“Fear recognizes that choices are rarely between good and evil, since that is too easy. Crucial decisions are by their nature close calls and are often about choosing one good over another… or one evil over another.”
-Robert D. Kaplan.
A lesson in Spiritual and Emotional Wellness…
As an Amazon Affiliate it is policy to inform you that this is an advertisement. However, this is still a reflection of a great book that I’ve read many times over. I believe it would benefit any who may read it. You can find the link for it in my references located at the bottom of this page.
(Ukraine)
Shit happens.
As long as you remain in your right mind, you will have the ability to handle any problem. However, you are not limitless. Being able to handle a problem is not the same as being able to solve it. Once disaster strikes, there may be nothing you can do. Tragedy is the ultimate form of struggle. It forces you to question everything you know before you are spiritually prepared. You may control your fate, but unfortunately, society also plays a role. Just because you are right doesn’t technically make society wrong. There will always be something very wrong with this world. But only by accepting its flaws can we see its beauty…
It’s supposed to be that beauty that we never lose sight of…
Fate’s equation is the passage of time along with man’s collective desires. Fate is also often called the abyss. One can charge into it never to be seen or heard from again. Your fate is also tied into these collective desires. This is why very little is actually under your control. Fate often forces you to do things you do not wish to do. The shock and dread of these situations usually dull us into a chaotic mindset.
Laziness, smugness, and cruelty. This is the unholy trinity of chaos. You should avoid people who exhibit more than one of these traits. Chaotic minds call for tragedy. Instead of admiration, chaotic minds often choose envy. Instead of showing they care before a crisis, they choose to virtue signal afterward. Instead of thinking of plans, a chaotic mind would rather scheme. A chaotic mind wishes for all to be victims so that they will not be the only one.
A chaotic mind can also be caused by a lack of exposure to hardship. The measure of a person’s greatness is what that person has survived. You are no lesser than your wisdom. If you’ve had no challenges in life, you will become too full of yourself. Only those who have not been in any real danger before can advocate for reckless action. In times of safety, one confuses mild annoyances for struggling. We tend to focus on things that don’t truly matter once we are convinced things cannot become worse. Forgetting this, we give into the chaotic mindset. No matter how bad things are it can always be worse. This is the essence of tragic sense.
Tragic Sense.
Having a sense of tragedy is not just accepting fate; it is understanding it. Through a sense of tragedy, you can still focus on what makes the world a beautiful place. A sense of tragedy makes you painfully aware of your own abilities. It allows you to know what you can’t change. Because that is the only way you can start focusing on what you can change. A sense of tragedy helps you to avoid it. Instead of thinking of fate as “the abyss,” think of it more like treacherous seas. Having no sense of tragedy, you will sail out never to be seen or heard from again. Only with caution can you navigate to the other side.
All excellent leaders, all great parents, and all brilliant artists have a sense of tragedy. They seek the beauty in the world and try their hardest to preserve it. Instead of being crippled by their fears, they simply note them and take measures against them. They have a supreme sense of awareness that keeps not only them but those around them safe. A sense of tragedy brings out one’s natural leadership qualities.
However, being a leader isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Most people have no idea what it means to have what they want. Having power over others does not only make you a target, but it also chains you to responsibilities you may not be ready for. Take money, for example. Do you know what it’s like to have more money than any one person could ever need? The treachery? The paranoia? The lawsuits? The fear of being alone in public? The constant questioning of your actions? The fake love? Do you ever wonder why rich people commit suicide? Well, there you go.
(Kanye West in “Power“)
To have power.
There is a reason for this. Power, if unchecked, usually gains a mind of its own. Ambition is needed for progress, but it is often what leads to tragic choices. Such as sacrificing the few to save the many. Or crushing the dreams of another to sustain your own. Having a sense of tragedy isn’t just about morality. It’s also about what is necessary for survival. No one man should have all that power. This is why systems are a necessary evil.
An individual alone is powerless. They have no way of defending themselves against fate. This is why we are social creatures. Not because it’s fun, but because it’s tantamount to survival. Systems are, by their very nature, oppressive. They exist to create fairness in an otherwise lawless world. Anarchy is a state without order, in other words, a chaotic state. Just a few hours of bedlam could cause irreparable damages. One who calls for anarchy has never experienced true danger before. One cannot just leave a system or destroy it without having some sort of plan to do better. It is suicide.
Rebellion also becomes an option to the chaotic mind. Rebels have it easier than leaders when it comes to gaining moral support. Because very few people, including the rebel, know what it means to have power. The ones at the bottom can just blame everything on the top. The ones at the bottom believe they can afford to be chaotic because they think all they need to do is pick a new leader. The leader doesn’t have that luxury. To be in power, you must be the one, if not the only one, to remember that it could always be worse.
(The Wellness Wheel)
You do what you can.
It is important to pick your systems wisely. Pick a system that doesn’t restrict you to the point of crippling. If you find something that is wrong in this system, you could either work towards changing it or finding a way to adapt. You should never directly challenge a system. You most likely won’t have the money or people to do so effectively. Only within order can ambition be praised. Making an enemy of your leader is often a futile and tragic choice. Even if you do manage to topple him, it has to fall on someone to restore order. The rebel is often unprepared for this crucial step. Or, to make matters even more futile, the leader could just tarnish the reward for defeating him. Everyone wastes precious time and energy.
A sense of tragedy lets you know when there is nothing left that can be done. A sense of tragedy forces you to do all that you can before disaster strikes. It also makes a clear difference between compromising and appeasement. To adapt to your situation is to survive, but one should never go against principle. It is said that a coward dies a thousand deaths while the brave only dies once. What you hold special is the most important thing about you. To give up principle is to throw away legacy and to give in to conformity.
Legacy is the root of all passions. It is the reason behind everything we do. It’s the reason why we try to survive as long as possible. It’s why we work so hard. It’s why we have children. It’s why we make masterpieces. It’s why we guard what is important. This is our answer for death. A common mind lost to chaos will not understand this and squander their time until it is far too late. Tragedy takes everything away clears the delusion fog and forces you to take a long, hard look. This is why we must do everything with dignity. Your dignity is all that is left after tragedy strikes. Dignity is the most basic level of love. If you are not capable of at least that, you are the scum of the earth.
This was the most current book to date on my list of powerful literature. I normally stay away from most modern books, but this one was written by someone who has actually seen the world and offers a brilliant insight on fear and chaos. It is quite political in some parts, but it allows for freedom of thought. Kaplan makes what’s hard to understand, quite simple. I recommend even for those who have no taste for politics whatsoever.
Make sure to check out the tragic mind in the references! Thanks for reading!
References and photos
“The Tragic Mind” – Robert D. Kaplan
“News from Ukraine” – ABC News,
“The Thousand Yard stare” – (Could not find original artist),
“Power” – Kanye West