Recently I noticed a review on one of my Audio Books on Audible.com.
The Reader had a big problem with my view on masculinity, success and specifically had big problems with my Selfishness and Obsession with getting rich.
In general, the guy just doesn't like my views on living life.
When you create any work you expect criticism.
I have no problem with that and its part being an artist/entrepreneur, writer or any type of creative.
So good review or bad review its all part of the process.
The review does not bother me, however, it did remind me of the strange times we live in now and how mediocrity and weakness have taken hold of our culture.
Here is a part of the review (you can read the whole review here) where the reader goes after me:
“It also says that the ‘biggest responsibility' is for a man to be rich.To make a lot of money. Not serving, protecting, honoring, caring, supporting or anything like that. Getting rich.”
Firstly if you are law enforcement or military I love you guys.
I have the highest respect for men and women in uniform. (So if you choose to serve and protect then good for you and thanks for your service.)
However, if you are part of the majority of men that are trying to make a living on this planet then you need to get rich.
And yes even if you are in uniform make it a side hustle to get your money right.
I'm not sorry for taking my financial success seriously and I'm not sorry for being selfish.
I am not sorry because i am obsessed with winning.
This review has a problem with me being responsible for my optimal survival on this planet.
I am never going to say sorry for my survival and success.
Never!
Selfishness Misunderstood
When I talk about being selfish in my books or articles I don't mean be a douchbag.
I don't mean go out there and be an ass and hurt people.
However, I do mean put yourself first and be unemotional about it.
You can not make big improvements and reach your goals if you don't put yourself first.
Let me ask you this if you don't put yourself first how will things turn out for you?
So imagine you put everyone else ahead of yourself.
You put your goals and success on the back burner and you just help others.
You just play nice and say sorry for being a man.
So you become weak and poor and you can't help anybody.
But the worst thing is you can't even help yourself.
You cant give yourself and the people around you the best life possible.
You can't go out into the world and give a million dollars to charity because you are poor.
Now the look at the opposite.
I'm Selfish to become rich.
I'm building my myself and empire.
To build something of strength and meaning takes time and effort.
In fact, it takes so much time, effort, and self-discipline that most people don't even try it.
All they see is a “selfish man” obsessed with his own life.
But where are the critics when he donates thousands of dollars a month to various charities and causes?
Where are the critics when he pics up the bills or creates hundreds of jobs and creates wealth for others?
Anything of real value in this world only comes into reality if you put yourself first.
This means everyone comes behind your mission.
This means my girlfriend/wife/children/family everyone is number 2, my mission is number 1.
I am obsessed with that mission. It's not because I don't love my people that I put them at number 2.
It's the exact opposite.
The reason my mission is number 1 is that I care about my success and I love my girlfriend and family.
I am selfish so that in the future I don't need to be.
The Misunderstanding Of Success
So here is the misunderstanding of being successful.
People will criticize people for it and go after them.
So they will become nice and kind and put everyone else first.They give up on success.
But where are they when the community needs them to donate money or help their family when they get sick?
Then they can't be of service.
Why?
Because they weren't selfish when they needed to be.
We Can't Afford To Be Careless
“I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can be careless. But not men.”
– Don Corleone, The Godfather
As a man, you cannot lose focus and become careless.
This Brings me to another point of Criticism in the review.
The guy goes on to say this about my book:
“There is also a whole lot of outdated and wrong ‘women are emotional and you shouldn't be emotional, men are rational' type discussions.”
So apparently women are not emotional but men should be more emotional?
Is that what this guy is saying?
Well, of course, women can be rational and men can be emotional.
My point is that women, in general, are more emotional than men.
And men are more rational in general.
That is not to say men don't act like idiots and become too emotional, of course, they do.(this guy proves my point)
My view is that we live in a modern world where we have an emotional addiction.
The modern world has made feelings the most important things on the planet.
The modern society is encouraging men to be more emotional and feminine.
At the same time its encouraging women to be more rational and masculine.
This is causing all kinds of problems in society that we are not even beginning to fully understand.
It's making men and women unhappy.
If you are a man its fine to feel emotions but don't get dominated and controlled by them.
The Illusion Of The Modern World
The world has created an illusion of safety and comfort.
There are safe spaces, hugs and participation trophies everywhere.
However, the real world hasn't changed.
The real world is still dangerous, competitive and uncompromising.
The people selling you this garbage of just being nice is the ones profiting from it.
They want unhappy people to binge on Netflix, junk food, buy loads of garbage and other stuff they don't need.
Then when everyone gets sick and unhappy they give them the antidepressants and some other superficial solutions.
Then they can be nice and not selfish.
See how that works?
Do Not Fall For The Trap Of Modern Society
Do not fall for this modern trap of just playing nice.
Yes be a decent human being with honor and live by a code.
But don't be weak, emotionally addicted.
Here is the last bit of truth people don't like to talk about.
If you don't start getting your money right then you will struggle in the future.
If you don't start being selfish you will be the one that is not there for your family and loved ones.
So the truth behind everything is that those calling me selfish are selfish.
They are selfish because they are not looking after the people that matter most.
Getting rich is your duty and your responsibility.
I don't make any excuses for it.
