The four dudes . . .
Apr. 3rd, 2005 12:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
doodlemaier. . . of your personal Mt. Rushmore.
Who are the four (archetypal) people in human history who make up, who most influence or shape your identity?
• They cannot be family.
• They don't have to be dead, but it helps.
• They can even be fictional.
• Why these four?
Okay, I think the first of four dudes is probably Leonardo DaVinci. He is the original and creative force, the musician the, the artist, the inventor (and because you asked specifically, probably the thinker, also). Leonardo is concerned chiefly with what might be possible and not necessarily with what's actual. He is the 'concepts' part of my personality, the visual problem solver.
The next of the four dudes is actually a chick, Dorothy Gale of Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. Although any story of the hero's Journey would serve (they're basically all the same) Dorothy and her quest was my first (and probably favorite) story where the hero sets out on a journey initiated by some sort of external breakdown or chaos. Through her trials she is forced to draw upon her strengths, her heart (tin man), her mind (scarecrow), her courage (the lion), and her intuition (Toto) to persevere. In doing so she unifies these latent aspects of herself; she transcends through a cycle of what is essentially unconscious perfection, to a state of weakness and vunerability (sin), and eventually a state of conscious perfection (enlightenment), where she is able to impart the boons of her aquired wisdom to her tribe upon returning. This is not to say that I consider myself a hero . . . but in essence, we all are.
The third dude of my personal Mt. Rushmore is a monkey: the eastern lowland gorilla, Ishmael, from Daniel Quinn's book of the same name. He basically debunks all the so-called human 'history' we've learned (ahem. . . been programmed with) through schools and bible study. He de-mystifies the myth behind the divine imperative which drives the most destructive culture in the history of our planet and hints at an alternative to the 'One right way to live', at least for those of us with the creativity and the courage to seek it.
Lastly, the fourth dude is Thomas Jefferson. He's the diplomat, the statesman, the philosopher, not to mention somewhat of an enigma. He made his mark on history giving as many people as possible a fair shake. As the social engineer he provides me his ideals of virtue to balance personal freedom and social responsibilty. The books I've read beat the Sallie Hemmings affair to death, but I think they seek to imply that Jefferson did exactly what he thought was correct and right, but also had the sense to realize the potential damage these beliefs would do to his public image and efficacy, and did what he could to mitigate their effects. Or maybe, like me, he was truly ambivalent about certain things. There's obviously much more I have to learn about this particular archetype, as it is currently playing out in my personality. If for no other reason Jefferson is part of my personal Mt. Rushmore so that I would only have the other three busts left to carve!
Please bear in mind that I reserve the right and the knowledge through the principles of self-determination to take dynamite to my personal Mt. Rushmore at anytime I see fit, and have no compunction about doing so!
Who are the four (archetypal) people in human history who make up, who most influence or shape your identity?
• They cannot be family.
• They don't have to be dead, but it helps.
• They can even be fictional.
• Why these four?
Okay, I think the first of four dudes is probably Leonardo DaVinci. He is the original and creative force, the musician the, the artist, the inventor (and because you asked specifically, probably the thinker, also). Leonardo is concerned chiefly with what might be possible and not necessarily with what's actual. He is the 'concepts' part of my personality, the visual problem solver.
The next of the four dudes is actually a chick, Dorothy Gale of Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. Although any story of the hero's Journey would serve (they're basically all the same) Dorothy and her quest was my first (and probably favorite) story where the hero sets out on a journey initiated by some sort of external breakdown or chaos. Through her trials she is forced to draw upon her strengths, her heart (tin man), her mind (scarecrow), her courage (the lion), and her intuition (Toto) to persevere. In doing so she unifies these latent aspects of herself; she transcends through a cycle of what is essentially unconscious perfection, to a state of weakness and vunerability (sin), and eventually a state of conscious perfection (enlightenment), where she is able to impart the boons of her aquired wisdom to her tribe upon returning. This is not to say that I consider myself a hero . . . but in essence, we all are.
The third dude of my personal Mt. Rushmore is a monkey: the eastern lowland gorilla, Ishmael, from Daniel Quinn's book of the same name. He basically debunks all the so-called human 'history' we've learned (ahem. . . been programmed with) through schools and bible study. He de-mystifies the myth behind the divine imperative which drives the most destructive culture in the history of our planet and hints at an alternative to the 'One right way to live', at least for those of us with the creativity and the courage to seek it.
Lastly, the fourth dude is Thomas Jefferson. He's the diplomat, the statesman, the philosopher, not to mention somewhat of an enigma. He made his mark on history giving as many people as possible a fair shake. As the social engineer he provides me his ideals of virtue to balance personal freedom and social responsibilty. The books I've read beat the Sallie Hemmings affair to death, but I think they seek to imply that Jefferson did exactly what he thought was correct and right, but also had the sense to realize the potential damage these beliefs would do to his public image and efficacy, and did what he could to mitigate their effects. Or maybe, like me, he was truly ambivalent about certain things. There's obviously much more I have to learn about this particular archetype, as it is currently playing out in my personality. If for no other reason Jefferson is part of my personal Mt. Rushmore so that I would only have the other three busts left to carve!
Please bear in mind that I reserve the right and the knowledge through the principles of self-determination to take dynamite to my personal Mt. Rushmore at anytime I see fit, and have no compunction about doing so!
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My answers…
Date: 2005-04-04 07:40 am (UTC)Jim Henson for demonstrating the merit of purposeful whimsy.
Gene Roddenberry for creating Star Trek, which taught me not necessarily which ideals to hold dear but introduced the concept of having them.
Carl Sagan, for COSMOS — most particular, showing me that all those things I was learning in high school were in some way connected (much as James Burke's "Connections" have done for a more recent generation).