The Burden of Truth #3
From Iliad by Homer, Trans. E.V. Rieu (London: Penguin, 1950), pp. 173 (ePub edition):
Hear me, Apollo, lord of the silver bow, protector of Chryse and holy Cilla, and mighty ruler over Tenedos! Plague-god, if ever I built a temple that pleased you, if ever I burnt you offerings of the fat thighs of bulls or goats, grant me this wish. Make the Greeks pay with your arrows for my tears.
The Iliad takes place ten years into the war, and while it does mention events from earlier in the conflict, it primarily focuses on the events of the tenth year. It seems as though Homer chose to exclude the dull parts of the war from his story. This is a common approach to storytelling. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it’s especially noticeable in biopics which often squeezes a person's life story into a two-hour film. As viewers, we eagerly anticipate the protagonist’s ultimate triumph. While there is nothing particularly wrong with this style of storytelling, the problem lies in how we tend to disregard our own experiences when we go through difficult times or feel dissatisfied when things are going well for us. We do this because we feel like our lives don't match the narratives we see in films, books, magazine, or social media. As a result, we may feel like our struggles shouldn't be happening to us because other people don't seem to have it as tough. We may even sabotage good things that happen to us because they don't live up to the perfect outcomes we've been shown to expect. There is always something missing with us, our partners or children. We've been conditioned to expect storybook endings - the hero gets the girl, there's always a breakthrough, everything falls into place just in time, the bomb is always disarmed seconds before it explodes, and the avengers save the day. Although watching movies and reading books with happy endings can increase our optimism, it can also give us a distorted view of reality. We begin to see the world through rose-colored glasses, and this can make us ill-equipped to handle life's challenges. We start to believe that everything should be easy and our willpower starts to decline when we face obstacles. The constant shock of realising that life is not as easy as we expected can cause us to struggle even more as life continues to throw challenges our way. 🧹
In Steven Pressfield’s book, Do the Work, he wrote something that gave me pause: “The universe is not indifferent. It is actively hostile.” However bleak it sounds, it carries a large dose of truth. I knew it intuitively but I struggled with the idea because it would require me to show up differently to the business of living. The statement immediately reminded me of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians when he told them to ‘Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan.’ In short, it means don’t take piss to a shit fight. If you know the universe is actively hostile, you don’t show up ill-prepared. You approach situations with a mindset similar to that of a warrior or an athlete, recognising that there will be obstacles that you have to overcome. And on some days, the warrior will be defeated, the warrior will discover that the current armour is not suitable for the task at hand and will need to get better at problem-solving. If the universe is actively hostile, we shouldn't be surprised when terrible things happen. Throughout our existence, humans have refused to surrender themselves to this hostility. We've created clothes to stay warm, built houses to protect ourselves from the elements, and even made them earthquake-proof. We've developed medicines to combat diseases and created more tools to deal with the challenges of modern living. This fight against the universe is not new, it's an ongoing battle. Sometimes we emerge victorious, but at other times, the universe wins. But we continue to be defiant even when the odds are stacked against us. Yes, some things will go wrong and other things will go right. The real question is how we can minimize the risks and protect ourselves while still pursuing our dreams wholeheartedly, rather than avoiding the thing we desire out of fear that thing will go wrong. When we think of risk management, we often focus on what could go wrong rather than what could go right. That's why there are few resources available on how to handle success or how to be a better celebrity. So people sabotage themselves because they are scared of what will happen if they are successful. In an interview, Michael Jai in response to a question about Will Smith’s behaviour at the Oscars, said that the psychological work you didn’t do before the success will be your undoing when you are successful. And don't worry, the video is only five minutes long. But if you’re in a hurry, you can forward it to 04:09 mins to hear what he says. 🤖
I know I wrote that Paris’ choice was quite daft. That I wouldn’t have made that choice but perhaps I haven’t met someone who could make me. The reason I’d choose territory or skill and wisdom would have to do with my own values or the hierarchy of those values — which value comes first depends on the context. If I had to choose between a large territory and wisdom/skill, I'm unsure which one I'd pick, unless someone was pointing a gun to my head. I’d still need wisdom/skill to administer a large territory effectively. I don’t think Paris had it innately because Athena wouldn’t have offered wisdom/skill as a bribe if he did. I know I have done things in the name of love which in hindsight I’d consider stupid. Be it love for family, partner, country, or even religion. In recent times, it seems that the English monarchy has struggled with matters of the heart. From the abdication of Edward VIII to marry Wallis Simpson, to Princess Diana, a beloved figure around the world, and finally to Prince Harry's decision to distance himself from his family due to his relationship with Meghan Markle. I anticipate more drama in the future. Love, no matter how nuts, is not something you trifle with. Going back to the story of Paris, sometimes we desire what others want not because we genuinely desire it, but because of the social status that comes with it. As a generalization, men often want a Victoria's Secret model because of how other men or women will perceive them, even if that body type is not necessarily what they truly prefer. Similarly, women might desire a man with a six-pack, six-figure income, and a height of six feet, even if they might prefer a more average body type but fear being judged if they express this preference. In the story of the Iliad, Paris was already married to Oenone before his Shenanigans with Helen. He chose Helen, considered the most beautiful woman on earth, for the prestige that comes with being with someone so desirable. Despite his lack of skill and courage, his choice was a way to compensate for this lack. It is possible that wisdom, skill, and courage could be the the things needed to prevent us from making decisions that could cause us irreparable damage. This is just my interpretation for today, and it may change in the future. 🚢
Thanks for reading. If there's anything you'd like to chat about, or if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email. I'd love to hear from you. :)