So, wild thought. If you can't brace from the front to prevent tipping, the other option would be to lock down the back. It also sounds like you need a smoother surface for your desk chair.
What if you laid down a sheet of plywood and attached the rear legs to it? If the rear legs can't lift, the desk can't tip to the front.
I always understood that phrase as more like "no point in half measures if the consequences are the same", because a lamb is a small sheep.