther King?

The One Who Gets Things Done

When I was a kid Westerns were a big part of the television landscape. Roy Rogers, Sky King, Maverick, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Hopalong Cassidy, The Rifleman, Bonanza... there were a bunch of them. The silver screen had ample Western fare as well, the finest of these being The Magnificent Seven, because these guys were just so bad. Shane, too. And, well, Gregory Peck was just so cool in The Gunfighter. High Noon? Sure we'll put it on the list. OK, so we'll add Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns. You like the Duke. Fine, pick a favorite.

Anyways, this all came to mind because last night I was thinking about Have Gun - Will Travel, starring Richard Boone. What an interesting name for a show. Its origin came from real life newspaper advertisements. You got a problem? The ad catches your eye: "Have Gun - Will Travel."

So exquisitely simple, so direct. When you have a problem, you want the one who gets things done. The one who is not afraid. The one who is willing to go out of his way. The one who will stay on the trail till it reaches an end.

This is what's needed in business today, people who are committed, people willing to go the extra mile, two miles, two thousand miles. People who also have the tools, and who know how to use them. People willing to take risks, people with courage.

Have Gun - Will Travel. 

The lead character's name was Paladin, played by Richard Boone. You look at his face here and you know he's a serious man. The name Paladin was a nod to the foremost knight warriors in Charlemagne's court.

In the show Paladin was a top tier mercenary gunfighter whose services didn't come cheap, but he also did pro bono work for poor folk who couldn't afford him.

Paladin was not just a common gunslinger out for blood. Whenever possible he preferred to settle grievances without resorting to violence. Fists when necessary, before bullets. He was also skilled in martial arts as well as being an excellent swordsman. And yes, he was a fine chess player, as the emblem on his card might suggest. Hunting down outlaws would undoubtedly require a certain amount of calculation, anticipation and measured action, as in chess.

* * * *
At the end of the day, who are the ones who get things done in your organization? Who are the ones you can rely on in your circle of friends?