How to Deal with Monikers
One time, I found this description of the book, Ivan the Terrible on Bookbub : “Explore the life of Ivan the Terrible — the infamous Russian tsar who more than earned his daunting moniker . But beneath Ivan’s exterior of brutality may have lurked a complex, even sympathetic leader…” The phrase “daunting moniker” caught my attention. It reminded me of this blows-your-mind-away monologue by Christoph Waltz as part of his portrayal of a Nazi Colonel named Hans Landa in the movie Inglorious Basterds. Here, I quote the parts of relevance: “Monsieur LaPadite, are you aware of the nickname the people of France have given me? … “The Jew Hunter.” … Heydrich apparently hates the moniker the good people of Prague have bestowed on him. Actually, why he would hate the name “the Hangman” is baffling to me. It would appear he has done everything in his power to earn it. Now I, on the other hand, love my unofficial title precisely because I’ve earned it.” Set aside the moral aspect of t...