The Art of Manliness

#452: The Warrior's Manifesto

Oct 24, 2018

Daniel Modell, a former NYPD officer with a Master's in philosophy, discusses the essence of being a warrior. He shares insights on the lessons of Spartacus, the necessity of violence for peace, and the importance of leadership over bureaucracy. Modell emphasizes that civilians also need to understand the way of the warrior.

01:00:48

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Episode guests

Daniel Modell

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Quick takeaways

Defining a warrior goes beyond fighting for a nation, as seen in Spartacus' fight for freedom and a greater ideal.

Warriors use violence strategically for protection and peace, showcasing the need to balance decisive force with long-term harmony.

Warriors face the challenge of being fierce defenders without losing their humanity, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and ethical collaboration.

Deep dives

Warrior's Definition and Lessons from Spartacus

Being a warrior involves defining characteristics beyond fighting for a country or in wars. For example, Spartacus, despite not fighting for a nation, embodied the essence of a warrior by fighting for freedom and a larger ideal. His defiance and purity of purpose exemplified the warrior spirit.

Introduction

2min

The Intersection of Philosophy and Policing

23min

Balancing Integrity and Quantitative Metrics in High-Stakes Professions

8min

Contrasting Leaders and Bureaucrats in Organizations

3min

The Comfort and Dangers of Bureaucracy

10min

Warriors and Leadership: Balancing Violence with Purpose

16min

Wrapping up the Episode with Show Notes, Appreciation, and Ads for Discounts and Education

2min

"Warrior" is a word that gets thrown around a lot. There are road warriors, and social justice warriors, and ninja warriors. But what does it really mean to be a warrior?

My guest today sets out a working definition in his book The Warrior’s Manifesto. His name is Daniel Modell, and he earned his Master's Degree in philosophy before going on to serve for twenty years in the New York City Police Department.

Daniel and I begin our conversation discussing what makes a warrior and the lessons Spartacus can teach us on that score. Daniel and I then discuss why warriors do what they do, why violence is sometimes necessary for peace, and what it means to be savage without becoming savage. We then discuss how bureaucracy kills leadership and why you don’t need a title to be a leader. At the end of our conversation, Daniel talks about why it isn't just members of the military and law enforcement who need to understand the way of the warrior, but ordinary civilians as well.

Get the show notes at aom.is/warriorsmanifesto.