Seth Godin - Tribes (7/52)

Yes, yes, I know - I've already read Godin, but I requested this book a few months back and there is over 100 people on the wait list, so I wasn't about to pass up on the chance to read Godin's latest offering, Tribes. If I had to describe Tribes in one sentence, "a call to a action" would be it. Much like The Dip, Godin attempts to agitate those who are floundering or stuck in the status quo to become movers, shakers, and most importantly, leaders.

Godin describes a tribe as "any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea." He argues that in order for these tribes to be successful, or at least effectual in any way, they need to have visionary, energetic and highly dedicated leaders to lead them... and he insists that you are that person. Now you might be thinking, well that's silly! Not everyone can be a leader... and yes, in most cases that's true. Godin admits that timing is very important, and it may be that at this time, you don't have what it takes (skills, attitude, gusto, etc.) to lead, and that's okay. On the other hand, if you want to lead, then you have the opportunity and absolutely must take advantage of it. You probably don't realize that you belong to a heck of a lot of tribes, and that many of them are probably in need of a great leader like you. Your call to action can come from any of the existing tribes you belong to. Failing that, you can always start a new tribe!

One of my favourite parts of the book is the stories Godin includes about real-life people who have stepped up to lead or create tribes and have achieved tremendous success. As an animal lover, my favourite story was of Nathan Winograd, who is an animal rights activist who has taken it upon himself to reform how the SPCA deals with unwanted animals. It's very inspiring to read these stories because they empower you to believe that you can do the same - that you too can grab the reigns, lead and make a huge impact.

One thing that was quite interesting and rather surprising was Godin's focus on highlighting the difference between religion and faith. As a reader, I thought it an odd subject to cover in a book about marketing, but as a Christian, I found it to be very insightful. Basically he argues that the two are at odds because "faith is critical to all innovation" and religion is the "set of rules that... we have overlaid on top of our faith." Since religion supports the status quo, many religious institutions are flailing due to their inability to change, adapt and remain relevant (*cough*CatholicChurch*cough*). I am very lucky to belong to a church that is indeed very dynamic and open to trying new initiatives, but I do wonder how many churchgoers are lit up and impassioned by their faith and how many are simply going through the motions of religion. A church (or for that matter, any tribe) cannot grow and thrive when its followers are participating routinely - they need to be actively involved and engaged so that the church can flourish.

What's interesting is that while Godin is considered a "marketing guru," I have found his books (at least the two that I have read so far) have focused more on self-development and empowerment. When I first heard of him, I figured he would talk about how to effectively sell products and services through promotions and advertising. And I suppose he is doing that, but in this case, the product is YOU. He urges his readers to realize and unleash their potential and provides them with the tools and words of wisdom to create change and make a difference... and in doing so, develop an attractive brand for themselves. It's definitely a cool concept, and one that I'm glad he has undertaken because reading his books have certainly helped me to figure out what kind of person I want to become and plan out the steps I will take to become that person.

Ishmael Beah - A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (6/52)

Ishmael Beah was only 13 years old when he was recruited as a child soldier to fight in the war in Sierra Leone. This is his story. Beah is a marvelous storyteller and though his story on its own is quite compelling, his mastery of words truly brought his story to life.

The experiences Beah recounts are so unbelievable and horrifying that the book is sometimes very difficult to read. When he talks about the first time he killed a man, I got shivers up and down my spine. It is heartbreaking to read Beah's story - to see how such an innocent child was systematically and inhumanely transfomed into a killing machine. It's even more heartbreaking to think that he was only one of thousands upon thousands of children who were forced to commit heinous war atrocities. But Beah's story is not one of heartbreak - in fact, it is one of hope and humanity. Beah proves that light can come from even the darkest of places. In telling his story, he has educated and enlightened the world on the horrifying events that transpired during the war and put into motion the beginnings of rehabilitation and healing.

What I really enjoyed in his memoir were his stories of people uniting and helping each other despite the atmosphere of distrust and fear that the war rebels cultivated and enforced through terror. How he and his friends stuck together through thick and thin, and learned more about life and humanity within the span of a few years than most of us will ever experience in our lifetimes. How the strangers they encountered had lost everything yet still shared what little food or shelter they had.

There isn't really much more I can say about this book, other than please read it. It will change your life and the way you regard humanity.

Chris Hedges - I Don't Believe in Atheists (5/52)

By far this has been one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read. Chris Hedges, who was a foreign correspondent for nearly twenty years for The New York Times and won the Pulitzer Prize in 2002 as part of a team of reporters that covered global terrorism, challenges the tenets of an emerging movement known as "new atheism." Led by Richard Dawkins, Chirstopher Hitchens and Sam Harris, these new atheists believe that moral progression is achieved, not through faith and religion, but through reason and science. As a result, Hedges argues that they have created a new form of fundamentalism that is startingly similar to the religious fundamentalism it means to attack.

The book starts off very intensely, with a long and weighty chapter entitled, "The God Debate." I was initially put off by Hedges' strong language and bold, often repetitive, statements, but I'm glad I stuck it out because he makes some truly compelling arguments. I think part of the reason it took me a while to really get into the book is because it is catered to an American audience. As Canadians, I don't think we've felt the effect of this atheism movement as strongly since it attacks Islamic fundamentalism, which has played a significant role in American foreign policy. Hedges believes that this new movement has emerged to help justify the American occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan under the banner of freedom, civilization and democracy.

These new atheists believe that "we are advancing as a species toward a world that will be made perfect by reason, technology [and] science" (pg. 9). Hedges vehemently disagrees; his main thesis argues that "the belief in collective moral advancement ignores the inherent falws in human nature as well as the tragic reality of human history" (pg. 10). He supports his arguments by referring to great thinkers, philosophers, scientists and authors such as Marcel Proust, Joseph Conrad, Sigmund Freud, Charles Darwin, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Aldous Huxley, the list goes on. Truly it is Hedges' well-articulated arguments, combined with strong evidentiary support and his relevant experience as a foreign correspondent, which required him to live with and learn about the people of the Middle East, that convince his readers of his point of view. Hedges does a great job of informing his readers in the matters of history, politics, religion and science in order for them to fully understand how he came to his assertion and belief that these new atheists are just as destructive and frightening as any Islamic fundamentalist.

What I really enjoyed about Hedges was his ability to remarkably toe the line between science and religion. He is a graduate from seminary of Harvard Divinity School, but is also skeptic of religious institutions, which he argues are too easily corruptible to be trustworthy. In that sense, Hedges is in a unique position to critique both secular and religious fundamentalists without worrying that he has some hidden personal agenda to convert readers to his "side" since he doesn't belong to one. I liked how he presented his arguments and supported them with logic and evidence, without pressing the reader to choose religion or science and reason over the other. Instead he argues in favour of continually investigating new trains of thought to challenge our current ones because we, as humans, are forever evolving and our attitudes always changing, so it is of utmost importance to remain open-minded and avoid absolutist thinking.

I absolutely recommend this book. It really forced me to think about philosophy (I've got some research reading to do!) and the meaning of life in a different way, which was uncomfortably refreshing. Having said that, part of the reason I enjoyed this book so much is because my beliefs are somewhat aligned with Hedges' in that we both believe in religion and science co-existing in a way that isn't fundamentalist or necessarily contradictory. My only complaint about the book (aside from my initial concerns as stated above) is that I felt there were times when Hedges made his scope too wide, including certain aspects that didn't seem to tie in as directly to and therefore detracted from his main thesis. That said, I still recommend this book because even if you don't agree with what he says and he rambles on for longer than is probably needed, it will at least enlighten you to a different point of view and provoke you to think beyond your current philosophies and beliefs. I will probably do a book by Dawkins or Hitchens soon to counter balance this one, so keep a lookout for that in the coming weeks!