gorilla dust
n.— «When two male gorillas confront each other, they’re too canny most of the time to actually fight, so they resort to the tried-and-true political tactic of intimidation. Both scurry about in a frenzy, grimacing menacingly, beating their chests and tossing clouds of dirt into the air. It’s a serious encounter, full of powerful and primitive energies, a test of testosterone. Soon one becomes convinced that the other could win the threatened physical engagement, and retreats. It’s called gorilla dust, and nations stir it up all the time.» —“Is India’s Nuclear Threat Mere Gorilla Dust?” Hinduism Today (Kapaa, Hawaii) Aug., 1998. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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