Whenever I have some free time I like to spend it by watching a good movie or reading a good book. Essentially it's about experiencing a good story, preferably one that's told well. I believe we all like to periodically escape into a fantastic world, step into the shoes of a made-up protagonist, whether it's through a film, book or game...
Image by hucky - source: Pixabay
What's so appealing about wasting time on the fantasy of story-tellers? What drives us to escape our daily lifes to be taken away on a journey with a made up character in a made up world? Even when the character and world are far worse off than we are in our mundane existence? What is so appealing to fantasize about being a lone hero who just lost everything they loved, trying to survive in some post apocalyptic universe littered with death and despair? Survival games are among the most popular, I lost count of how many zombie movies came out past decade, but I'm sure it's more than any preceding decade. Even a popular superhero like Batman is ultimately a tragic figure: he literally loses everything that's important and sacrifices his life essentially to protect the citizens of Gotham, the city his father gave so much for. Or Superman who's lost his parents, people, and even his planet.
These tragic heroes who have to overcome some seemingly insurmountable adversity, who's entire world is crumbling down around them, these heroes and these stories are the ones that linger in our minds. Sure, a comedy is nice too, and is fun while it lasts, but comedies usually don't challenge our mental capacities, they don't make us wonder what it would be like to be that protagonist, how we would go about taking the hurdles thrown up by a terrible fate; it's not the comedic protagonist, but the tragic hero that appeals to our sense of self, makes us question our own place in our own world and life. Frodo in Lord of the Rings faces death multiple times and his journey to and through Mordor is no vacation. The Avengers are as tragic as Batman is; they all pay a steep price for their hero status and the stories make abundantly clear that these powers come with the kind of responsibility most of us aren't willing or able to bare.
So what is it then that makes all of us so eager to stand in the shoes of those who lead such difficult lifes and who have lost so much? What makes the Hero's Journey such a successful narrative formula? Although I'm not certified in any way to give a professional opinion about this, I believe it's the clear sense of purpose these protagonists are given. Having a sense of purpose is an essential motivator for human action and interaction. This sense of purpose, having a set of clear goals to work toward, is something that seems to be lacking sometimes in real life, especially in our times when individualism is the be all and end all in all public messages. "The" truth is not as important as "your" truth, ultimately leading to an age of nihilism where everybody is as important as everybody else, making nobody important at all. Where your truth is as valuable as my truth, regardless of which truth resembles actual reality more.
When we are asking ourselves a thousand questions each day, wondering what to do today to make tomorrow better, our fantastical heroes have no such worries; their circumstances have taken a dramatic turn for the worse and they have one or two simple goals; get out of this mess and take revenge on the ones responsible for it. Or make preparations during the day so you can survive the zombie-filled night. Or train hard to prepare for the ultimate fight at the end, making amends for some past mistakes along the way. Or... I think you get what I'm trying to say.
On a scientific and philosophical level we can discuss all day about the existence of a meaning, a purpose to all of it, to our existence in this universe. But on a practical level, in our daily lifes, I believe having a sense of purpose is essential. In many old cultures your task in life was set the day you were born; your purpose in life was clear and unquestionable. It's good we've evolved past that, but it's useful to stop and think about how liberating it can be to have a clear and present set of goals in life. That's why we are so willing to be swept into a world full of obstacles to overcome, and temporarily stand in the shoes of the one to overcome them. These fantastical stories, although filled with misery, drama and tragedy, touch us deeply as they remind us about something that's essential for leading a fulfilling and happy life. Our need for purpose is the purpose of fantasy and that's the appeal of heroism.
The Hero's Journey in 5 Minutes
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