Western culture has become obsessed (whether consciously or unconsciously, given it has been fuelled largely by Hollywood propaganda) with The Hero's Journey archetype. We must save those poor black Africans from poverty; we must save those poor white Eastern Europeans from those nasty brutish Ruskis; we must save our poor immunocompromised from psychopathic germs! As usual, the problem is externalising a truth that should be applied in the personal domain: we are our own heroes, and if we can just be content with that, maybe we can inspire others to do the same as well.
Due to what we have witnessed over the past couple of years, I have come to question every trope and repeated story coming out of Hollywood in particular. I am hence wondering if the purpose of these hero stories is so we wait for someone to come to save us, and don't take any action ourselves, until it is too late?
'You just have to get off your ass because well, no one wants to leave their ass prints in the sands of time.' This needs to be engraved on something big and important.
"You don’t have to be a leader to leave your foot prints in the sands of time. You just have to get off your ass because well, no one wants to leave their ass prints in the sands of time. Just do that which is yours to do. It doesn’t need to be heroic. The sage in you already knows how to get home."
Mar 3, 2023·edited Mar 3, 2023Liked by Visceral Adventure
I like superman with no head! It makes me think of what happened to Christopher Reeve, who found real bravery in himself I think.
I believe that the sage in me already knows that I'm already home! Nothing to do. Nowhere to go.
I read this from Thich Nhat Hanh last night
Do we need to make a special effort to see the beauty of the blue sky? Do we have to practice to be able to enjoy it?, No, we just enjoy it. Each second, each minute of our lives can be like this. Wherever we are, at any time, we have the capacity to enjoy the sunshine, the presence of each other, even the sensation of our breathing. We don't need to go to China (!) to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to travel into the future to enjoy our breathing. We can be in touch with these things right now. It would be a pity if we were only aware of suffering.'
Sitting meditation and yoga asanas (from the word arse) are a great way to awaken. I am more than happy to leave my arse print in the sand. If we looked back and saw that is was millions of arses in the sand that marked the beginning of the age of enlightenment and peace- well, I wouldn't be at all surprised xxx
I like this take on things...'specially since you mention leaders as I've seen "leaderless" efforts go full-chaos in more'n one case... There is a call for leaderless parallel societies but I don't see havin' a leader as sumthin' terribly un-Havel-y.
As you said, a future minus the hero is a different way to think'a things--a good one--AND a way to shy away from all this baloney twaddle about "trustin' " the experts and turning experts (who really shit in the pot like all've us)--folks with with feet'a clay (or cloven hooves ha ha!).... into heroes... The literal novena candles to "Saint Tony Fauci" were so wretch-worthy that it reveals just how insane an' dangerous this "hero worship" has become...
So in theory, without "heroes" each person again becomes responsible for themselves--and their own (friends, family, greater community etc)--a good thing I think!
Now there are folks "workin' " this plandemic--Dr Zev Zelenko an' Dr Mike Yeadon an' Sasha Latypova fer example--that I consider "heroes" (I actually wrote back'a ways about Jewish plandemic heroes here: https://thcsofdaisymoses.substack.com/p/jewish-heroes-of-the-plandemic-a ) but my thinkin' of them as heroes is not due to their Herculean strength or ability to kill diseases with a single super-jab (on the contrary!) but rather it's due to their simply and clearly speaking up without fear, without compromise an' knowing their lives will be threatened for doing so. THAT to me is real-life heroism which might better be called LEADERSHIP.
All of these folks are very regular Clark Kent-y individuals who HAD TO get outta their typical non-public rinds to give us all nourishing "info juice"--at great personal risk / cost too. But if you put any one've these folks in a Superman / Wonderwoman suit...well, it ain't gonna fit or they'd look downright silly. Three Clark(e) Kents thar... modest an' true.
Now bein' a fellow story-teller I think that heroes DO belong in stories--in tales tall an' small an' I'd be sad n' sorry to lose their allegorical sparkle. Plus I think humans need stories--always--that feature heroes--just as we need "baddies"--there is something cathartic 'bout it all--at least in fiction. Kids especially want resolution and yup, a happy endin' -- this is why most folks like "hero" films and it's a rare few've us that are askin' fer a second helpin' of Margurite Duras (or the like...)
BUT...in REAL LIFE down n' dirty, it's not so much that Superman lost his head (what a photo!)--it's that their ain't no Superman "for real"--there are ordinary folks that don't know how brave they are 'til, like ya said, they just ARE, there are regular modest folks that cut thru the fog with clarity an' MUST speak out--bravely, yes! but it's more that they are or that they become leaders "by circumstance." Some of us are "tooled" thattaway... we step forward when nobody else seems to wanna "start the thing" or...as it were, speak up, stand up, risk pissin' off folks. So it's not so much a job we were trained for--it's more something we just "become"--in the moment or ongoing.
I DO think this can be a way forward... An' may there always be a space and'a place (an' a forum like Substack) for all've us "non-heroes" who wanna be part've the solution!
Loved this, and YES, we are transcending that hero / villain paradigm, aren't we. Well, we can see where that gets us. One of the things this time is requiring of us, is to individually, take on our own journey, face our fears, shed our illusion and decide what are we willing to stand up for. No hero coming. Beautiful, wise, very sage-like. Thank you!
I have felt us move into the archetype of community for a while now, the heroic age being long and gone. which doesn't mean a loss of leadership just a loss of a top down flow and a move into the grid network which takes into account the interconnectedness of all things. here's a great podcast about someone who archetypically fits very much into the engineer mindset of 1+1 linear thinking but who has remarkably moved into his right brain and formed one planet living and systems thinking. its quite exciting!
the episode following is also about a very dynamic group of people who do massive work and compromise of only 4 people, all equal in reciprocation however with a definite leader, because his job is to point the direction. a refreshing take on how leadership is simply a part of the process rather than the all powerful hero's journey. also very inspiring and I am excited that this is becoming more of the common mindset of folks as well as the grace that within all this decentralisation we have to respect that if we are to decide what we can do we have to respect others doing the same.
Wow, YES. This made me cry and I am reflecting on why. I think it’s two dimensions: 1) I tried to be a “hero” and change my employer’s vax policy, and share info with friends about early treatment for covid. What happened? One person blamed me for her father’s death, though he died pre vaxes, bc the hospital would not give iver or proper treatment - which I gave her information about. (She later told me she would think about my choice not to be vaxed at her dad’s funeral, bc my choice would kill people like him). Ouch. And I was only able to save myself at work, as told here
Tina Turner; what a vocal, what a body and giving us a listen in how to sell a performance and command attention even when lip syncing! It would have been even better without cutting to puny Mel Gibson (I think I get them confused) from a film.
Apr 25, 2023·edited Apr 25, 2023Liked by Visceral Adventure
Yes, Visceral.
I've been exploring this hero theme too, recently. My realisation is that the hero archetype (theme, idea, manifestation) requires a victim. No victim, no hero.
Great for things like rescues, when there really are people in danger. Not great, and even highly inappropriate when it comes to an evolving human species and their changing manifestations of culture and civilisation.
Synchronicity? I used Tina's great song in my recent post, too.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I enjoyed them.
Lol, re insightful rants! Yes, the good vs bad stories make GREAT theater! I'm also 100% for other stories too--like them ya mentioned! There are many that ARE compelling--but I think we need them all includin' old stories of heroes (we like Swedish Fairy Tales 'specially and the heroes were often the underdogs--the foolish little brother, the non-greedy "dummy" and all that). But yes, there are so many GOOD stories that are not about heroes at all (includin' my favorite modern musical that I suggested ya watch--One From the Heart--no heroes, a great tale of love and flawed humans who still can dance). I think you are fightin' tho--with words and thoughts and fresh ideas! Perhaps it's an odd "joy" but speaking up an' out and making stuff IS a good FIGHT for humanity! Now there's an idea fer something--a battle with pens an' mouths--mebbe animated? Defeatin' (de-feet-in') those armed with jabs n' nukes... hmmm. Last thought---redemption (which has it's religious component too...) is often an' also a "construct" no less powerful (no less potentially manipulative) than hero tales... The "reframin' " can be GREAT but it also can put out a pick-chur just as arty-fish-all.... So let's keep tellin' many tales and (thankfully) it's in the diss-cussin' (funny, no?)--discussing--that we figger out what applies to our real lives, what is too fabulous or fabricated--what resonates... Ach, my ol' semiotic brain gits into these weeds, ol' stompin' ground--but the pernt is... we can still embrace old fictions (which were always so!) and yet birth the new --which brings us to STOPPIN' the crush down of fertility--cuz it ain't just the vaxxxines making folks "infertile"--it's the polly-tix an' the mockin' birds cuz stories are now an' always a FERTILE field! Keep on plantin' !!!
Western culture has become obsessed (whether consciously or unconsciously, given it has been fuelled largely by Hollywood propaganda) with The Hero's Journey archetype. We must save those poor black Africans from poverty; we must save those poor white Eastern Europeans from those nasty brutish Ruskis; we must save our poor immunocompromised from psychopathic germs! As usual, the problem is externalising a truth that should be applied in the personal domain: we are our own heroes, and if we can just be content with that, maybe we can inspire others to do the same as well.
Due to what we have witnessed over the past couple of years, I have come to question every trope and repeated story coming out of Hollywood in particular. I am hence wondering if the purpose of these hero stories is so we wait for someone to come to save us, and don't take any action ourselves, until it is too late?
Needing a hero fails.
Going on the hero's journey ourselves succeeds.
'You just have to get off your ass because well, no one wants to leave their ass prints in the sands of time.' This needs to be engraved on something big and important.
"You don’t have to be a leader to leave your foot prints in the sands of time. You just have to get off your ass because well, no one wants to leave their ass prints in the sands of time. Just do that which is yours to do. It doesn’t need to be heroic. The sage in you already knows how to get home."
Beautifully written. I couldn't agree more!
I like superman with no head! It makes me think of what happened to Christopher Reeve, who found real bravery in himself I think.
I believe that the sage in me already knows that I'm already home! Nothing to do. Nowhere to go.
I read this from Thich Nhat Hanh last night
Do we need to make a special effort to see the beauty of the blue sky? Do we have to practice to be able to enjoy it?, No, we just enjoy it. Each second, each minute of our lives can be like this. Wherever we are, at any time, we have the capacity to enjoy the sunshine, the presence of each other, even the sensation of our breathing. We don't need to go to China (!) to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to travel into the future to enjoy our breathing. We can be in touch with these things right now. It would be a pity if we were only aware of suffering.'
Sitting meditation and yoga asanas (from the word arse) are a great way to awaken. I am more than happy to leave my arse print in the sand. If we looked back and saw that is was millions of arses in the sand that marked the beginning of the age of enlightenment and peace- well, I wouldn't be at all surprised xxx
This essay was so in sync with what I was writing about that I quoted you twice! https://revkatiegrace.substack.com/p/sovereign-unity?sd=pf
I like this take on things...'specially since you mention leaders as I've seen "leaderless" efforts go full-chaos in more'n one case... There is a call for leaderless parallel societies but I don't see havin' a leader as sumthin' terribly un-Havel-y.
As you said, a future minus the hero is a different way to think'a things--a good one--AND a way to shy away from all this baloney twaddle about "trustin' " the experts and turning experts (who really shit in the pot like all've us)--folks with with feet'a clay (or cloven hooves ha ha!).... into heroes... The literal novena candles to "Saint Tony Fauci" were so wretch-worthy that it reveals just how insane an' dangerous this "hero worship" has become...
So in theory, without "heroes" each person again becomes responsible for themselves--and their own (friends, family, greater community etc)--a good thing I think!
Now there are folks "workin' " this plandemic--Dr Zev Zelenko an' Dr Mike Yeadon an' Sasha Latypova fer example--that I consider "heroes" (I actually wrote back'a ways about Jewish plandemic heroes here: https://thcsofdaisymoses.substack.com/p/jewish-heroes-of-the-plandemic-a ) but my thinkin' of them as heroes is not due to their Herculean strength or ability to kill diseases with a single super-jab (on the contrary!) but rather it's due to their simply and clearly speaking up without fear, without compromise an' knowing their lives will be threatened for doing so. THAT to me is real-life heroism which might better be called LEADERSHIP.
All of these folks are very regular Clark Kent-y individuals who HAD TO get outta their typical non-public rinds to give us all nourishing "info juice"--at great personal risk / cost too. But if you put any one've these folks in a Superman / Wonderwoman suit...well, it ain't gonna fit or they'd look downright silly. Three Clark(e) Kents thar... modest an' true.
Now bein' a fellow story-teller I think that heroes DO belong in stories--in tales tall an' small an' I'd be sad n' sorry to lose their allegorical sparkle. Plus I think humans need stories--always--that feature heroes--just as we need "baddies"--there is something cathartic 'bout it all--at least in fiction. Kids especially want resolution and yup, a happy endin' -- this is why most folks like "hero" films and it's a rare few've us that are askin' fer a second helpin' of Margurite Duras (or the like...)
BUT...in REAL LIFE down n' dirty, it's not so much that Superman lost his head (what a photo!)--it's that their ain't no Superman "for real"--there are ordinary folks that don't know how brave they are 'til, like ya said, they just ARE, there are regular modest folks that cut thru the fog with clarity an' MUST speak out--bravely, yes! but it's more that they are or that they become leaders "by circumstance." Some of us are "tooled" thattaway... we step forward when nobody else seems to wanna "start the thing" or...as it were, speak up, stand up, risk pissin' off folks. So it's not so much a job we were trained for--it's more something we just "become"--in the moment or ongoing.
I DO think this can be a way forward... An' may there always be a space and'a place (an' a forum like Substack) for all've us "non-heroes" who wanna be part've the solution!
Loved this, and YES, we are transcending that hero / villain paradigm, aren't we. Well, we can see where that gets us. One of the things this time is requiring of us, is to individually, take on our own journey, face our fears, shed our illusion and decide what are we willing to stand up for. No hero coming. Beautiful, wise, very sage-like. Thank you!
I have felt us move into the archetype of community for a while now, the heroic age being long and gone. which doesn't mean a loss of leadership just a loss of a top down flow and a move into the grid network which takes into account the interconnectedness of all things. here's a great podcast about someone who archetypically fits very much into the engineer mindset of 1+1 linear thinking but who has remarkably moved into his right brain and formed one planet living and systems thinking. its quite exciting!
https://accidentalgods.life/one-planet-living-mapping-minds-to-create-a-new-emergent-consciousness/
the episode following is also about a very dynamic group of people who do massive work and compromise of only 4 people, all equal in reciprocation however with a definite leader, because his job is to point the direction. a refreshing take on how leadership is simply a part of the process rather than the all powerful hero's journey. also very inspiring and I am excited that this is becoming more of the common mindset of folks as well as the grace that within all this decentralisation we have to respect that if we are to decide what we can do we have to respect others doing the same.
nice post, did not watch the videos, not in the cards for my location, but the words resonated well with me. good Job.
Wow, YES. This made me cry and I am reflecting on why. I think it’s two dimensions: 1) I tried to be a “hero” and change my employer’s vax policy, and share info with friends about early treatment for covid. What happened? One person blamed me for her father’s death, though he died pre vaxes, bc the hospital would not give iver or proper treatment - which I gave her information about. (She later told me she would think about my choice not to be vaxed at her dad’s funeral, bc my choice would kill people like him). Ouch. And I was only able to save myself at work, as told here
https://open.substack.com/pub/thecriticalmiddle/p/the-smoldering-rage-of-the-unvaccinated
2) I am also guilty of “hero worship”, which is part of the story above. I am realizing the hero has to be all of us, whatever we each can accomplish:
https://open.substack.com/pub/thecriticalmiddle/p/filling-the-covid-leadership-void
Tina Turner; what a vocal, what a body and giving us a listen in how to sell a performance and command attention even when lip syncing! It would have been even better without cutting to puny Mel Gibson (I think I get them confused) from a film.
xxx
Maybe on the same track, maybe not: https://thirdparadigm.substack.com/p/phony-maloney-and-wikispooks.
Yes, Visceral.
I've been exploring this hero theme too, recently. My realisation is that the hero archetype (theme, idea, manifestation) requires a victim. No victim, no hero.
Great for things like rescues, when there really are people in danger. Not great, and even highly inappropriate when it comes to an evolving human species and their changing manifestations of culture and civilisation.
Synchronicity? I used Tina's great song in my recent post, too.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I enjoyed them.
Lol, re insightful rants! Yes, the good vs bad stories make GREAT theater! I'm also 100% for other stories too--like them ya mentioned! There are many that ARE compelling--but I think we need them all includin' old stories of heroes (we like Swedish Fairy Tales 'specially and the heroes were often the underdogs--the foolish little brother, the non-greedy "dummy" and all that). But yes, there are so many GOOD stories that are not about heroes at all (includin' my favorite modern musical that I suggested ya watch--One From the Heart--no heroes, a great tale of love and flawed humans who still can dance). I think you are fightin' tho--with words and thoughts and fresh ideas! Perhaps it's an odd "joy" but speaking up an' out and making stuff IS a good FIGHT for humanity! Now there's an idea fer something--a battle with pens an' mouths--mebbe animated? Defeatin' (de-feet-in') those armed with jabs n' nukes... hmmm. Last thought---redemption (which has it's religious component too...) is often an' also a "construct" no less powerful (no less potentially manipulative) than hero tales... The "reframin' " can be GREAT but it also can put out a pick-chur just as arty-fish-all.... So let's keep tellin' many tales and (thankfully) it's in the diss-cussin' (funny, no?)--discussing--that we figger out what applies to our real lives, what is too fabulous or fabricated--what resonates... Ach, my ol' semiotic brain gits into these weeds, ol' stompin' ground--but the pernt is... we can still embrace old fictions (which were always so!) and yet birth the new --which brings us to STOPPIN' the crush down of fertility--cuz it ain't just the vaxxxines making folks "infertile"--it's the polly-tix an' the mockin' birds cuz stories are now an' always a FERTILE field! Keep on plantin' !!!