Unpopular Opinion

Unpopular Opinion: Burning Down the Bullsh*t to Rebuild Cybersecurity

Unfiltered. Unapologetic. Uncompromising.

Cybersecurity has a truth problem...and this book is here to burn it down.

Unpopular Opinion isn’t another recycled leadership book or glossy security manual. It’s a blunt-force manifesto for anyone tired of the industry’s sacred cows: certification theater, burnout culture, tech-bro mascots, and the endless illusion that policies or insurance can save us.

Joshua Copeland, cybersecurity executive, professor, and 20-year Air Force veteran, built a viral following with his #unpopularopinion posts that hit nerves across the industry. Now, he expands those raw truths into a book that’s part battle cry, part survival guide.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• Why certifications prove persistence, not competence

• How cyber insurance became a tax on bad decisions

• The danger of hiring mascots instead of leaders

• Why grind culture breaks people faster than any breach ever could

• The real skills, mindsets, and systems that actually build resilience

This isn’t about making security “feel good.” It’s about stripping away the lies, cutting through the noise, and giving professionals at every level the language and courage to challenge broken systems.

Whether you’re a CISO fighting for board buy-in, an analyst drowning in alerts, or just trying to cut through the cyber theater, Unpopular Opinion gives you the clarity, and the edge, you need.

Burn it down. Rebuild it better. This is cybersecurity for grown-ups.