W. H. Drake, “Then Rikki-Tikki was battered to and fro as a rat is shaken by a dog,” from The Jungle Book, 1895.
1,479 words
Allow me to share a deep character flaw of mine that it took nearly six decades to realize but only moments to rectify.
Despite outward appearances and an intensely unsavory public reputation, the sad truth is that I’m way too nice — all the way to the point where I’m not. (more…)
1,495 words
Seneca and James Romm, ed., trans.
How to Keep Your Cool: An Ancient Guide to Anger Management
Princeton University Press, 2019
Long before self-help books, pop-psychology gurus, TED talks, non-fiction political punditry, and “anger-management” classes, the ancients dispensed wisdom on a variety of topics, personal and societal. (more…)
1,108 words
As the old Sicilian saying goes: don’t get angry — get even.
I believe that everyone reading is familiar with the idea that revenge is a dish best served cold. Rage makes us stupid; anger drives us to make mistakes, waltz into traps set by our enemies, and go on embarrassing rants (more…)
Leonardo da Vinci, Study for the Battle of Anghiari
2,069 words
Anyone who studies the thought and ways of life of our ancestors can only be struck by their manly vigor and toughness. Material comfort and mass miseducation have taken their toll on modern Western man, turning him, with every generation, into a more and more effeminate creature. The ancients knew that without manly courage, political and personal freedom is impossible. One will not take the inevitable risks of living the truth without courage. (more…)
142 words / 59:52
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Greg Johnson talks to Chris Robertson about his book In Defense of Hatred. Topics include:
Ecstatic with herself
3,166 words
The world of academia is full of hyper-inflated academics with multiple titles, prizes, honors, publications, grants and “original” ideas. Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, is a typical case in point; (more…)