Guru Ratings
Brad Blanton
Bad.
Remember my ratings criteria. I’m not judging these gurus on “global” or moral values, but very specific criteria. Many of my favorite books would be rated “bad” by my criteria for self-help (probably, because they are not self-help books). My ratings don’t reflect how well an author met his own goals, but how well they met my criteria for useful, accurate self-help.
Blanton wants everyone to tell the truth, all the time. And he wants us to say everything we think, too:
- “I think you're fat.”
- “I forgot your name.”
- “I resent you for forgetting my name.”
- “Boss, I'm quitting soon to start my own business."
- “God, your laugh is irritating.”
Seriously, does he think that could work?
Radical honest has advantages. First, it’s honest. It’s also simple. But radical honesty is also selfish and destructive.
What does Blanton suggest we do with people who are weak, broken, boring, and handicapped? Perhaps we should beat them down with, “You’re boring, I’m going away” and “You don’t put enough value into the world to justify my helping you.” Frankly, sometimes what is best for the world is dishonesty.
Blanton is a messy writer, an anti-moralism moralist, and self-contradictory. But at least he admits it up front.
I can think of few things that would be as fun as chatting with radically honest people.
Radical Honesty (1996)
His manifesto. It’s mostly about anger. He says, “Be honest with your anger.”
That’s fine. But there are 20 pages of content in this 300-page book.
But it is refreshing to read sentences like “I am writing this book because I want to become famous” on every other page. I don’t object to that kind of honesty.
Practicing Radical Honesty (2000)
Adds almost nothing of substance.
Instead of reading Blanton’s work, read this Esquire feature: I Think You’re Fat.