It’s entirely rare that I read a book that I really, really wish that I had written. Rarer still is when the book in question is written by a populist writer. Not because I view myself as contrarian, elitist or snobbish per se (recognizing the likely irony inherent in someone using the term ‘per se’ in an argument that they’re not elitist) but because my tastes so rarely seem to align with those of the larger crowd (hence my dismay at the cancellation of nearly everything that Joss Whedon has produced).
Linchpin is that book. Seth Godin is that writer. Most interesting for me is the fact that he blends so many ideas and disciplines so seamlessly. From the nature of work to the psychology of fear to the inherent belief that we are all capable of being artists, Godin weaves a rich tapestry of ideas into a compelling argument for personal change.
Most importantly, his view is that this is not a change we have to wait around for until conditions are right and we are all allowed to make it. On the contrary, it is up to us to define the conditions behind how we work, and to create the space – or accept the compliance – associated with the circumstances that we accept.
The ideas are bold, the suggestions are provocative and taking them requires courage. Reason enough that many won’t find his prescription compelling, and will retreat into their worlds of complacency, comfort and compliance. So be it. He didn’t write this book for them. If they read it and can’t see themselves in his solutions, then not for them is the world o boldness, risk taking and the willingness to define a different path.
For those of you who are prepared, who are willing and who simply need the spark of creation, then this is your book.
Caveat emptor, however. Reading this book may fundamentally alter your perspective. To quote Oliver Wendell Holmes, ”Man’s mind, stretched by a new idea, never goes back to its original dimensions.