How is it possible???
Over the past weekend I had a 'bit' of free time, so I decided to indulge in the frivolous pleasure of watching all three parts of Lord of the Rings which takes about 10 hours.
There are so many things that are stricking about Lord of the Rings. Something that was profoundly striking about that movie is the valour exhibited by the race of men. The race of men is potrayed as fickle minded and is predisposed to evil but at the same time they are strong and have a sense of honour and valour.
In the movie, a relatively small number of men are arrayed againts a much larger and 'physically' stronger orch force of the dark Lord of Sauron. On the eve of the battle the men with the King of Rohnan ask them if there was any chance for them win the battle.
The king of Rohnan minces no words when he replies 'No we will not win... but we will fight nevertheless'. Contrary to what we would expect, the men around him aren't afraid, they are inspired. How? Or perhaps why?
We cannot understand it, but deep within we know that we wouldn't be doing anything different if we were there. Why is it that even if we dont understand why they do it, we strongly feel deep within that we would do the same?
How is it possible for these men to charge gallantly into a sure death? Knowing well that they will end up feeling the blood warmed cold metal of the soward piercing their breast.
Is it folly? Or is it pride? Or is it valour? Or is it honor? Or is it love? Or is it all of it?
The same triat is found in the movie 300 as well. Here too men go to war knowing well that they will not win. They fight valiantly and feel honoured and happy to be in there fighting their way to a sure death.
Why does the modern mind have difficulty understanding this?
I think it is probably because of humankind's unanimous 'post-modern' agreement that the purpose of life is the 'pursuit of happiness/pleasure'. Where as the 'pre-modern' mind thought that the pursuit of life was the quest for the Truth, Truth (hebrew Emeth) meaning that they are to be happy in what they are 'supposed' to be. Their purpose of life was in fulfilling thier purpose of life, not in perusing pleasure.
When one thinks of life as a pursuit of pleasure, such heroism is not possible, such heroism would look foolish. When on thinks of life as the fulfilling of a greater purpose, all hardships and toils will be pleasurable.
When suffering has a meaning/purpose, life is beautiful J. A life without suffering is death as in the Brave New World. Hats off to Aldous Huxley who had the guts to write the dystopian truth in the Brave New World.
There are so many things that are stricking about Lord of the Rings. Something that was profoundly striking about that movie is the valour exhibited by the race of men. The race of men is potrayed as fickle minded and is predisposed to evil but at the same time they are strong and have a sense of honour and valour.
In the movie, a relatively small number of men are arrayed againts a much larger and 'physically' stronger orch force of the dark Lord of Sauron. On the eve of the battle the men with the King of Rohnan ask them if there was any chance for them win the battle.
The king of Rohnan minces no words when he replies 'No we will not win... but we will fight nevertheless'. Contrary to what we would expect, the men around him aren't afraid, they are inspired. How? Or perhaps why?
We cannot understand it, but deep within we know that we wouldn't be doing anything different if we were there. Why is it that even if we dont understand why they do it, we strongly feel deep within that we would do the same?
How is it possible for these men to charge gallantly into a sure death? Knowing well that they will end up feeling the blood warmed cold metal of the soward piercing their breast.
Is it folly? Or is it pride? Or is it valour? Or is it honor? Or is it love? Or is it all of it?
The same triat is found in the movie 300 as well. Here too men go to war knowing well that they will not win. They fight valiantly and feel honoured and happy to be in there fighting their way to a sure death.
Why does the modern mind have difficulty understanding this?
I think it is probably because of humankind's unanimous 'post-modern' agreement that the purpose of life is the 'pursuit of happiness/pleasure'. Where as the 'pre-modern' mind thought that the pursuit of life was the quest for the Truth, Truth (hebrew Emeth) meaning that they are to be happy in what they are 'supposed' to be. Their purpose of life was in fulfilling thier purpose of life, not in perusing pleasure.
When one thinks of life as a pursuit of pleasure, such heroism is not possible, such heroism would look foolish. When on thinks of life as the fulfilling of a greater purpose, all hardships and toils will be pleasurable.
When suffering has a meaning/purpose, life is beautiful J. A life without suffering is death as in the Brave New World. Hats off to Aldous Huxley who had the guts to write the dystopian truth in the Brave New World.