The Misfit Economy: Lessons in Creativity from Pirates, Hackers, Gangsters and Other Informal Entrepreneurs

by Alexa Clay, Kyra Maya Phillips

A book that argues that lessons in creativity, innovation, salesmanship, and entrepreneurship can come from surprising places: pirates, bootleggers, counterfeiters, hustlers, and others living and working on the margins of business and society.

Who are the greatest innovators in the world? You’re probably thinking Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford. The usual suspects.

This book isn’t about them. It’s about people you’ve never heard of. It’s about people who are just as innovative, entrepreneurial, and visionary as the Jobses, Edisons, and Fords of the world, except they’re not in Silicon Valley. They’re in the street markets of Sao Paulo and Guangzhou, the rubbish dumps of Lagos, the flooded coastal towns of Thailand. They are pirates, slum dwellers, computer hackers, dissidents, and inner city gang members.

Across the globe, diverse innovators operating in the black, grey, and informal economies are developing solutions to a myriad of challenges. Far from being “deviant entrepreneurs” that pose threats to our social and economic stability, these innovators display remarkable ingenuity, pioneering original methods and practices that we can learn from and apply to move formal markets.

This book investigates the stories of underground innovation that make up the Misfit Economy. It examines the teeming genius of the underground. It asks: Who are these unknown visionaries? How do they work? How do they organize themselves? How do they catalyze innovation? And ultimately, how can you take these lessons into your own world?

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Audiobook, Cultural, Self Help

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 16, 2015

Reviews

[Tim Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit of a management consultant view of the subject, interesting and fun anecdotes but very little substance. Nice beach read and the stories about pirates are neat.

[Wolf · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me start by saying the book might not deserve a 1-star rating - it's just my personal opinion.

I was expecting a thoughtful investigation, chronology, and analysis of historical and contemporary examples of the groups mentioned in the title. I expected there to be some overall conclusion about these groups, their similarities, their motivations, their impact, and then a small takeaway chapter or section on how society could utilize the more beneficial of those concepts.

Instead of history or anthropology or anything like that, the genre this book belongs to is probably self help. How disappointing. It mentioned many examples of individuals and groups that were indeed hackers, pirates, gangsters, and informal entrepreneurs as the title advertises, but only provided surface level summaries that irritated me more than educated. Useless, positive 'you-can-do-it-too' conclusions about how everyone should strive to be a misfit and express creativity seemed out of place until I realized I was reading a self help book. There's nothing wrong with self help books - I just didn't want this to be one.

If the lack of thoughtful analysis and chronology I was expecting wasn't bad enough, then the randomly-inserted, terrible phrasing every few pages would've ruined the book for me anyway. Explain to me how a "hacker, prolific builder, and warrior for the cause of open and free information" could be called a "soldier in the open-source/code/Web movement." Soldiers take orders, by definition they're not usually liberally minded, and they fight in wars, not 'movements.' Who gave this hacker the orders and what war was he fighting? I suppose if we let 'warrior' fly, then 'soldier' should be no different, but it still bugs me. And who would put slashes like that in a published, nonfiction book!? Really? 'open-source/code/Web.' What does that even mean? Pick a damn word. -.-

I'll just put the concluding line here for reference: "While some misfit markets or approaches are still nascent and struggling to gain popular appeal, little by little, as we all start 'coming out' as misfits, a world is emerging that accepts and nurtures he unconventional."

You have got to be kidding me. Holy shit.

[Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more, but for the most part it was a collection of warmed-over Gladwellian "entrepreneurship" and "innovation" clichés about slightly unorthodox ways to, in the end, make a boatload of money. So much of this is the modern state of neoliberalism in a nutshell, from the guy whose nonprofit employer fired him for trying to make money off of indigenous rainforest-dwelling tribes' products to the woman whose career was left in tatters after she was helping recently-released convicts acclimatize to society and ended up in relationships with several of them.

That being said, the chapter on intellectual property - "Copy" - was better than most, if not only because it offered some actual transgressions in the form of subverting IP law (which truly is a deterrent to much actual innovation).

At least this was fairly short.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I absolutely loved this book, and found it to be very inspirational. I was so excited while reading this book that I texted friends and talked to family about reading it. In fact this might be my Christmas gift of choice this year.

This is a book about the "misfits" of business, not limited to criminals, but also including people who go against the grain in order to improve the world in some way. Or, people who think outside of the box.

There are five traits that Clay and Phillips say all "misfit" entrepreneurs have that make them successful:

1. Hustle - Making something from nothing and not being afraid to get your hands dirty. Hardworking, resourceful and resilient, while also having a flexible mind. You improve and are responsive to whatever comes your way.

2. Copy - Building upon what has already been built. Improving ideas and concepts that are in practice.

3. Hack - Identifying a system's weakness and see how it can be improved. Supporting a free flow of ideas. This is about taking on the establishment to change it for the better. You need to develop an intimate understanding of the system you want to improve so you can rebuild it.

4. Provoke - Step out of reality and imagine something different. Don't be afraid to open your eyes and start a conversation that could bring about change. Poke and prod business as usual to get others to wake up to other possibilities.

5. Pivot - To personally enact a dramatic change in the course of your life to pursue greater fulfillment and inspiration.

These five traits are just the surface of the book. I would really recommend this book to anyone with morals and a soul, it's not just about business. This is for everyone who feel like they have a calling and who want to think about things differently. Life can be happy as a sheep, but it can be so much better if you allow yourself to be authentic, because we're all misfits in our own way. We're all different and the difference should be embraced and encouraged. There are better ways of doing things than we're doing now.

There are also a lot of innovative organizations mentioned in the book. Quite a few I wrote down and plan on looking into more.

Favorite quote from the book to leave you with:
"You need to give yourself the permission to cast aside the roles and guises. You have to find the courage to dig beneath all those layers that society thrusts upon us and try to re-discover those true callings. You need to become okay with no longer blindly aligning with the pack. And walking that path of the black sheep over the course of a lifetime can be challenging," Harold O'Neal

[Throp5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is full of interesting stories and people who did bold and fascinating things, but the message never coalesced into a convincing whole the way I was hoping.

[Shawn Fairweather · Rating 3 out of 5]

First the Caveat *This was a Goodreads Giveaway Free Read*.

Ill start of by saying don't be misled by the title. Are their lessons to be learned from the "Misfit Economy"? Yes. Are they presented here? No. What we have here is cliche filled case studies of specific individuals that in most cases were not that successful. I also do not appreciate celebrating individuals for outright theft, counterfeiting, criminal activity which many here have. Each case study in itself has some form of merit and are a bit interesting to read at times but it seems that just about every study ended up in disaster or at best as a mediocre effort at best. Each study is also done at a very high level with very little detail so if you are looking for specifics or an in-depth examination look elsewhere for your inspiration.

[Rajat Gupta · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of the book is misleading...it gives you an idea that the book is about the way the informal Entrepreneurs operate their organisations and the lesson that can be learnt from that, whereas it is just a collection of different types of Misfits. A lot of people might like the different stories but for me this book is not what it is expected of and so its hard to go beyond reading around 30% of it. Goes into my "left in between" Shelf.

[ukuklele · Rating 3 out of 5]

misfit kb. orang yg canggung, orang yg tak dpt mencocokkan diri. (Kamus Inggris -- Indonesia, 1984)

misfit n person ill-adapted to surroundings etc. (The Little Oxford Dictionary, 1987)

mis.fit n [C] (fig) person not fitting in with his associates. (Oxford Learner's Pocket Dictionary, 1988)

Katanya tiap orang punya jiwa misfit. Tapi itu seperti halnya tiap orang punya kepribadian, dan kepribadian itu ada macam-macamnya; bisa dibagi-bagi lagi menjadi sejumlah golongan, tergantung kamu penganut mazhab apa: Enneagram, golongan darah, MBTI, zodiak, atau ...?

Dari buku ini, saya menarik bahwa misfit itu secara garis besarnya terdiri dari dua tipe (pg. 140/176):

1. A misfit alone [which] is a recluse, alienated and cut off from the world
2. A misfit with a tight community [which] can be more influential

Misfit yang dieksplorasi dalam buku ini tentu saja tipe yang kedua (sedangkan yang pertama disinggung sekilas saja dalam satu kalimat itu).

Pada dasarnya, misfit dapat dipecah menjadi lima sifat (dengan pengertian masing-masing menurut penangkapan saya sendiri):

1. Hustle, mampu memanfaatkan yang ada untuk menghasilkan sesuatu
2. Copy, ATM alias Amati-Tiru-Modifikasi
3. Hack, membongkar sistem yang ada untuk menyusun yang baru
4. Provoke, mengguncang ide lama dengan menawarkan ide nyeleneh
5. Pivot, titik balik, banting setir, ganti haluan

Coba renungkan. Adakah dorongan dalam dirimu yang cocok dengan salah satu, salah dua, bahkan semua sifat di atas? Selamat! Kamu punya potensi menjadi entrepreneur! Atau malah sudah? Kalau belum, dan kamu merasa tergugah untuk menapaki jalur itu bagaimanapun juga, bagian terakhir buku ini membeberkan aneka konsekuensi, persyaratan, risiko, dan semacamnya lah--hal-hal tidak begitu mengenakkan--yang mungkin bakal kamu temui dalam perjalanan. Sebetulnya hal-hal tersebut sudah diangkat dalam bab-bab sebelumnya--sebagian besar isi buku--tapi bagian terakhir itu seolah-olah hendak menegaskannya: Yakin, nih?

Misfit tipe pertama mungkin akan menjawab, "Enggak ah," and just curl up and die , dan sekadar jadi reseller di marketplace atau opsi lain apalah. Buku ini boleh saja hendak menginspirasi, tapi misfit tipe pertama mesti mengatasi berbagai hambatan dan rintangan terlebih dahulu sebelum dapat menggapai inspirasi itu. Khususnya lagi hambatan dan rintangan yang bersifat sosial; sebab, menurut buku ini, yang membedakan kedua tipe misfit adalah yang satu penyendiri dan yang lain berkomunitas. (Which is ironic, because, if you can socialize and find a community where you can fit in, then you're no longer a misfit!) Buku ini ketinggian buat misfit tipe pertama.

Bagian terakhir buku juga mengangkat contoh-contoh usaha yang menerapkan prinsip individualitas dalam budaya kerja, gaji karyawan, dan sebagainya. Maksudnya yang semacam besar gaji karyawan benar-benar ditentukan oleh kinerjanya, reputasinya, dan seterusnya, menurut peringkat yang diberikan oleh rekan-rekannya. Maksudnya mungkin untuk menghargai jiwa misfit (atau individualitas) tiap-tiap karyawan. Gagasan yang sungguh kapitalistis "provoke" + ing buat saya, atau malah lagi-lagi ironis, karena misfit yang tidak mampu berkompetisi atau menyesuaikan diri dengan irama kerja rekan-rekannya pasti akan tersingkir. Hidup sosialisme! #eh?

[Keith Bates · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Badly written and agenda driven. It glamorizes people and activities that it swears at the beginning of the book it will not glamorize. It seems to be less about lessons to be learned from the creativity behind these activities and people than it is about using them to frame a debate as to why “the system” is bad. As a result I didn’t make it far and I really tried.

[Inderpal Lehal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small real life references makes this book very interesting. Can implement few logics in your own practical life.

[Pia Bröker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entrepreneurship means to make your hands dirty - I knew that before, but I didn't know so many other details about it.
This book illustrates the hustle of mostly unknown or unpopular entrepreneurs and how their ideas and actions let them to succeed (or not).
It gives an interesting perspective on the informal sector and how nonconformity is often the engine for innovation.

Definitely an inspiration to start taking every opportunity in life and stand for your dreams rather than waiting for the perfect moment. In order to achieve your (entrepreneurial) dreams, you have to work hard. And it will pay off if you just stick to it and see it as the potential for growth.
The five principles for unleashing your inner misfit (Hustle, Copy, Hack, Provoke, and Pivot) are drivers of innovation and should not only be regarded as bad.

I recommend this book to everyone who thinks about being an entrepreneur and looks for success stories outside of the mainstream as well as inspiration for creating something bigger than themselves.

[Anand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute mandatory read for this and next generation

This book brings completely different perspective about the way we common people look at certain things, like pirates, underworld, prison system, hackers.extracting a lessons out of these would be great challenge but authors have delicately balanced and with panache brought the feelings on surface.beautifully written, kudos....please keep up.

[Elena Nikolaeva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of stories, some more interesting than others, about "misfits", "underground innovators" from Somalia pirates to Ernest Hemingway. However, the writers were not really convincing while trying to come up with the solid theory of what "misfits" are or justify the existence of a separate term for this type of people. For example, it's not still clear to me what's the difference between misfits and a broader definition of the word "entrepreneur". P.30 "While misfits and entrepreneurs share some traits - they are natural risk takers who pursue freedom and autonomy through their own passion and hustle -they shouldn't be conflated. misfits are countercultural, self-questioning, and vulnerable. They push boundaries. They challenge systems."
Personally, I also struggled a lot with the style of the book. The thought of the authors repeatedly jumped from one subject to another. It was often difficult to trace connections between paragraphs and chapters. The words "innovate", "disrupt", "hack" were scattered across the book and quite often did not fit the context. Some sentences looked like they were added just to give the book more volume, without adding anything to the narration.
Overall, I found some of the stories quite inspiring, but you'll have to dig through a lot of empty words while trying to find the ones that will inspire you.

[Jody Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want more! I'm hoping there is or will be a second Alexa and Kyra! This book is inspiring, truthful, it is a call to action and shows our changing lifestyles and economy. As we move away from corporation and constraint to freedom of creativity and misfits. It offers comfort and encouragement to the population of misfits. It offers an educational experience exposing misfits I've never heard of.



This book was truly amazing and it's perfect for any adult, or even a young adult who feels they don't fit in.



Thank you Alexa and Kyra for a book that was well written, extensively checked over and error free, inspiring, factual and speaking of a world of the future.

[Lewis Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 3.5-3.75 ranking, not a 4 but strong nonetheless. Interesting premise, but too superficial for me;lots of examples of people transforming their situations, but none of them seemed in depth enough to me. I enjoyed this book, and it is a fairly quick read. I would definitely try something else from these authors if they published more work.

[Rochelle March · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! Seriously, a must read for everyone. Incredibly fascinating, insightful, and inspiring.

[Jonathan Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great compilation of storytelling, about those who have found success in the unorthodox. Clearly 1-sided and driven by confirmation bias, as many who have done the same have not reached success. Still well worth the quick read for its entertainment value, featuring stories such as:

Walid Abdul-Wahab – story of paving his own unconventional path through leasing of camels, fighting pasteurization laws, and FDA regulations given its purported medicinal purposes to form what could be a billion dollar camel milk industry. A story of overcoming existing far-reaching regulation that need not apply to a new industry, and leveraging wasted byproduct.
Afweyne – the Somali pirate who transformed “a scrappy, self-funded force into a well-invested, transnational multimillion-dollar industry.” [p13] A story of utilizing principles of capital investment markets to create a new industry in a highly unethical area that none ever thought before.
UX, The Urban Experiment – “A clandestine hacker group we met in France, has a mission to undertake positive collective experiments. Some of its members, among other activities, spend a lot of their time using the unauthorized sections of the underground tunnel system in Paris to break into buildings and restore national artifacts that have, in their opinion, been neglected by the traditional institutions of the French State.” [p17] A story of the efficiency of the leaderless collective motivated by a common goal who are able to perform more efficiently than the bureaucracy of a democratic institution.
“Informality is a key driver of misfit innovation. Removing what strikes most of us as arbitrary, informality is ultimately about supporting people to rise above a job title and giving them permission to unleash their real talents. Informality is about enabling spontaneity, freeing people to depend on intrinsic motivation (their values) and instincts rather than deferring to the rules, codes, and incentives (raises and promotions) imposed by external authorities.” [p27] “Misfits often embrace self-governance because they are distrustful of authority and not easily coerced into someone else’s logic or command.” [p29]
David Berdish – the leader of Ford’s sustainability program who provoked his colleagues with the question of whether the company’s future should continue to be in automobile production vs. a different mode of transport – fought an uphill battle which he knew he would never be rewarded for, but critically had support of key upper management sponsors. A story of the criticality of work ethic, optimism, and passion.
Fabian Ruiz – imprisoned at age 16, and became an entrepreneur upon release 20yrs later all driven by his resourcefulness developed in prison. “Fabian’s instinctive urge to hustle – to create his own opportunities rather than sitting back passively to watch his fate unfold – led him to attempt an escape.” [p37]. A story of the role that necessity plays as the mother of invention – “much of innovation comes from constraint – from challenge and even scarcity.” [p42]
“Amid the characteristics that make a successful entrepreneur, one stood out: juvenile delinquency.” [p45] – similar to the “serial entrepreneur” mantra about disdain for authority, with arrest records common among those with the track record for innovation.
Shanzhai – copycat imitation of Western brands/technologies primarily in China and India that often violate intellectual property, but seen even in many cases as an “ethical duty, particularly when foreign companies fail to price their products affordably. Shanzhai is a modern-day solution for a historical Robin Hood dilemma: In the face of tyrannical rule, rob the rich to supply the poor.” [p54] “In many ways, intellectual-property pirates exist in response to the inequity of the patent system.” [p65] “Much copycat behavior boils down to etiquette. If you are learning and borrowing from others, it’s important to acknowledge them.” [p72]
Wimdu – a German Airbnb copycat, built by reverse-engineering – a story of the power of iteration over pure invention. “Are there benefits to being a builder versus an innovator? […] ‘Imitators are less likely to become complacent, a significant problem for innovators and pioneers who are taken with their success to the point of underestimating the dangers lurking in the rearview mirror.’ Imitators on the other hand, who ‘come from behind, tend to be paranoid about others following in their footsteps and are better prepared to repel the attack.’ Pioneers are often stuck in one way of doing things – the way they invented - while imitators are often more aware of transformational changes in the market precisely because they imitated.” [p58]
“Today’s counterfeit products are growing seven times faster than legal goods […] According to the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition, the international trade in pirated and fake goods amounts to $600billion, comprising as much as 7 percent of global trade.” [p56]
Anonymous – “hackers fervently believe in taking things apart in order to understand them. In this way, they can see not only the parts a system is composed of but also the connection between them. They are devoted to the perpetual improvement of systems; and in order to effectively improve something, they must have unfettered access to all information pertaining to that system.” [p77] A story of the drive for curiosity in fueling innovation.
Pirates – who historically followed an organizational structure similar to Anonymous or The Urban Experiment. “They understood that material inequalities would lead to a lack of trust, an unwillingness to collaborate toward one common goal, and in effect the inability to create a strong civic society.” [p82] A story of the importance of empowering each individual regardless of rank.
“The value of provoking is in starting a conversation. A protest movement doesn’t last forever […] But groups of people who ask the right questions or prove alternatives often pave the way for true change to emerge […] the temporary worlds created by the provocateurs spark dialogue in our mainstream culture and create the conditions for innovation to occur.” [p107] A story of the importance of a rebellious spirit.
Gib Bulloch – The Accenture consultant, who successfully lobbied his management to support projects for the benefit of improving lives in developing countries vs. solely those with lucrative financial payouts. “’Having a misfit idea is the easy part. The rest is finding air cover. You need protection from leadership. You need champions across the business.’ Bulloch explained that it can be very easy to suffocate innovation within large bureaucracies. ‘You can’t apply the same management principles to a start-up that you use to manage a large corporation.’” [p112] A story of the need for advocacy when maneuvering a large organization, similar to David Berdish at Ford.
“these stories show how unwavering belief, commitment to core values, and an unwillingness to let the opinions of others dictate their existence can help individuals undertake a personal pivot that moves their life in a new and ultimately more personally fulfilling direction, even if it is not always understood.” [p128] A story of the importance of self-confidence, to persist beyond the naysayers.
Jason Clay – from small town farmer to SVP of the World Wildlife Fund, and his adventures in bringing in corporate CEO’s to the concept of sustainable agriculture which evolved dramatically from his early days. “Clay is now more committed to meeting people where they are, rather than forcing his view upon them or being frustrated with them for not accepting his perspective. ‘You need to listen twice as much as you talk, because as long as people are preoccupied with their own problems, they are never going to see the bigger issues.’” [p133] A story of the criticality of maintaining perspective – seek to understand.

[Jolyn Moh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how this book encompasses a holistic lens to what really makes an entrepreneur one, regardless of your socio-economic background. The emphasis across various industries and backgrounds spoke out to the innovation across the world, the lessons a great one for us to take into our own world.

It does not just focuses on the 'theoretical' traits of what are proposed for entrepreneurs, the ubiquitous traits that we also see online these days - grit, perseverance, innovation, creativity, etc. Instead, there were analysis done across thousands of stories before finally shaping up to 5 key traits.

1. Hustle - Iterations of hard work, on repeat, non-stop.

2. Copy - Building upon what has already been built so that you continue from the best.

3. Hack - Develop a deep understanding of the system you want to improve so you can rebuild it.

4. Provoke - Be brave to stand against the status quo and fight.

5. Pivot - In doing so, changing yourself to move in a more personally fulfilling direction, even if not fully understood.

The stories are so well-written that I took a double take at the authors. Not saying that female authors are definitely better but I feel that Alexa and Kyra has managed to evoke empathy when writing about the various protagonists. The stories were short, yet impactful. The points were clear yet you can feel the emotions when they have to make a crucial decision.

Even for people who do not want to be entrepreneurs, these are good traits for us to take away, and better yet to instil in our lives for a better purpose of living. Thank you for writing this! Hope for more!

[M.V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt called to review it when I saw other ratings here... To be fair this is more like an introductory essay than a full scale coverage of the content. At that it's still brilliant. They can confidently draw some conclusions after all that research, and I love how accessible they've made it. Anecdotes make it all that more easy to understand for anyone picking up the book. And since it is obviously made to be such a book, a thought rouser, more than anything very impractically heavy... I'll go ahead and rate it on fair premises.

It does itself honour by the language used and the spread of questions and answers. It knows and fits its intended audience: two stars
It answers its' questions, the conclusion is not weak: one more star
There is a little bit of everything, contrasts and nuances: a star
Finally, I'm personally glad I read it. Not just because it entertained me, but because it offered so many insights. Which by my account makes it deserve the ful pot of stars.

I recommend it, and recommend taking notes on things to further investigate while at it. This book is one of those who leave you with a whole bunch more to read, if you like to.

[Annika Lentso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Võtan sellest raamatust kaasa päris mitu mõtet. Esiteks, meil on palju õppida 18 sajandi piraatidelt. Nende juhtimisstiil on mulle tohutult sümpaatne: demokraatlik stiil. Ja kapten saab olla kapten täpselt nõndakaua, kui meeskond seda lubab. Ehk siis kapten saab otsustada tegevuste üle senikaua, kuni lubab enda üle otsustada kõrgemal juhtimisüsteemil - kogu meeskonnal. Teiseks, kõikidel ägedatel ideedel ja neid vedavatel inimestel on alati saatjaskond (entourage). Gertrude Steini salong on eelkäia paljudele inkbaatoritele, koostöötamise kohtadele jmt. Getrude salongis kohtusid tollel ajal peavoolust erinevate nägemustega kirjanikud (Fitzgerald, Hemingway jt), kunstnikud (Picasso, Matisse jt) ja teised kultuuriinimesed. Nad kõik õppisid teineteiselt. Ehk siis lühidalt - üksi kaugele ei purjeta. Samas, kui on soov peavoolust erinevat mõtet arendada, siis lindpriiks olemiseks südant olema. See on alati raske.

[Amelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I initially thought that after the introductory chapter, the authors would delve into a pseudo self help guide on fostering the misfit spirit within, but this was not the case. The authors outline examples of individuals that have harnessed various aspects of the underdog innovator spirit (hustle, copy, hack, and pivot). Aside from the multimillionaire college dropout cliché as evidenced with tired references to the success of Steve Jobs, the authors are successful in tying together both modern and historical examples of successful non-hierarchical and collective endeavors from open source hacktivism to the rise of pirating in the 15th and 16th century.

I do enjoy the sympathetic tone toward individuals and collectives typically seen as societal deviants and the suggestion that skills fostered in underground economies can be translatable to mainstream markets.

[Patrik Hallberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like so many of these books, the first chapters are great and you think you are reading something really new and fresh, but as the book goes on it becomes more mainstream and less misfit. We see the misfit adoption in many areas at the moment and there are some great stories in the book. They start with the misfit philosophy and how it's based on altruism, entrepreneurship, informality, and self-governance. The book then talks about five key principles in the world of misfits. Hustle, Copy, Hack, Provoke and Pivot. The book ends with how you should walk the path of a misfit and the importance of your entourage. In many of the stories the people in the examples never asked for permission, never waited to see what would happen if...they just did it and sometimes it was a very tough path to walk, but they just had to do it.

[Karin · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘Uiteindelijk gaat shanzhai niet over het creëeren van unieke, nieuwe producten. Het gaat over het mengen van verschillende elementen die, op de officiële markt, volstrekt gescheiden zijn.’

‘Binnen de buitenbeentjeseconomie betekent provocatie: uit de realiteit stappen, iets verbeelden wat anders is; porren en stoken in de gewone gang van zaken zodat anderen andere mogelijkheden gaan zien. Je hoeft niet alle antwoorden te hebben, of zelfs maar één antwoord aan te leveren. Het gaat om voorwaarden scheppen voor een nieuw gesprek, vaste denkbeelden uitdagen, afwijkende meningen aanmoedigen en jezelf alternatieven voor ogen stellen.’

‘Als vierjarige leerde hij reeds over risicospreiding door verschillende gewassen te planten die gedijden onder wisselende omstandigheden.’

[Ketekun Phanith · Rating 5 out of 5]

[The Misfit Economy - Alexa Clay & Kyra Maya Phillips]

Rating: 4.98/5.00

Frankly, I initially expected that this book would focus on the theories and principles in the informal economy. But damn, this book gives me way much more than my set expectations. "The Misfit Economy" showcases real-life examples from the misfits such as hackers, former prisoners, pirates, and more about their contributions to our economy and their prosperity. Each chapter provides me with unique takeaways and lessons learned that I find applicable in my daily habits and endeavors.

All in all, I highly recommend this book to readers who want to know more about the unconventional side of the economy.

#bookreview #themisfiteconomy #alexaclay #kyramayaphillips

[Karel De Smet · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Inside we are all misfits, just open up to yours.' That probably sums up this must-read full of brilliant examples you don't see cited during everyday life. From Somalian pirates to camel milk producers: learn how so many different people make the world a better place by being, thinking and acting against the grain, whilst ignoring the despise of those who oppose and don't believe in them. If you love reading how others have struggled hard, yet gained so much more from standing for what they believe in, you will breeze through this book in no time.

Really happy I bought this on my way back home from Canada, I was entangled from page one all the way through the end!

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that this book had more information about Somali pirates than I have read anywhere else. I like the emphasis on thinking outside the box (to use a cliche). My main objection is that the book felt a bit forced in its juxtapositions and connections. I'm also left wondering whether camel milk might be as beneficial as touted.

There's often no clear indicator as to whether an idea is irrational or visionary. I found the discussion of the professor who was studying alien abductions to be interesting, but was not sure that his work really fit in the book.

[Jacinta Hoare · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea behind this book is quite sound but the execution didn’t quite do it for me. That said, I did enjoy some of the quirky stories and will actively look further into the management structures employed by successful pirates. I do agree that there is a move towards acknowledging the unique contributions of the unconventional but the authors missed the opportunity to draw strong conclusions. I felt that this book is perhaps a prelude to more comprehensive work on the topic and not a stand alone commentary.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt like I was reading the literature review portion of somebody’s senior thesis…in a bad way.

There was nothing substantial about *how* to adopt these approaches and modify them within the context of real life.

I actually think this book really suffers from wrong marketing. Ultimately, though introduced as a collection of “lessons,” this reads more like a sociological text attempting to define and categorize misfit innovators and their practices across various cultures. I closed the book feeling like I had been exposed to a vast collection of examples with little depth.

[Masha M · Rating 2 out of 5]

ожидания не оправдались от слова совсем
можно было бы описать внутреннее устройство организаций, которые ведут свою деятельность в большинстве своем на грани закона.
но в итоге все свелось к анализу "уникальных" качеств представителей этих самых фирм
качеств на самом деле достаточно очевидных, типа: суетись-воруй-убивай
вроде постоянно пишут о многочисленных интервью и глубоком исследовании, но имхо можно найти дельные лонгриды в atlantic, new yorker и др, где гораздо с большими и интересными деталями расскажут о той же теме

[Chancellor Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many of the readers on here, I thought this book would be an economic/anthropological study into the inner-workings of the unconventional economy.

Instead, it was an entrepreneur and business motivation book that analyzed certain behaviorisms of “economic misfits” and how you can improve your business using those same tactics.

All in all, it was a well written book. However the title is a bit misleading.