The Naval Academy Canceled My Lecture on Wisdom

23 rmason 5 4/29/2025, 8:23:47 PM nytimes.com ↗

Comments (5)

kashunstva · 2d ago
Had the Naval Academy chain of command paid no attention to the framing of this essay by one of its most celebrated warrior-philosophers? For an institution that I imagine prides itself on the training of courageous personnel, this is a remarkably cowardly act. But of course, the U.S. president, himself deferred from service by crippling bone spurs, likely views Admiral Stockdale’s legacy as that of a loser, since he was captured. So mentions of DEI notwithstanding, the essay probably fails with this administration on that basis, as well.
rmason · 2d ago
For those lacking a NY Times subscription: https://archive.is/8x0D5
tocs3 · 2d ago
A good essay and worth the read.
curseofcasandra · 2d ago
I’m a big fan of Ryan Holiday and watched all his youtube videos. Shortly after Jimmy Carter’s death, he released a video explaining how Carter exemplified all the great stoic virtues. And in contrast, how Trump doesn’t. I do wonder if this video had anything to do with his cancellation.
jfengel · 2d ago
I've never read any of Holiday's stuff, but I encounter it in the form of a podcast for French language learners. The host is a big fan of Holiday and other related self-help types in the "stoic" vein.

I'm not sure I'm learning much about either stoicism or French, but I did learn that the French name of the stoic Roman emperor is "Marc Aurèle".