Over the last 15 months, I have shared my thoughts on living well in the modern day. Among the numerous posts regarding The Third Journey (my action-focused modern day philosophy), I also wrote Become a Mighty Individual that didn’t fit within this group. Now that my writing on The Third Journey is largely complete, I want to change my focus to my philosophy of character: MIGHT. Today, we’re revisiting MIGHT, and discussing the importance of stories, heroes, and myths.
The power of stories and creating worldviews is clear. History has been shaped by the stories and beliefs passed through the generations. And those who can form a clear picture of the world are those best equipped to deal with the struggles of the times.
But stories can be used for negative purposes also. Those who write them may do so not to share things of value, but for the purpose of profit. Much of the modern media landscape exists exclusively for profit, creating a subset of the media landscape that I deem dangerous to consume.
Where have our heroes gone, and how do we find them again?
I believe we need to find values that deeply resonate with us, find media showcasing characters who embody those values, and use stories to form a worldview of our own.
The Power of Stories
Stories have been shared since time immemorial, and their power throughout the ages is obvious. From cave paintings to stories passed through oral tradition, stories, events, and fables have always been shared to pass on important information. Some stories are so impactful that they shape the canon of history itself. Religious stories, whether they be true, exaggerated, or otherwise, have affected humanity as a whole regardless of their validity. It stands to reason that stories have immense power, and that we need to respect the stories that came before us.
In many cases, stories exist to share thoughts or beliefs through metaphor. Stories don’t need to tell you how to think; instead, you come to your own conclusions based on what happens in the story. George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy was a critique of American imperialism, but the Western audience still identified themselves with the Rebel Alliance. Of course, it is much easier to align with those fighting for a better life, rather than as an employee on the Death Star, even if the reverse holds more truth.
Put simply, stories invoke feelings within us which can differ from the creator’s intent. But modern storytellers seem to be getting better at creating stories that get us to think in certain ways. And this is often in ways that don’t serve our own interests.
On Modern Media
I feel as though many stories of today are not only not worth consuming, but are dangerous to consume. That is to say, I think that much of the modern media landscape negatively influences our behaviours, actions, and values. The heroes of the stories we consume become a part of our lives. More specifically, they become your friends or allies. And consuming the wrong stories aligns us with the wrong values.
Modern life has encouraged us to consume with impunity. We have access to an endless number of shows, short-form content, books, and now AI-generated slop on demand. There is always something new to see, or learn, or do, and as long as you’re glued to the screen, it doesn’t matter what you consume. Worse still, the heroes of many of the stories we consume reinforce the mindset of always having more.
Reality TV is filled with superficial goons who value money over substance. Long-running shows have us sympathise with characters that don’t showcase good values, and avoid sharing wisdoms that make us better people. Media has become a poison that tries to make us care about the problems of fake people instead of addressing our own. Our free time is spent consuming to fill a void that a lack of control over our time creates. All it does is leave us clambering for something better, instilling false or dangerous beliefs within us, and leaving us unable to meaningfully improve our lives.
The pursuit of Financial Independence teaches us to avoid unnecessary overconsumption. In fact, it’s critical to attaining it. Its focus is primarily on reducing consumption of money; if you just save enough money, everything will be ok. But it’s more than just your money: you have to protect your attention as well.
Overconsuming media, allowing our attention to be constantly occupied by someone else’s ideas, is one of the greatest dangers we face today. Understand who benefits from you keeping up with the latest show, or watching one more short video. In my experience, I was never the real benefactor.
On Virtues, Religions, and Belief Systems
Religious systems have persisted across the ages due to their ability to strengthen community. Maintaining a common ethos among a large group of people ensures that everyone works towards the same goals. In the past, this was critical: if you were not operating in this manner, your land and people would be overthrown by those who did. The virtues these belief systems offered gave the people the strength they needed to overcome the challenges of the era.
Religion—or at least a belief system—is just as important today as it was in the past. A lack of belief about how the world operates, and what is necessary to survive within it, is arguably worse than having bad beliefs. You become a blank slate onto which the values of those who would use you for their ends are stained. Both religion and media can have us adopt values that are not our own without us knowing it.
Your upbringing, family, and community also play a large role in your beliefs, as the starting point of your worldview can only be informed by those around you. In many cases these views are important, as they allow you to thrive within your community. But in a global world and economy, there are times where previously-held beliefs may do more harm than good.
Consider how your belief system helps you to navigate the world. Not just in a sense of morals, but also in creating practical and positive outcomes in your life.
MIGHT, Redefined
When I began writing about modern day mastery last year, I shared my MIGHT framework. I encourage you to read this article before reading the remainder of this one, as what follows is a critique of my own work.
The MIGHT framework showcased my thoughts on the characteristics I deem essential to thrive in the modern day. In the months following my original definition, it has evolved to become a fully-fledged and all-encompassing philosophy of character. This required redefining the underlying virtues that make this philosophy come together.
Meaning
We need something tangible to drive us forward. This cannot be the pursuit of virtue itself. A strong goal improves you and leads you on the path to making real change in your life. This deep meaning is what gives you the strength to actually achieve the goals you set for yourself.
A strong embodiment of Meaning shines light on your path through life. It is the guide that encourages you to move forward as it makes the way forward clear to you. But the things that matter to you must be of strong enough substance to guide you in the right direction.
Independence
Independence refers to your ability to do what you want to do. It is your individual strength, your problem-solving ability, and the structures you build to ensure your survival. If you are forced to live in a manner imposed on you by someone else, then you are not independent.
Independence can be financial (which I’ve discussed at length), and it can be physical, mental, or spiritual too. It’s understanding that you are the only one responsible for your destiny (guided by Meaning), and ensuring that you build the self-sovereignty necessary to thrive.
We are all reliant on others as part of living in society; every aspect of modern life is so interconnected that it’s impossible to be fully independent. But the purpose of independence is to ensure you always have the control over your life to avoid the things you don’t want to do.
Growth
Goals and skills are useful to us but don’t solve our problems in a changing world. We need to continue to evolve, become stronger, and think more clearly about the world around us if we are to thrive within it. Growth, as a virtue, solves this issue: it provides the prior virtues with the motion necessary to stave off the entropy of the modern day.
Working the same job forever doesn’t cause us to grow. It simply keeps the machine running. And when that machine no longer has a purpose, the parts of that machine (i.e. you) are discarded.
But this doesn’t just affect work. Growing in other areas of our lives gives us the capability to change our lives for the better. Whether it’s fitness, mental health, or spiritual growth, there is always a need to evolve.
Honour
In my previous discussion, Honour related to personal accountability and righteousness. While this is still true, it also comprises the aspects of Truth from my original version as well.
Being honourable relies on doing what you say you will do, and being who you say you are. An honourable person is one who benefits those around themselves while living in harmony with their inner world. It’s about being reliable, truthful, and ethical.
We have a duty of service to make the world a better place. Or at least not make it worse. Being honourable ensures we act in a way that leaves us—and the world around us—better off.
Temperance
My previous article on this topic discussed Truth in place of Temperance, but this was incomplete. I realised that Temperance is the virtue that binds all others together. It’s easy to look at any self-improvement framework or philosophy as a bunch of fluff that nobody actually lives by. So the next thing I sought was to find why that is, and what stops us from following them. I realised that it’s because they remove humanness from the equation in favour of results.
Modern life encourages us to pursue extremes in all areas. We are encouraged to work, earn, and spend as much as possible, never considering the alternative an option. For one pursuing Financial Independence, a person’s Meaning may become overcoming the need to trade time for money. This quickly becomes an extreme itself, as we embrace extreme work lives to achieve it. Temperance, therefore, is a necessary virtue by which we force ourselves out of the dogma that society thrusts upon us.
Temperance is my antidote to modern life. It’s understanding that we pursue our mission despite knowing we may never achieve it. It ensures that each of the virtues that guide us are balanced and work harmoniously to improve our lives. Temperance is a return to the real, ensuring sustainable personal development that factors pause and rest into the plan, rather than as recovery after burnout.
Walking the Spiral Path
The practical steps of the Third Journey are only part of the equation for a better life. From here, the focus shifts inward, towards defining and aligning ourselves with our values. And these five virtues are the ones that I find valuable to pursue.
I find myself acting in ways that lead me toward them, and feel unsatisfied when I’m misaligned with them. Sharing this through my writing isn’t something I do to convince people to follow what I do. I write this to share the story of how I am walking the Spiral Path.
I see evolution and growth occurring as a spiral. As you evolve, you repeat your processes, learn new things, and embody your values on a deeper level. Periods of temperate rest allow you to coil the spiral, allowing you to spiral to new heights in the future. This allows you to achieve your goals, embody good character, build strong relationships, and inspire others to improve their lives.
Since finishing the Third Journey, I have felt a disconnect from my values. I have committed myself to a large amount of work, and reliving the lack of agency this affords. This explains the lack of content on the site of late. While I believe I deserved a pause, this is the first major break the blog has had.
Writing My Own Story
The Spiral Path is simply my framework for how I identify and mythologise the values that matter to me. Rather than consume (and be influenced by) the stories of others, I wanted to craft my own mythos. Tales that meet me where I am, and evolve with me over time.
And so I did just that: I wrote a philosophical discourse discussing the five virtues.
Discourse Between the Master and His Student on Embodying the Five Sacred Virtues is my spiritual framework. It is the first chapter of my mythos, and a deep dive into the ideals I try to live by. It’s one of my favourite pieces of work I have ever created.
If it resonates with you, that’s fantastic. But I don’t share this expecting it to be a smash hit. I write it in the hopes that others consider building their own mythos. To find and embody values that matter to them.
Closing
This piece (and the Discourse itself) is a departure from my financial content, and for good reason. The Third Journey will help you transform your financial situation from bad to good, and then from good to great. But it’s not my place to offer any guidance beyond that. Instead, I feel it’s much more important to turn the focus inward. The next step is to improve your life, using your financial strength as an anchor to do so. This is the journey I’m currently on.
I’m sure I will revisit financial topics again, but for now I’ve said everything I want to say.
This is simply a part of my evolution—my Spiral Path. And whatever you may call your own version of the Spiral Path, I hope that you can find yours.
Thank you for reading.
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