Glazing Tyranny

[DISCLAIMER]

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

The authors quote Roman Stoic philosopher Gaius Musonius Rufus who stated, “For I believe a good king is from the outset and by necessity a philosopher, and the philosopher is from the outset a kingly person” (page 212). The authors and I yet again see matters differently.

I don’t agree with everything that anyone says, nor do I expect others to adopt my opinions. Nevertheless, I remain committed to incrementally reading The Daily Stoic even when my views diverge from perspectives of the authors.

For instance, they label today’s lesson “The Philosopher King” and cite Gaius Musonius Rufus’s appeal to power (legal or official authority, capacity, or right) concerning “kingly” endeavors. Yet, I view such influence as relating to tyranny (oppressive power exerted by government).

In fact, throughout The Daily Stoic, the authors appeal to figures who’ve demonstrated tyrannical behavior (e.g., Abraham Lincoln). Personally, such conduct isn’t dissimilar to glazing oppressive power. For context, one source states of this perverse slang term:

Glazing is a slang term that’s synonymous with dickriding and means to over-compliment and over-hype someone to the point of being seen as inferior to them due to hyperbolically cringe adoration. Other synonyms are “kiss-ass” and “suck-up.” The word “glazing” is indicative of intercourse, painting the visual of spreading semen on someone.

Sometimes, authors of The Daily Stoic appear to engage in full-on figurative bukkake (a type of sexual activity in which several men ejaculate on another person) when glazing tyranny. As an example, they state (page 212):

The Israeli general Herzl [“Herzi”] Halevi believes that philosophy is essential in his role as a leader and warrior. “People used to tell me that business administration is for the practical life and philosophy is for the spirit,” he said.

“Through the years I found it is exactly the opposite—I used philosophy much more practically.” War and leadership offer an unending series of ethical decisions that require priorities, balance, and clarity. That’s what philosophy helps with.

Might such an “unending series of ethical decisions” relate to genocide, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes? After all, that appears to be what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel have carried out on the people of Palestine (Gaza) since the October 7 attacks perpetuated by Hamas.

According to one source, “Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi is the most senior Israeli official to resign over the security breakdown [of October 7th], when thousands of Hamas-led fighters stormed from Gaza and attacked military bases, kibbutzim and a music festival southern Israel.”

Prior to stepping down, one source reported, “Halevi is the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and has been directing the Israeli military’s operations throughout the Gaza genocide.” Is this form of tyranny truly worth glazing? How deep does dickriding go?

According to another source, “A former Israeli army commander, Herzi Halevi, has confirmed that more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured in the war in Gaza, and that ‘not once’ in the course of the conflict were military operations inhibited by legal advice.”

Not showing legal inhibition when carrying out the slaughter of people who weren’t directly involved with October 7th isn’t the sort of behavior I advocate. If authors of The Daily Stoic prefer to dickride and receive the bukkake treatment, then that’s on them; yet, as I’ll pass!

For clarity, given my approach to rational living through daily practice of REBT, I acknowledge that fallible human beings aren’t their behavior. For instance, Halevi isn’t an evil person. Rather than evaluating and appraising him in such a way, I merely view him as an imperfect being.

Even if he’s complicit in genocide, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes, he remains a faulty human at his core. He isn’t bad. All the same, one could make a legitimate case for Halevi’s behavior constituting tyrannical action. Ergo, I draw a distinction between a person and one’s actions.

Perhaps when world leaders get off his dick, then the former IDF commander may be properly tried and perchance convicted of his alleged crimes. All the same, Halevi isn’t anything more than a fallible human being whose behavior can be evaluated or appraised aside from him.

Likewise, if authors of The Daily Stoic (i.e., fallible human beings) choose to receive a baby shower (become covered in semen) while glazing tyranny, then I won’t evaluate or appraise them. Yet, their behavior is fair game!

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit, fair use

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