Hive of Cardi A.: Think Bigger, Move Smarter, Stay Spicy During Destructive Distractions

Written by Abu Arif

The world feels like it’s unraveling. And I’m not just referring to the surge of radical-right populism, the progressive left’s fractured credibility, or the power of black sharpie – that a signature can displace people from their land and living. The planet is also burning, melting, flooding, and shaking, all while politicians of every stripe—from right to left, and every direction in between—lock horns in power struggles. None of this is entirely new, but what is new is watching it play out live, right before our eyes.

So, in this grim reality—how does one sustain themselves? How does one nourish themselves without feeling guilty or becoming a narcissist? How does one navigate these pendulum shifts in the absence of relational transformation?

In this essay, I argue that cultivating joy is part of the answer. Enter: Cardi A.

Joy, in many ways, is a radical act of refusal. It is the deliberate choice to center what matters, define your own lane, and think bigger than the systems designed to contain you. Joy is not accepting whatever thrown at you; it is determination to remain whole while the destructive politics try to distract you.

Cardi A is an archetype I created to embody a collective—a hive—that, despite life’s inevitable messiness, continues weaving alternative possibilities. At this moment, my Cardi A is navigating a thorny landscape armed with Sam Altman’s audacity, Cardi B’s unapologetic confidence, Kakali Bhattacharya’s intellectual gravitas with playfulness, Maya Angelou’s poetic resilience, and Muhammad Ali’s strategic brilliance.

Although I highlight five inspirations in this essay, they do not define us. They offer guidance but are not a cure-all for our challenges, and they are human, not divine avatars. In our imaginary hive, no two members are alike. What unites us is a shared refusal to shrink and a steadfast commitment to flourish—each member brings their own source of inspiration, diversifying our collective tapestry of inspiration.

The Ingredients of Joyful Defiance

1. Sam Altman: Think Big, Build Bigger

Yes, I start with a white man—because his recent response to Elon Musk brought me immense joy. Yes, I know all the terrible decisions he is making – but that is part of the point. 

Altman comes to mind when I think about not wasting energy fighting every battle. He represents the kind of mind that focuses on building systems that make old battles irrelevant. When Sam Altman was removed from OpenAI, he didn’t spiral—he stayed calm, let the chaos unfold, and emerged stronger than before. The lesson? When you stay focused on the bigger picture, small distractions lose their power over you.

Cardi A. knows they are not a member of the Justice League—they are a body with a beautiful and brilliant mind, working to make higher education a little more just. They understand their sphere of influence and know they must preserve and nurture their energy for where it truly matters. They don’t let the politics of destruction distract them from the work they are meant to do.

If you’re too busy wondering what that Black Sharpie will sign next, when will you write your own poem? Cardi A. knows they are not responsible for solving every problem in the world. They trust that there are people who will fight and win battles they don’t have to. And when Cardi A. believes they are the solution of a problem – they give their best to solve it.

2. Cardi B: Own Your Power, Be Unapologetic

Joy is in authenticity. Cardi B never wastes time convincing critics of her worth—she lets her success speak for itself. She owns her power without apology, whether people respect it or not. I chose to name our hive “Cardi A” because it’s rooted in our own life stories and reflects what Cardi B stands for: navigating the complicated terrain with joyful defiance, choosing self-expression over self-censorship. I know it’s a stretch—but sometimes we have to walk a long way to make that connection.

EEEEEOOOOOWW!!

Yes, Cardi A. is spicy. They realize they are not for everyone—and that’s okay. Seeking universal acceptance is a recipe for losing yourself. The world will always have opinions about you—your background, your accent, your choices. Cardi A. does not let any of that dictate their path. They speak their truth even when the grammar is imperfect—because impact matters more than polish.

Being unapologetic does not mean being cruel. It does not mean refusing to reflect or listen. It means knowing when feedback builds you up—and when it’s just noise. For example, when someone gives you feedback on your laugh and how it makes a white man uncomfortable (yes, it has happened to the author), while also teaching you the difference between thinking and feeling (yes, she did that too)—it’s up to you what you take in and what you discard.

Ps. Profaning is a research practise and methodology.

3. Kakali Bhattacharya: Joy as Intellectual Gravitas with Playfulness

Joy is in knowing there is no space of purity. The academy is designed to police knowledge—who gets to create it, whose voices are amplified, whose ways of knowing are deemed “legitimate.” Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya (here after referred as Queen B) refuses to play by those rules. She carves out space for de/colonial scholarship. She asks us to be audacious and dream about utopian (im)/possibilities while recognizing there is no place of purity. At best, we can hope not repeating the same mistake. Queen B brings intellectual gravitas with playfulness when she draws on Sukumar Ray’s HaJaBaRaLa to explore the subversive power of nonsense and play in decolonial thought—offering joy amid colonial trauma. The same Queen B theorized the Par/desi de/colonial onto-epistemological framework – challenging Desi people to critically reflect on the ways we have absorbed colonial narratives.

Cardi A. chooses to live by reducing suffering where they can, staying in their lane, influencing their sphere, and creating scholarship that heals.

Inspired by Queen B, I invite you to consider withdrawing yourself from the discourse of purity—without erasing the voices of suffering. The world has always been oppressive, and the world will always find ways to marginalize others. Sounds depressing, right? So, balance that thought with this one—there is no center without the margin. The center exists because there is a margin. Without the margin – centre is only a dot.

4. Still I Rise – Maya Angelou: Joy is the Ultimate Rebellion

“You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies…”

Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise is a masterclass in joyful defiance. It reminds us that rising isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving in full color. Laughing, loving, creating in the face of oppression. She also teaches us how to keep your sacred space continue flourishing

Cardi A. does not ignore suffering. They pay close attention to pain with humility and a promise to do better. If we let pain define us, we become our oppressor’s story. And if you become your oppressor’s story, what happens to yours?

Untold? Unheard?

Don’t let the oppressor’s water wagon dim your light. Put melody to your poems and sing your song as loud as it feels good. Cardi A. leans on our ancestor’s knowledge of resistance, suffering and blossoming. Cancelling them in the name of modernity or worshiping them in the name of honoring – both are foolish to Cardi A. Humans are complex being – so are our leaders, neighbours, grandparents – why choosing single color to paint them?

5. Muhammad Ali: Play the Long Game, Stay Light on Your Feet

Joy is strategy. I know! I know! The word strategy is traumatizing for many in higher education – but stay with me.

Muhammad Ali knew how to read the fight, when to punch, when to lean back, when to dance. He understood that power is not just about strength—it’s about knowing when to engage and when to let your opponent exhaust themselves.

Cardi A. knows cultivating joy means knowing where to place your energy. Some fights are necessary; others are distractions. Joy is not about letting everything slide—it’s about choosing your battles wisely.

As they say: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, and never let them pull you into fights that drain your brilliance.”

Joy as Endurance: How Cardi A. Refuels

Joy is not just an act of resistance—it is a practice of sustainability. The world will try to wear you down. Systems of oppression don’t just attack your work; they attack your energy, your hope, your belief that change is possible.

So how does Cardi A. keep going? By treating joy as a renewable resource.

• By surrounding themselves with their people: Joy is not a solo project. Although sometimes you may wish to be left alone. Cardi A. surrounds themselves with people who remind them why they started in the first place. And show them the door when they need the silence.
• Through rituals: Whether it’s music, movement, meditation, ethical sex, or mindless reality TV—joy needs space to exist outside of work. Make joy as a ritual – however way it is coming to you, practise it.
• Through laughter: Because nothing enrages oppressive systems more than seeing you unbothered. But hey—you don’t have to laugh when you don’t feel like laughing just to bother the oppressor. Sometimes, frowning is the way to go.

Be Your Own Cardi A

Somewhere I read that joy isn’t just a fleeting feeling—it’s a discipline. So go ahead, share your discipline in the comments. And if today feels like one of those days where you don’t quite know how to access joy, I have a prescription: open a new tab, blast your favorite dance mix, and dance, baby. Just dance.

Love,

Arif