The real rot is in his brain. He was “smart enough” to get into Princeton. He can read all of this stuff. But he can’t come to a rational choice about what is good philisophical guidance for life and what is popular rubbish.
I took the message of the Leaders Handbook to heart: everything my unit does, or fails to do, is my responsibility alone. To some, I became a real PITA. Didn't care: if my neck was truly on the line, then stay the hell out of my way and let me do my job.
I got along so well with my last battalion commander in Germany (after a rocky start), he asked me to work for him when we both landed back at Fort Bliss, installing me as his Operations Officer, a young Captain in a position slotted for a Lt Colonel.
The Army is now inundated with Courtney Massengales, while Sam Damons are leaving the military in droves. They're putting officers in command positions that should not be allowed 100 yards within troops. When I was asked about a Battery Commander I had whom I was crosswise with, I'd simply say, "he's a great staff officer."