What’s the Contrarian Review?
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Welcome, y’all.
These posts represent unsolicited reviews of various faith-based, sports and secular content floating around the cyber ether. The theme of the reviews is simple: they’re a celebration of where content creators are hitting the bullseye, rather than microscopic analysis of where they’re missing it. These reviews are seen through and reflective of the fact that I’ve chosen to do life with God (no, I’m not a Nun). I deeply appreciate those who have made the same choice, and I appreciate their willingness to share the good, bad, challenging and cringe things that come with a full commitment to making that choice.
As well, this blog will include what I call Life Reviews: my first-hand, zoomed-out insights on lived experiences that are, at once, individual and universal. Life Reviews are purges intended to cleanse myself and constructively contribute to you. Let me know how I fare there.
I invite you to engage, disagree and debate. Or, to agree. In the words of one of my favorite teachers, “You have the right to be wrong, but I’m not gonna agree with you or we’d both be wrong.” I, of course, quote him in jest, but those closest to me know I’m #kiddingnotkidding.
My most fervent desire, however, is that you challenge yourselves to turn - and leave - critical thought switched to the 'On’ position while looking through a Biblical lens.
I challenge myself to the same thing.
“Fearless” with Jason Whitlock (Ep. 518)
It’s been a minute since my inaugural Contrarian Review of Jason Whitlock’s should-be award-winning program, “Fearless.” That review was the detonator of this blog’s content. When I sent it to Jason (before launching the blog), and received his almost immediate reply of encouragement about my writing skills, I knew he’d confirmed God’s edict to write with regularity and I sheepishly complied with a slow dribble of content.
That first “Fearless” review covered episode 251: Whitlock’s emboldened narrative about his show’s origin story, its purpose and his #notsorry, trailblazing media and culture ministry. Since then, Whitlock has offered his audience a delectable buffet of intriguing show topics, interviews and controversies. So plentiful is that bounty in fact, that I’ve been challenged with choosing which episode I will review next.
The problem is officially solved.
Life Review: Relief is not resolution
It’s in my nature to opt for the shortcut when possible. If I can communicate something in eight words, I won’t use nine. It’s a skill. One of my toughest writing coaches frequently covered everything I gave him to review with the acronym “O.U.W” (omit unnecessary words) in red. My work looked like a crime scene after he’d finished reviewing it. What I used to write wasn’t edited; it was massacred. Bloody.
I learned how to tighten my writing under his mentorship, and it spilled into the way I verbally communicate. Despite my being a bit of a wordsmith and turn-of-phrase tactician, the words “Yes” and “No” are complete sentences to me. Most people don’t like that level of brevity. They want final answers massaged in. They want the blow cushioned. I’m not great at it.
Like the art of constructing a crisp sentence, being able to flesh out a point to invite revelation or engage in meaningful debate is critical to nurturing the human condition. It’s vital to connection. We want to be heard, understood and acknowledged. There are times when the abbreviated sentence isn’t sufficient.
Such is the case with relief.
Life Review: “Are you a writer?”
“Are you a writer?”
That’s what he asked me. Four words.
I walked away as soon as he’d finished saying the fourth word.
I was shook. Wrecked. Shredded. I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. You don’t yet know why that question was so earth shattering to me, but you will.
Keep reading.