A Curator of Strategy, Leadership, Spirituality, and Rock and Roll…. "Changing the world…one "contact" at a time…."
Friedrich Nietzsche warned us: โHe who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.โ It was a 19th-century philosophical warning about moral corruption and existential danger. Today, it reads like a headline. Nietzscheโs famous quote appears in …
"I am the Lizard King. I can do anything." โ Jim Morrison Jim Morrison was not a conventional leader. He was a poet-shaman, a provocateur, and a performer who unraveled boundaries rather than enforcing them. But in an age defined by complexity, ambiguity, and accelerating change, Morrisonโs self-styled personaโthe Lizard Kingโoffers more than artistic flair. …
| May the 4th Celebration, 2025 A Galaxy Far, Far Awayโand Closer Than We Think Maybe I read too much into Star Wars--but every year on May the 4th, fans around the world come together to celebrate one of the most powerful myths of the modern era: Star Wars. It is more than just a film …
A New Wave Dystopia In the early 1980s, The Police crafted a sound that blended punk, reggae, and new wave into anthems that were more than just catchy melodies. Beneath the radio-friendly hits lay deeper, darker themesโalienation, war, political decay, and the struggle for meaning in an increasingly mechanized world. Three songs in particularโโฮฉmegaman,โ โSpirits …
The paradox is as old as artistry itself: groups that are forged in the fires of struggle often dissolve in the warmth of success. This truth spans domainsโfrom military units to start-ups, from revolutionary movements to legendary rock bands. The tighter the early fight, the stronger the bond. But when the fight is over, cohesion …
Introduction I was reading a book the other day and the topic of proto-anarchy was mentioned. Of course, I was likeโwhat? So I had to look it upโponder what does this mean for leadership, innovation, and strategy. The concept of anarchy has long been associated with chaos and disorder, yet its philosophical roots suggest a …
When I first took the job standing a new leadership department at the Air Command and Staff College, I knew I wanted to do more than just structure a syllabus or write a set of learning objectives. I wanted to build something with soul. Something that would help mid-career officers not just check boxes on …
Introduction: The Evolution from Brawn to Brain in Warfare Throughout history, military success has hinged on the balance between sheer force (bie) and cunning strategy (mรฉtis). The ancient Greeks recognized this dichotomy, with bie representing brute strength and mรฉtis embodying wisdom and cunning. Similarly, Eastern philosophies such as Taoism discuss the interplay of yin (passive, …
Introduction: The Philosophical Depth of a Song The Grateful Deadโs Touch of Grey, beyond being a cultural touchstone and their only Top 10 hit, offers profound reflections on the human condition. With its famous refrain, "I will get by, I will survive," the song encapsulates a dual philosophical stanceโcombining the endurance of Stoicism with the …
Inspired by โHello Hurricaneโ by Switchfoot and Informed by Chaos Theory Oh, I've been watching the skies They've been turning blood red Not a doubt in my mind anymore There's a storm up ahead Hello hurricane Chaos Feels AwfulโUntil It Doesnโt Chaos is uncomfortable. Itโs disorienting. It can be terrifying. When life throws uncertainty our …
Continue reading "Opportunities in the Chaos: Finding Strength in the Storm"
Mastermind Century Group 