The Richard II Disease

There is something I call the “Richard II Disease.” In Shakespeare’s play, Richard II, the king (Richard II) was a weak man who, also, became a weak king. His throne was taken which began the War of the Roses (Shakespeare uses this play to begin a type of ‘trilogy’ with Henry IV Part I and Part II coming after and Henry V completing the full tale).

Richard II did not *grasp* poetry. Rather, it grasped him. Being so overawed by poetry, he was lost in it and, indeed, romanticized by it. In fact, practically everything overawed Richard II in the play. To him, he was ‘over-awed’ by the crown. Any king who remains ‘over-awed’ by his own throne is going to become a weak king.

This ‘Richard II Disease’ is exactly what creates the Nice Guy or rather the “Sappy Guy.” Not understanding women or having any experience with them, Nice Guys become “overawed” by the females. They find females “majestic” and a spectacular “wonder.” This is nonsense. Only children would find such wonder as they are new to this world. This is why Nice Guys are seen as incredibly weak by women and men. And this is why Nice Guys are still seen as “children” even if they have grown male bodies.

The ‘Richard II Disease’ is probably the chief culprit afflicting Christianity and the force behind this so-called “feminization” of religion. Real men look at religion with attempts to understand and rationalize it. The Richard IIs look at religion with only one purpose: to be overawed by it. So the focus becomes on a fantastical display of flowery language, a potpourri of feelings, and a bouquet of feminine contexts. Christianity used be presented as “The Truth” which, today, it no longer does and keeps attempting to rely on ‘awe’ (but awe of Truth and the awe of Richard II is very different).

Can we be ‘over-awed’ on other things and create a type of ‘unhealthy Nice Guy addiction?’ Certainly! The intense feelings of sex can over-awe people and have people literally worshipping copulation itself (and lose total control of themselves to it). Likewise, the intense feelings of alcohol, drugs, and even food also can ‘over-awe’ people and keep them addicted to this ‘awed’ state.

My favorite example is ancient artifacts. People know the Stonehenge is great, but there is little reason as to why. The same goes with the Pyramids. Completely over-awed by them, many people insist that space aliens came and made them (!).

The worst culprit is the modern notion of “love.” Love is seen as something you submit to, something to “over-awe” you. This definition of “love” keeps the Nice Guy in a state of continued cycle no matter how many times he gets burned. Does this mean one cannot be ‘awed’ by a woman? You fall in and out of awe over the course of any long relationship. But you certainly don’t ‘submit’ to this awe. Nice Guys see themselves as Romantics. Vain women see the Nice Guy as submitting to their WONDERFUL selves (which every woman thinks herself wonderful). The truth is in the middle. Nice Guys are submitting to their misplaced awe (usually placed upon some hard to obtain woman).

Don’t let feelings of awe have you lose control of yourself. And certainly, never submit to it.