Crazy Like a Fox

By Michael Kelman Portney

If you’re here, you might be wondering: what’s the deal with “Crazy Like a Fox”? Let me get ahead of it—because let’s be honest, someone was going to call my writing crazy sooner or later. So, I’m leaning in, owning it, and turning the “crazy” label into a badge of honor.

Here’s the thing: crazy isn’t the insult people think it is. The best ideas, the sharpest strategies, and the boldest moves in history have all been called crazy. Crazy isn’t a flaw—it’s the catalyst for change. And if that’s what it takes to challenge norms, dissect power structures, and redefine what’s possible, then I’ll gladly take it.

What Does “Crazy Like a Fox” Really Mean?

On the surface, “crazy” is the kind of word people throw around when they can’t—or won’t—understand something. It’s dismissive. It’s reductive. But “Crazy Like a Fox” flips the script. It’s not about being reckless or unhinged; it’s about being bold, strategic, and one step ahead of the game.

It’s about knowing exactly what you’re doing while everyone else is too busy underestimating you to keep up. It’s a refusal to play by their rules when the rules themselves are rigged.

They’ll Call Me Crazy—And That’s the Point

Look, I get it. Some of the ideas I write about might seem “out there.” They challenge assumptions. They poke at uncomfortable truths. They refuse to settle for easy answers. That’s not because I’m out of my mind—it’s because I’ve thought deeply enough to see things from a different perspective.

They’ll say he’s crazy, they’ll say he’s a fraud, they’ll say he uses AI to write and couldn’t actually write his own hyperbole to save his refrigerator. But while they’re busy debating, I’m already three steps ahead, writing the next big idea.

They say crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. By that definition, the real crazy is sticking to the status quo while everything crumbles. The real crazy is pretending the world doesn’t need new ideas.

Crazy Is a Compliment, Actually

Some of the greatest thinkers, creators, and disruptors in history were dismissed as crazy in their time:

• Socrates was sentenced to death for his ideas, yet he laid the foundation for Western philosophy.

• Galileo was ridiculed for his scientific discoveries, only for the world to catch up centuries later.

• Steve Jobs insisted on putting a thousand songs in your pocket, and here we are streaming music on devices that would’ve blown his mind.

What these figures all had in common was the ability to see what others couldn’t and the audacity to act on it. If that’s crazy, sign me up.

The Medium Is the Message (and the Message Is Madness)

Here’s a little secret: I know what I’m doing. Every blog post, every idea, every rhetorical turn of phrase is deliberate. The way I write is part of the point. It’s provocative, sharp, and designed to challenge the way you think.

Marshall McLuhan said, “The medium is the message.” The way I deliver my ideas is as much a part of the story as the ideas themselves. It’s meant to provoke, unsettle, and stick in your mind. You might think I’m crazy, but you’re still reading.

Crazy Like a Fox Is a Strategy

Being underestimated is an advantage. It lets you move through the noise while others waste their energy trying to dismiss you. It’s a form of rhetorical judo—using their doubt and resistance against them.

And when you come out ahead, the people who doubted you have no choice but to admit they were wrong or double down on their own denial. Either way, you’ve already won.

What to Expect from “Crazy Like a Fox”

If you’re here, expect ideas that challenge the norm, push boundaries, and invite you to see things differently. Some of it will seem unorthodox. Some of it will make you uncomfortable. That’s the point.

But know this: everything I write is intentional. It’s grounded in research, critical thought, and a desire to make sense of a world that often doesn’t. Crazy isn’t chaos—it’s clarity wrapped in unpredictability.

Final Thought: What’s Your Crazy?

“Crazy Like a Fox” isn’t just about me. It’s about embracing the part of yourself that thinks differently, acts boldly, and refuses to conform. The part that doesn’t care if people call you crazy because you know you’re onto something bigger.

So, next time someone calls you crazy, ask yourself: are you crazy like a fox? Or are they just too afraid to see the world the way you do?

Let’s be crazy together.