Publisher's Synopsis
PROLOGUE
In chapter five is a picture I drew. Since I'm not an artist, I thought about giving it to someone who was and having them make suggestions on improving it. Or possibly just paying a professional to make the changes for me. But having someone else do my work and then trying to pass it off as my own didn't sit well with my conscience.Could you imagine finding out that Leonardo da Vinci didn't paint the Mona Lisa? Instead, he just sketched out an outline and then had someone else finish it for him. Man, that would be some Milli Vanilli sh*t right there! Thinking about this brought me back to grade school and all the threats surrounding plagiarism. Teachers acted like you should be incarcerated over that. However, I agree with the importance of presenting one's original ideas to the world. As a result, it didn't make sense to hire an editor.Did you happen to catch that? Writing is an artform, yet it's acceptable for one to turn their work over to someone else, have it altered, then pretend it's original. We would not accept this in any other creative pursuit, so why is it standard practice for publishing a book? I bring this up for two reasons. First, to introduce you to how my mind works and prepare you for the onslaught of Cognitive Dissonance you're about to face. Second, to preemptively disable critiques on grammar, spelling, etc. Going forward, if you're going to "come at me", you have no choice but to challenge the concepts I've created.I'm offering myself and my work in its raw form. To say my approach and ideas are unorthodox, would be a gross understatement. It might help to imagine me as a Will Hunting of psychology. I see no need for semicolons or coffee when commas and caramels will suffice. Also, I didn't mention anything about those who won't have issues with this material. That's because at some point, syntax aside, EVERYONE is going to struggle with the content. Unlike Will, I didn't gain knowledge through the works of others, mine came from experience. So, there is no underlying framework to be drawn from. But these ideas are useless if they remain scribbles on scrap paper and post-it notes. They must be shared! "Knowledge without application is like a lightbulb without electricity, neither one will make the world any brighter." - Ralph CalabreseWISDOM"Wisdom is gained thru experience.
Experience comes from taking chances.
Taking chances requires initiating action.
Initiating action takes independent thought.
Independent thought means questioning the norm.
Questioning the norm demands one stand on their own!"
- Ralph Calabres
About the author
Ralph Calabrese is an Uneducated, Straight, White, Male who identifies as a Stay-at-Home Dad, Husband, Former Factory worker, and Non-Combat Disabled Vet.
