by Alex Nguyen on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 8:53am
This is an exchange from two characters in an anime, but I believe it provides deep insight into why people do things and what I seek to have in my life.
Griffith (G) and Princess (P) -
on war, dreams, and death...
(G): Why do most men commit to affairs that end in bloodshed? Isn’t that what you asked me during the hunt? It is true. Men possess a side that is barbarous as you have observed; but it is a double-edged sword. It can be a tool used for winning precious things, as well as protecting them.
(P): Precious things, like friendship and love?
(G): For some men, these are the most precious, but I believe that beneath them there is something even more precious than these. They are driven to pursue it and they pursue it solely for their own sake… no other.
(P): Their dream?
(G): One man’s dream can hold dominion over the entire world. For one who dedicates his life to the forging of a single sword. While many can pursue their dreams in solitude, other dreams are like great storms... blowing hundreds even thousands of dreams apart in their wake. Dreams breathe life into men and can cage them in suffering. Men live and die by their dreams, but long after they have been abandoned... they still smolder deep in men’s hearts. Some see nothing more than life and death, they are dead for they have no dreams.
On friendship...
(P): I’m sure your friends are equally as fascinated by you, and that attracts them to you.
(G): They are my able soldiers, its true. They are dedicated comrades who sacrifice themselves for my dream so that it might be real, but that does not make them friends. In my mind, a true friend never relies on another’s dream. The man who would be my friend must have his own reason for living, beyond me, and he should put his heart and soul into protecting his dream. He should never hesitate to defend it… even against me. For me to call a man my friend, he must be equal to me in all respects.
My take...
These exchanges each have a hint of truth in them. Upon hearing the first, I realized that it is selfishness that creates much suffering in the world. It is the idea that, "what I choose to do is far more important than the beliefs of others" that causes many dreams to be destroyed.
Yet, I also realize this belief is a basic part of human nature. It is also stronger in some than others. If you really wish to make your dreams come to pass, taking this into consideration must be an important part of your reality. I believe I am finally ready to accept that thought, as disgusting as it sounds. I have lived in a very accomodating manner to my friends since high school, no...even further before that. People's beliefs and images, especially about me, were far more important to me than they should have been. (I feel very strongly about this part right now, if I feel I am wronged I will now make sure people know, damn f* room*, btw I find this does not apply to close friends as much as random people I must associate with).
I realize that my attitude revolved around making friends and on being accepted. I made it my "most important" thing. It became my dream to be accepted, well-liked. Yet even though this dream came to pass, I now feel hollow, deprived of satisfaction. This has brought me to another crossroads in my life. I must figure out how to satisfy this growing emptiness inside me.
One of the first things I saw from the second exchange is that I should not have compromised myself and/or my beliefs to make friends. A friend is a person who is equal to me in belief and purpose. I have lowered my purpose in order to find anyone willing to accept me. That is what I have done, yes?
Or maybe, I have finally realized my dream of companionship and find myself seeking something else? The important fact here is that I feel empty, and have for much of the past three years. Must it be our lot in life to keep searching for more? Never to be content with the things we already have?
I think I am now that man, the one who can only see life and death, dead because I have no dream. I have many small dreams don't get me wrong, but these barely get me by. I seek something bigger than me. Something that will give all my actions meaning and all my thoughts a purpose.
I have been far too afraid to accept a larger dream until now for fear of failure. And yet, that is what I have now, failure. Failure to accept my fate and continue on with my life. Failure to face my fears and take over control of my destiny. I want to change this, quite strongly, but years of excuses and detachment have impaired my ability to do so.
I resolve to change this, to find that greater purpose that I will follow until I achieve it.
Griffith (G) and Princess (P) -
on war, dreams, and death...
(G): Why do most men commit to affairs that end in bloodshed? Isn’t that what you asked me during the hunt? It is true. Men possess a side that is barbarous as you have observed; but it is a double-edged sword. It can be a tool used for winning precious things, as well as protecting them.
(P): Precious things, like friendship and love?
(G): For some men, these are the most precious, but I believe that beneath them there is something even more precious than these. They are driven to pursue it and they pursue it solely for their own sake… no other.
(P): Their dream?
(G): One man’s dream can hold dominion over the entire world. For one who dedicates his life to the forging of a single sword. While many can pursue their dreams in solitude, other dreams are like great storms... blowing hundreds even thousands of dreams apart in their wake. Dreams breathe life into men and can cage them in suffering. Men live and die by their dreams, but long after they have been abandoned... they still smolder deep in men’s hearts. Some see nothing more than life and death, they are dead for they have no dreams.
On friendship...
(P): I’m sure your friends are equally as fascinated by you, and that attracts them to you.
(G): They are my able soldiers, its true. They are dedicated comrades who sacrifice themselves for my dream so that it might be real, but that does not make them friends. In my mind, a true friend never relies on another’s dream. The man who would be my friend must have his own reason for living, beyond me, and he should put his heart and soul into protecting his dream. He should never hesitate to defend it… even against me. For me to call a man my friend, he must be equal to me in all respects.
My take...
These exchanges each have a hint of truth in them. Upon hearing the first, I realized that it is selfishness that creates much suffering in the world. It is the idea that, "what I choose to do is far more important than the beliefs of others" that causes many dreams to be destroyed.
Yet, I also realize this belief is a basic part of human nature. It is also stronger in some than others. If you really wish to make your dreams come to pass, taking this into consideration must be an important part of your reality. I believe I am finally ready to accept that thought, as disgusting as it sounds. I have lived in a very accomodating manner to my friends since high school, no...even further before that. People's beliefs and images, especially about me, were far more important to me than they should have been. (I feel very strongly about this part right now, if I feel I am wronged I will now make sure people know, damn f* room*, btw I find this does not apply to close friends as much as random people I must associate with).
I realize that my attitude revolved around making friends and on being accepted. I made it my "most important" thing. It became my dream to be accepted, well-liked. Yet even though this dream came to pass, I now feel hollow, deprived of satisfaction. This has brought me to another crossroads in my life. I must figure out how to satisfy this growing emptiness inside me.
One of the first things I saw from the second exchange is that I should not have compromised myself and/or my beliefs to make friends. A friend is a person who is equal to me in belief and purpose. I have lowered my purpose in order to find anyone willing to accept me. That is what I have done, yes?
Or maybe, I have finally realized my dream of companionship and find myself seeking something else? The important fact here is that I feel empty, and have for much of the past three years. Must it be our lot in life to keep searching for more? Never to be content with the things we already have?
I think I am now that man, the one who can only see life and death, dead because I have no dream. I have many small dreams don't get me wrong, but these barely get me by. I seek something bigger than me. Something that will give all my actions meaning and all my thoughts a purpose.
I have been far too afraid to accept a larger dream until now for fear of failure. And yet, that is what I have now, failure. Failure to accept my fate and continue on with my life. Failure to face my fears and take over control of my destiny. I want to change this, quite strongly, but years of excuses and detachment have impaired my ability to do so.
I resolve to change this, to find that greater purpose that I will follow until I achieve it.
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