Man On Wire

 

Interesting film in that it raises one of the key questions about Life… but its doesn’t fit into a nutshell. The issues of destiny, achievement, fulfilment, attainment, self-realisation, beauty, event, situation, possibility and death are all rolled into one here.

The philosophy of the film we all experience: that moment when we are absorbed fully into that which we are meant to be is a moment of complete joy, peace and certitude.

It is I imagine most commonly associated with “love” – when we meet and form a partnership with the person who we will spend the rest of our lives with is a moment of destiny, attainment etc.

But that is just one example of what can be such events every day of ones life if we are able to balance between life and death and appreciate and fully live our life. I experienced this as the essence of my time with “my muse” – I even feel it now when recalling her as though my time with her is still alive – but is my destiny so narrow and limited (I fear it is and have always known that my only destiny is with a girl – which is untenable because one needs a destiny in money and basic living to raise a family etc).

But I am also sceptical. Man on Wire could also have more defeatist and cynical interpretations. Was it simply an egotistical challenge to prove to someone with a strong ego that they were the best. Such people have the self-belief and self-love which attracts weaker people into their fold. Devotees like to live under the shadow of a great dreamer because it gives them a reason to exist. The arch dreamer can continue to live the narcissistic self fantasy because it is supported by people who accept their world view without question. I hate to write this because it is so negative in the face of what was a remarkable event (viz the film) and one which could be so positive.

My reason to write that is to raise the question: can a life that has as its high point the deliberate mundane be heroic? It is bad to avoid that which you are scared of because it means that we become defined by fear. But, if that can be separated from pure mundanity which is simply that which is ordinary, common place and deliberately un-showy and not interesting: is this heroic? In the same way as they have a grave for the unknown soldier – is there a secret grave for the unknown hero?

I think I challenge here the apparent need in our society to “prove” oneself – especially in the eyes of other people. It seems it is good enough to get some accolade, fame or attention these days for one to “achieve”. But we also challenge ourselves in irrelevant ways to escape the stigma of being a failure or the belief that we cannot achieve things.

It is a fact that there are some things we cannot do. And, it is a fact that it doesn’t matter that they are not done. Stories abound where people have achieved the impossible. We are supposed to be inspired to do the impossible ourselves. We yes that is good because it forces us to break the boundaries of our own fossilised minds. But, if we could do the shattering with some mental hammer then why do all these irrelevant things? Cutting this to the point – is it possible that the greatest are really the people we wouldn’t even notice? And the “best” that we can be is really not even worth writing about?

Do we need to be slaves of stories and an audience who demand that we do something interesting to distract from the mundaneness of their own lives? Do we have to break boundaries to ironically make up for them not breaking boundaries?

I’m only posing these questions because they cut at the root of the problem of what is Life… but for now is Life any the less for not having been a hero?