The Art of Insubordination

Despite what you learned in high school, Charles Darwin didn't invent the theory of evolution.

Okay, maybe he did, but he didn't do it alone.

In the preface to On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, the awkwardly titled book that would change the world, Darwin listed thirty men who previously mustered the courage to question intellectual and religious orthodoxies about nature.

These characters paid a steep price for their boldness. Have you heard of Abu Uthman Amr ibn Bahr al-Kinani al-Fuqaimi al-Basri (nicknamed Al-Jahiz)? Good luck finding a refrigerator magnet of him. Muslim scholars refer to Al-Jahiz as "the father of the theory of evolution," and for good reason: he arrived at the notion of "survival of the fittest" a thousand years before Darwin, in the year 860. Al-Jahiz wondered why certain animals imported from Africa and Asia to what is now Iraq easily adapted to their new environment whereas others caught illnesses and perished. His reward for this biological discovery was arrest and banishment from his native land. And he was lucky. The chief Muslim ruler of Baghdad got downright medieval on the wealthy patron funding Al-Jahiz's research. Military officials imprisoned Al-Jahiz's patron and executed him inside an iron maiden (a spike-laden metal coffin that impaled victims when the doors closed).

You'd think scientists would take a hint and keep their strange and dangerous theories to themselves. About seven hundred years later, in the 1500s, a French scientist named Bernard Palissy dared question the Catholic Church's proclamation that the Earth was only a few thousand years old. Noting that tides and winds required long periods of time to visibly alter the landscape, Palissy argued that our planet was much older than a few thousand years (how much older he refused to say). Palissy also proposed that an elephant thousands of years ago would not be the same as an elephant today. This concept of species transformation across

Todd B. Kashdan, Ph.D., is professor of psychology at George Mason University, and a leading authority on well-being, curiosity, courage, and resilience. He has published more than 220 scientific articles, his work has been cited more than 40,000 times, and he received the American Psychological Association’s Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology. His books Curious? and The Upside of Your Dark Side have been translated into more than fifteen languages. His writing has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, National Geographic, and other publications, and his research is featured regularly in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Time. He’s a twin with twin daughters (plus one more), with plans to rapidly populate the world with great conversationalists.

Winner of the Excessively Prestigious Book Award
 
Behavioral Scientist Best Summer Book Reads

Next Big Idea Club "Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2022"

Todd Kashdan combines cutting-edge science and real-life stories about the kind of insubordination we need to make the world a better place. This is the book that all virtuous rebels need.
Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better

"Why is it so difficult to do the right thing, especially when the system pushes against us? In this engaging, well-researched book, you'll discover practical ways to speak up, show up and make a difference."
Seth Godin, author of Poke the Box

Although dissent is an art, Kashdan shows us something even more important and practical it s also a science. He does so with an array of captivating and instructive accounts that reveal the value of this skill.
Robert B. Cialdini, author of Influence and Pre-Suasion

"Our world is broken, and this book can help us fix it. Todd Kashdan's work shows us the most effective ways to defy injustice and shake up the status quo in both big and small ways. This is the book we've been waiting for." 
Judson Brewer, New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety

With new research and original, inspiring stories, Kashdan has delivered a manifesto for individuals and organizations who want to spark innovation and creativity.
Susan David, PhD, author of the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller Emotional Agility

"If the goal is to continually improve society and make your teams better, read this book. My hope is that The Art of Insubordination will be widely read to inspire a new generation of rebels with a cause."
Greg Lukianoff, co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Coddling of the American Mind

"A useful primer for those determined to make waves for a good cause."
Kirkus Reviews