Unpopular is often times exactly what is NEEDED.
As the violent protests against the killing of George Floyd rage on across the U.S. with scant if any regard for law and order, PEACEFUL protests, members of their OWN COMMUNITIES — and business and life in general, it seemed to be as apt a time as any to write this.
For what its worth, I don’t care if you’re talking protests (which probably started out as peaceful and then descended into the chaos we see now) or anything else — there is a limit to everything.
Was the killing of George Floyd WRONG?
YES. Obviously.
Should we take action against the guilty officer(s)?
That one is so obvious I’m not even going to dignify the question with a response . . .
But again, and I want to ask people — at what point is enough enough?
Do we simply burn the entire country down to the ground because of the actions of a certain group of people (a MINORITY)?
Do the actions of ONE guilty cop speak for ALL?
I can tell you one damn thing — cops in general have a tough job to do, and (at least in the U.S.) they do it exceedingly well for the most part (and I’m not talking the exceptions to the rule).
I remember one night I was walking back on campus (when I was in college) to my dorms (late at night, around 4AM or so) after an all night programming session, and was stopped by an officer asking to see my ID.
No reason given. None at all.
And yet, the WAY in which he said it was so friendly that I had no option but to pull out my ID’s — both of them, hehe, and show it to him.
“Here you go man”, I said.
“Thanks man”, he replied, handing one of my ID’s back. “I just wanted the student ID”.
He made a quick call.
“Ok, sir, sorry to bother you!” and off he went . . . or was about to, until I spoke again.
“Don’t worry about it buddy. I’m not doing drugs or anything. Got enough on my plate to worry about!”
The officer laughed back, shook my hand, and off he went.
Flash back to another scene outside the dorms where I lived on campus when the cops once “asked me to wait outside” before entering the building.
Being I was in a rush, this ticked me off a bit, but just a little.
I asked why.
“Because someone that looks Hispanic like you just committed a robbery and ran” was the non committal response.
Mine?
Ok, no problem.
In another 10 minutes or so, the officers apparently figured I wasn’t the one, hehe, and said I could leave, while apologizing again.
And I did so.
And the above two are cases that could easily have gone down as “tragic” or at the very least “racial discrimination” cases.
I COULD have jumped up and down about “racism”, if you think about it, and yet, that would be the last thing I’d do.
Things happen for a reason. People say what they do and think what they do for a reason. And while blanket categorization ain’t right, try telling that to the cop who has to solve a crime — or detain a person — often in the spur and HEAT of the moment — with weapons and much else involved.
Sometimes, you just have to co-operate with the cops, and in the vast majority of the “tragic” events, I’ve seen evidence that the person didn’t co-operate at some point.
Am I saying what happened was right?
Am I saying stopping me on campus on “suspicion” was right, and that my white buddy at the time wasn’t stopped?
NO.
But things happen, my friend. And for a reason.
And when things descend to the levels that businesses and normal life across the nation is being destroyed, then it’s time to call a spade a spade and call the people engaging in said activities what they ARE — that being domestic terrorists.
There is NO excuse for the looting and vandalism (and destruction of businesses owned by people of all colors, my friend — in some cases businesses that took years to build).
Hate does NOT go away with more hate (see what Martin Luther King had to say on that).
And while Prez Trump is being pilloried as usual for his statements on bringing the military in — well — to those that are pillorying him — WHERE do we draw a line in the sand?
Obviously the States have not been able to control what is happening, and keep it within LIMITS.
Do we just let the entire country descend into mass chaos and anarchy (not to mention the COVID crisis which hasn’t really been solved as of yet — and no I ain’t advocating more lockdowns!)?
I think NOT.
I think there is a limit to everything, and someone needs to take a stand, and I personally am glad Donald Trump has taken a stand — albeit an unpopular one (but sometimes, as Alan — a guy on my list — once said “unpopular is often what needs to be DONE”).
And YES, and again for what it is worth, this doesnt just apply to life, or handling difficult situations, or life in general.
It applies to FITNESS as well.
A few weeks ago, I made my latest “fitness books” related decision on “Eat More — — Weigh Less” morphing BACK to what it originally was, “Advanced Hill Training”.
(For those interested, I write in various other niches as well, some a lot more than I have for the fitness niche. More on that later though!)
A NICHE course for those truly interested in getting into the best shape of their lives — SUPER quick — and certainly not for the average Joe or the average price shopper out there (though curiously enough, the RESULTS this course will get the average Joe if they just do the thing beg to beggar belief, if I may say so!).
And you’ll remember the case of a person named “Alan” who I’ve spoken about here in this email newsletter before.
You’ll also remember a person named “Linda”, hehe.
Both polar opposites. One who took the time to POLITELY message me and ask me why he was removed from the employment group I administer (one of the best employment resources by the way for you guys looking for JOBS in that part of the world — and yet one of the most unpopular — at least outwardly so — due to my style of administration) … and the other who took the sneaky route and tried to “buy her way back in”, but miserably failed at doing even THAT. Hehe.
I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to guess which is which!
And this would be a good point to bring something up.
If someone disagrees with me, even on something that I have a very STRONG opinion on, but if they do so politely and with restraint, while pointing out the FACTS — guess what.
When people talk in a civilized manner to me — — and a RATIONAL manner — — yours truly will do ALL he can to bend over backwards and help these people out, even if he doesn’t necessarily agree with what they’re saying or doing (within reason of course).
But it’s the HYPOCRITES — and the entitled lot (both often the same) that I cannot STAND, my friend, and while hypocrisy isn’t the topic of this email, it’s a subject for another article I’ve penned on the topic.
I try and keep my lengths down (in terms of what I write via email) to the bare minimum possible, as not all people have the time to go through lengthy emails, but when it comes to articles and expressing myself — well — ALL bets are OFF there, my friend.
I’m my verbose self and then SOME — and my LinkedIin account — as well as my Medium account would be a good one to check out some longer pieces, and my UNABASHEDLY POLITICALLY INCORRECT, to the point, and TRUE opinions on what is going on in general in the world (and of course, the fitness world).
And the piece I’m referring to on hypocrisy is right HERE — https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-i-cant-stand-hypocrisy-rahul-mookerjee/
Be sure and check it out for those interested . . .
Anyway back to unpopular and it being exactly what is needed.
My style of administration in the employment group, for instance, is something highly unpopular and polarizing, but it is what is NEEDED to keep the group a quality group.
As I told Alex the other way, give them an inch and they take several miles, and there goes the carefully put together group and it’s guidelines within the space of a few pissers, moaners, groaners, and complainers.
The rules are applied fairly WITHOUT exception. And that’s not a popular way to do things. Some group administrators often “cosy up” to their members of fear of them leaving.
I don’t. If people leave, they leave. That’s their business. Those that stay … well, I’m HERE for ya!
And that’s the same spirit in which I renamed what is probably my BEST course out there TILL DATE if you’re looking to burn off flab at record speeds.
It wasn’t a very popular decision from what I can tell.
And neither was the initial nomenclature very popular with a lot of folks.
But guess what.
As Alan correctly stated in his comment, unpopular is often what is needed — and you have to look no further than the current U.S President to see the truism of this — — and on a smaller scale, 0 Excuses Fitness.
You’ll never seen me tom tomming what the experts jump up and down about.
You’ll never see me follow the path most traveled.
You’ll never see me listen to the experts that claim “emailing your list honestly and more than once a day will drive people AWAY and cause you to lose sales”.
And most of all, the people that say I should “keep certain thoughts to myself”.
Nah. That ain’t me. That ain’t my style. And that ain’t my fitness style either, amigo.
Take it or leave it — that’s Rahul Mookerjee in a nutshell for you — and THIS right HERE is Advanced Hill Training for YOU — and it WILL get you in the best shape of your life at record speeds — — guaranteed!
The ball is in your court now, my friend.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
P.S — By the way, if you haven’t already, make sure to pick up Corrugated Core — a course that will help you as well in losing that stubborn belly fat, as well as building strength all throughout your entire body (and get you ready for the beach post lockdown, hehe) — — right here — — https://0excusesfitness.com/corrugated-core/
P.S #2 — If you’re with me this far, and want unrestricted access to yours truly (in terms of advice etc — and let me tell you right now, I do NOT offer such access freely if at all) — and if you want lifetime access to all current and upcoming 0 Excuses Fitness products, books and courses then get on board the 0 Excuses Fitness Ship now, my friend — https://0excusesfitness.com/membership-account/membership-levels/
(You’ll have nigh on UNRESTRICTED access to everything we offer so long as your membership stays valid, and we bill you annually on an automatic basis, so you never have to worry about your membership running out).
(Part of this article appeared on https://0excusesfitness.com/2020/05/13/what-is-unpopular-is-often-what-is-needed/ a few weeks ago. The blog contains many more such inspirational pieces — be sure and check ’em out — and SIGN UP FOR our daily and FREE newsletter right HERE — https://0excusesfitness.com/free-newsletter/)
