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The Wrath Of Least Persistence
Everyone has heard the tired phrase, “path of least resistance.” It represents a principle that I have no objection to. Of course there is no reason to make more work for oneself without good reason. No one is arguing with this idea. All things being equal, the shortest path to a goal is usually the…
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John Lewis Burckhardt’s Travels And Explorations In Nubia
In a previous article we have sketched the life of John Lewis Burckhardt. He was born in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1784 of a prominent family. At the age of 16 his father moved the family to Leipzig; and four years after this they moved again to Göttingen. His family was staunchly opposed to the new…
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David Mamet’s Film “Redbelt” (2008) (Podcast)
In this podcast we discuss David Mamet’s 2008 film Redbelt. This is a great movie, and a worthy addition to his long line of films that explore the moral and ethical problems that men face as they try to reconcile their personal creeds with the world’s corrupting influences. How we resolve this struggle will define…
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The Boar And The Wolf Of Sant’ Antonio
I will turn again to Biondo Flavio’s geographical compendium of Italy called Italia Illustrata, which was published in 1453. Flavio traveled all over the Italian peninsula and recorded historical information, anecdota, and local customs of the Italian countryside in the late medieval period. During his tour of Tuscany, he found himself in the region near…
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The Painted Books Of The Maya: Surviving By A Hair
Sometimes the precious things of this world survive by just a hair. Just a hair. The difference between victory and defeat, between survival and ruin, between conquest and destruction, between glory and despair: these are not differences of tremendous magnitude. They are fine-line distinctions. And when I say fine-line, I mean very fine. Fortune loves…
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How The Plutocratic Insurgency Targets You Personally: The Use Of AI For Targeted Shakedowns
In our discussions on the “plutocratic insurgency” here, we have focused on the malfeasance and corrupt practices of the moneyed elites, their political lackeys, and a few of the major corporations. Some people, reading these pages, may be tempted to think, “Well, so what? It doesn’t affect me personally! What do I care!” But the…
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Impressions Of Belo Horizonte, Brazil
I spent the recent holidays in Belo Horizonte, which is the capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It was a fantastic trip, and I wanted to give readers my impressions of the city.
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Vanguard Of The Plutocratic Insurgency: Apple Inc. Plies Its Trade
Previous articles here have described in detail a phenomenon called the “plutocratic insurgency.” The term was coined by Robert J. Bunker and Pamela L. Bunker in a series of articles that have appeared in Small Wars Journal. I have discussed the Bunkers’ conclusions in my own articles here:
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The Wisdom Of Ibn Zafar al-Siqilli And Abu Bakr al-Khowarizmi
The writer and scholar Ibn Zafar al-Siqilli lived from 1104 to about 1170. The cognomen al-Siqilli (“the Sicilian”) was given to him because he was born on the island of Sicily. There are a number of important works credited to his name, the most famous of which is a book of ethical and political philosophy…
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The Top 10 Articles At Fortress Of The Mind For 2017
Below is a list of the top 10 viewed articles at Fortress of the Mind for the year 2017. Now might be a good time to re-read the essays from last year that spoke to you:
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A Portuguese Translation Of “On The Forgetting Of Offenses And Insults”
My essay On the Forgetting of Offenses and Insults has graciously and capably been translated into Portuguese by Mr. Daniel Castro, proprietor of the site Nuvem de Giz. The translation can be found here.
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To Comprehend, You Must Have The Desire To Comprehend
If you want to understand someone, you must have the desire to hear that person. You must have the willingness to open up your mind, to open up your heart, and be prepared to receive the communication that he or she is sending out. If this open-mindedness is not there, you will not hear the…
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The Symbols Of Power Are Not Substitutes For Real Power
Some are tempted to confuse the symbols of power with the reality of power. They are not the same thing. Power is the one thing that cannot be faked. For a time, perhaps, the bluffer can maintain an illusion of authority; he can go through his empty pantomime, imagining he is fooling everyone; but sooner…
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The Guardian Spirit And The Idea Of “Genii”
Most of us are familiar with the idea of the “patron saint” in Christianity. The doctrine is even found in some branches of Islam. It is a comforting thing to believe that there is someone out there watching over us, and protecting us in an hour of need. I never used to give this idea…
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Forensic Linguistics: The Footprint Of Language
There is a very good miniseries playing on Netflix right now called Manhunt: Unabomber. It is a drama about the pursuit and capture of Theodore Kaczynski, the so-called “Unabomber” who confounded law enforcement for decades until he was finally captured in 1996. His case had been the longest and costliest in American law enforcement history. …
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Reach Out And Help Someone Else During The Holiday Season
During this holiday season, try to reach out to someone who needs a hand and try to show some kindness. Too often, we all get so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget other people also need help.
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John Lewis Burckhardt’s Pioneering Explorations And Travels In Arabia
Before Sir Richard Burton, there was John Lewis Burckhardt. Like many of the great names featured in these pages, he is little known today; but he sacrificed his life in the cause of discovery, and acquired a knowledge of the Arabic language and Islamic customs that has been surpassed by very few–if any–Westerners. Had he…
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The Need To Escape (Podcast)
The theme of this podcast is the subject of escape, and how it is connected with travel and discovery. We explore this theme through the prism of two recent movies: “The Last Days” (2013) and “The Way Back” (2010).
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The Incredible Life And Explorations Of John Ledyard
Of all the explorers and travelers I have written about, few are as fascinating and as little-known today as the American adventurer John Ledyard. He lived from 1751 to 1789, during the seminal years of American history; and his travels across the globe (especially in Russia and Siberia) mark him out as a man who…
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Separate Your Opponent From His Source Of Strength
When we are dealing with an opponent of substantial power, we should try to cut him off from his source of strength. If he can be made incapable of drawing on his strengths, he will be weakened; and so weakened, isolated; and if isolated, destroyed. Everything has a source of strength, whether we are talking…
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The Presence Of Death (Podcast)
We explore the theme of the presence of death through two movies: “Biutiful” (2010) and “Amour” (2012). We also discuss Polydore Vergil’s comments on the burial customs of various peoples, as I outlined in my article of December 6 here at Fortress of the Mind.
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The “Voyager” Program: Mankind’s Most Distant And Awesome Explorations
We have in these pages chronicled the feats of great explorers of previous eras. Yet our own era has witnessed what is perhaps the greatest, most awe-inspiring feat of exploration in the history of the man on earth: the Voyager program that made its way through the outer solar system. This was to be an…
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On Meetings And Separations: The Wisdom Of Two Scholars Of Al-Andalus
We have paid a price for the media age. Yes, it is true that we have access to huge volumes of information (or mindless trash, depending on your perspective); but the average person is now so deluged with tsunamis of inanity that it is a full-time responsibility just to sift out what is of value…
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Polydore Vergil’s Comments On Death And Burial Customs
The charm of old books often lies in their inaccuracies, errors, and absurdities. It is not a requirement of entertainment that everything must be factual. It is a pleasant thing to be reminded every now and then of our humanity; and nothing is more human than error. Only by seeing how far knowledge has advanced…
Original copy of Cicero’s De Officiis (On Duties) published in Holland in 1642. From the collection of Fortress of the Mind.
Quintus Curtius 
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