The Good, The Bad & the Deluded on the Hero's Journey
?? MARTIN - 'MURPH' - MURPHY?? FRGS
Adventure Learning Designer- Speaker, Facilitator & Wild Coach ??Author: 'From Mercenaries to Missionaries' ?? Adventure Mind Ambassador-Bold Leadership-Dynamic Teams + Personal Growth: Contact [email protected]
Introduction:
From ancient myths to contemporary tales, this narrative pattern has guided individuals through trials, triumphs, and transformation. In this article, we’ll explore?the good, the bad, and the deluded?of society as it aligns with the?Hero’s Journey.
The Hero’s Journey,?a roadmap created by Joseph Campbell mirrors our innate desire for adventure and transformation. It encourages us to step out of our comfort zones, confront challenges, and evolve into the best versions of ourselves.
By setting out on this quest, we gain a sense of purpose and direction, discovering hidden strengths and talents along the way. The journey fosters resilience, adaptability, and the ability to overcome adversity – all crucial attributes for personal eudaimonic well-being rather than professional success promoted by the unsustainable, socially unjust, present hierarchical capitalist paradigm.
The Good: Embracing Transformation
This is the realm of the mavericks, explorers and pioneers who are challenging the status-quo, not by arguing with the status-quo but by stoically carving pathways into a brave new world, for as Viktor Frankl advised:
“Don’t fight the existing reality, create a new one which makes the old one obsolete”
These people have overcome what author Joseph Campbell who wrote?‘Hero with a Thousand Faces’?called: ‘The Refusal of the Call’.?Moreover, they have?‘Crossed the First Threshold’
They are solving problems, supporting and educating people on alternative pathways and saving the planet’s biosphere. Above all, they are courageously?‘doing and building’?change as opposed to complaining. or waiting for others to solve their problems.
Some of the?‘good’?won’t be alive to see a better world, but they are stoic pilgrims on a journey to create a sustainable, socially just and satisfying world for future generations.
I seek out to interview these people on my?rebels chatting podcast , so if you know or come across any on your travels, let me know!
The Bad: The Perils of Paradigm Blindness and Inertia
Fixation on the final destination of the present paradigm, blind us to the lessons and opportunities presented by reality.
The competitive and controlling capitalist winners whose ego’s are massaged by a biased media might well know that their path is the wrong path, but that doesn’t mean they will stop promoting their?5 steps to success?or continue to favour shareholder payouts over improvement to infrastructure.
They’ll lobby for war because it’s profitable not to overcome some wrongdoing by a foreign dictator (which they usually support anyway). Whether it be to control gas pipelines or increase chemical and pharmaceutical ubiquity, the ‘bad’ will pursue their mission to the end.
Change can wait until they are secure in their gated compounds, with adjoining bunkers, so they can watch the inevitable ecological and societal breakdown on CCTV.
These people who have won, are guilty of?‘Refusing the Return‘.
When the?‘hero’?has won in a fair and egalitarian world, they don’t indulge in domination and prey on their community and planet.
The true hero shares their success.
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Corporate Capitalists don’t do this, they become miserly and use their wealth and power to control the narrative through a weaponised media. They engage in crisis-capitalism when the opportunities arise then, when the dust has settled, quietly slip out of harbour on boats bought with their ill-gotten gains.
The Deluded: Navigating the Bullshit Trap
“the ubiquity of bullshit is a defining characteristic of our time.” Harry Frankfurt
Have you ever wondered why so many of us fall victim to the manipulations of a weaponised media which promote fear, envy and greed for clicks?
In today’s world, where information is abundant and attention spans are short, media outlets often shape our perceptions, beliefs, and decisions. The paradigm winners understand the potency of controlling narratives, which enables denial, delay and delusion.
Let’s face it: in a hyper-competitive and hierarchical capitalist society powered by AI, only a fraction, perhaps just 5%, will truly thrive.
The reality is far from the?“follow these five steps to success”?narrative we’re often sold.
How many of us have chased those five-step processes, only to find ourselves far from the promised land of our dreams?
It’s probably a self preservation tactic, this tendency to cling to beliefs that serve our immediate desires rather than facing complex challenges because it takes Herculean effort and courage to overcome paradigm inertia.
The alarming state of our planet demands our attention, yet the deluded cling to the idea that their actions have minimal impact on the environment and believe?‘shouting’?on twitter is actually achieving something.
This mindset is easily distracted and outraged by the inconsequential the media feed them with whilst ignoring and dismissing the science-backed reality of climate change, pollution, and resource depletion.
In an era of polarising politics, another delusion arises – the belief in the infallibility of one-sided political views.
The deluded assume that their chosen ideology holds all the answers, overlooking the value of diverse perspectives and the nuances that make up complex issues.
They are steadfastly?‘Refusing the Call’,?the beginning of the?‘Heroes Journey’
Conclusion: Breaking the Chains of Delusion
The?‘bad’?won’t change voluntarily, they never have throughout recent history.
Breaking free from these delusions demands courage, critical thinking, and an unwavering commitment to a better future. By embracing environmental responsibility, open-mindedness, and a holistic view of success, we can collectively pave the way for a more sustainable, inclusive, and harmonious world.
Is it time to seek out your 'Hero's Journey'?