Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • PodBean
  • Subscribe To The My Pal Sammy Newsletter
  • ABOUT
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

My Summer Lair

Think NPR's Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: My Summer Lair with host Sammy Younan: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • My Summer Lair
    • Space Station Oddity
  • Set The VCR
  • New Book Alert
  • True Sammy Stories
  • Toggle search form

#CouchWorthy: Brené Brown: The Call to Courage

Posted on April 19, 2019November 3, 2022 By Sammy Younan

You know the thing is I’ve slowly and intuitively figured out a lot of what Brené Brown is saying just from my interactions with people especially in business. She just has the research to back it up and prove it.

That’s the beauty of listening to your gut…you know something to be true; you just can’t explain it.

What I really appreciated in The Call to Courage was the distinction she made between fitting in and belonging.

Social media is conditioning a lot of people to just fit in…that’s why if you don’t like Black Panther you’re racist. Which…doesn’t make any sense.

Political correctness is just as corrosive as social media…it eliminates nuance and thinking which may deviate from the norm or the established narrative.

(There’s this weird threat packaged with political correctness that goes like this: “When someone is complaining about “political correctness” ask them, “Well, what is it you want to say that you feel you cannot say, out loud, because of political correctness? To help me understand, you must tell me specifically, what are the things you feel you cannot say?”

The gasp shudder implication is that somebody desperately wants to be racist or like throw the n word around instead of being treated like a child and having to say phrases like the n word. It’s a popular “logic” but it’s so embarrassing because it’s so flawed. For one there is no consistent agreed upon definition of political correctness: as I said I’m more concerned with the lack of nuanced thinking not the racism, two that threat is about control (i.e. correctness!!) while I’m happy to give people more freedom and less control and three as we’ve learned from the West Wing: “If you don’t like what they’re asking, you don’t accept the premise of the question.” Right. Ultimately that threat is an updated version of what will the neighbours say!! Ummm it doesn’t matter which bring us full circle back to Brené Brown.)

I’ve watched a lifetime of 80s movies and I know when the loser kid suddenly starts fitting in with the cool kids it’s never…good. He fits in; he doesn’t belong.

He belongs with his tribe of nerds and losers and geeks sitting in that one dank corner of the school’s caff. I understood that she just articulated it.

Because again from my avid 80s movies watching makes it easier to reject fitting in.

Thankfully we’re not in high school anymore…I got options. I don’t want to fit in with your group because it’s not fun; it’s not good for me and I won’t enjoy it. In the bigger picture our society doesn’t benefit from notions like if you didn’t like the Black Panther you’re racist. That’s flat out stupid. Which understandably generates ire. I’m not saying I’m better than you I’m saying you can’t offer me any life.

So yeah truly if you don’t enjoy beach vacations…well then don’t book beach vacations. The Instagram likes for your Sunset photos are not worth it.

It just makes sense doesn’t. Like if somebody thinks you are not pretty it doesn’t automatically mean you are ugly right??

Duh!

I understand the social pressure and rejection always hurts…it’s human nature. It’ll always hurt. Brown even acknowledges that in the special.

But again and more important than that hurt: it doesn’t mean it’s true. That rejection is…well it’s a good thing.

Oh I’ve been called stupid, racist, retarded, jerkface etc. and I’m none of those things: it’s so easy to reject.

I’m like everybody else I have blindspots and biases but that doesn’t make me stupid. The freedom I’ve willingly chosen means I don’t have to get it right. Just because I’m at bat doesn’t mean I hafta hit a home run. I’m cool with striking out.

It’s fine…I will continue to strike out and I will continue to hit home runs and I will continue to be erroneously labelled that’s this modern life.

(My fav criticism is I’m doing this/saying these things to be cool!! LOL!!!! There are countless ways to be cool…I wouldn’t pick this path if that was true. I haven’t gotten that one for a while…I miss that criticism.)

All of this of course only hinges on knowing who you are and being comfortable with that. That’s why fitting is a trap. It’s like settling for a tinder date instead of patiently waiting for the one. Fitting is dollar store cheap. Belonging is priceless; it’s a high end luxury brand. And that is so worth it.

-28-

Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

Television Tags:#CouchWorthy, Brené Brown, Netflix, The Call to Courage

Post navigation

Previous Post: Netflix Is 45 Not
Next Post: Quality Time is TV’s Love Language

More Related Articles

Trial By Trailer: The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Television
#CouchWorthy: Blackballed (Who Makes The Game?) Garbage Time - NBA
#CouchWorthy: Genius: Season 1 – Albert Einstein Television
#CouchWorthy: Teen Titans Spotlight On Television
#CouchWorthy: A&E’s Michael Jackson Cultureshock Comedy
Blue Book’s Blue Balls Television
  • #SetTheVCR: March 20 – 26, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Big Names in this week's #SetTheVCR: The Sandman, Mr. October, David Koresh and Tom Cruise. All they require is a Watcher, Britpop supplies the soundtrack.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 13 – 19, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    This week's #SetTheVCR is a fantastic TV tour: from Local comedy, to Irish hospitality to an Essex County visit after seeing Changeland you'll want to wear comfortable pants. Or no pants…even better!
  • #SetTheVCR: March 06 – 12, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    We got historical farts, spies in a cold war and a talking seashell…that can only mean it's #SetTheVCR!
  • #SetTheVCR: February 27 – March 05, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Selective Outrage, a ghost and a Lil Yoda…obviously it's time for #SetTheVCR!
  • #SetTheVCR: February 20 – 26, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Smile! It's a fresh week of TV; you don't need The Consultant to know the Circus is back in town. It's #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: February 13 – 19, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    This week in #SetTheVCR we go to space, technology runs amok and the American Government has been keeping UFOs secret. Welcome to the future…in this week's TV.
  • #SetTheVCR: February 06 – 12, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    A #SetTheVCR week that starts with a #GOAT…but will it end with a #GOAT?
  • #SetTheVCR: January 30 – February 05, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Ark you excited for another #SetTheVCR? Train your Watchful Eye on these fresh recommendations that'll make you Stand and cheer.
  • #SetTheVCR: January 23 – 29, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Can you read my Poker Face? You People are gonna enjoy this week's #SetTheVCR selections.
  • #SetTheVCR: January 16 – 22, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Two Canadians: one esteemed, one disgraced, Al Pacino is hunting Hitler and The Daily Show host is regenerating…kinda. It's not strange if it's on TV; it's #SetTheVCR!
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: DCEU Is Pee-Ew | Batgirl vs HBO MaxAugust 5, 2022
    Sammy & Rob Gaudette discuss and review the status of the DCEU following the cancellation of Batgirl on HBO Max. Rob still has hope.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: Contact Photography Festival 2022 | Culture SnapMay 12, 2022
    Sammy is joined by photographer Henry VanderSpek aka Culture Snap to discuss and recommend a happy handful of Contact Photography Festival exhibitions.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: A Taylor Hawkins MemorialMarch 28, 2022
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss the shocking and sad passing of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins on March 25, 2022.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: All The Batmans | Keaton To Nipples to BatfleckMarch 10, 2022
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss All The Batmans: from Michael Keaton to Ben Affleck.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: 2021 Induction Ceremony | Rock & Roll Hall of FameNovember 25, 2021
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss their happy highlights from the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

  • Yaron Weitzman (Tanking to the Top) and Sammy Younan in My Summer Lair 148
    Under-Review: Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers
    by Sammy Younan
    Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sportsby Yaron WeitzmanPublished by Grand Central Publishing on March 17, 2020NBA // Non-Fiction // 76ers One of the best lines in Yaron Weitzman’s NBA book: “Hinkie triggered a culture war.” Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and...

    READ ON “Under-Review: Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers” »

  • New Book Alert: January 10-14, 2022
    by Sammy Younan

    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.

  • New Book Alert: January 3-7, 2022
    by Sammy Younan

    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.

  • New Book Alert: November 8-12, 2021
    by Sammy Younan

    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.

  • New Book Alert: November 1-5, 2021
    by Sammy Younan

    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.

Copyright © 2023 My Summer Lair.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme