On (External) Constraints, Super heroes, and Shining In A Billion Points of Light
Learning from Batman, or How Entropy lies about being such a good teacher.
Recently , I have been exploring the power of (external) constraints…
Not restraints, constraints. Restraints are, in this case, binders you place on yourself.
Grammatical arguments, I know, but I'm the writer here.
How being seemingly deficient or constrained in one area can end up becoming a super power (or super motivator); if used well
Let's take The Batman as a simple case study.
He's born an average human, and then at age 8 (or 9?), experiences tragedy. His parents are mugged and killed; a rude awakening to the injustice of Gotham City, and the world at large.
He then decides to take on crime fighting ; in a world where villains with powers are popping up every now and then; with nothing but his wit (and bastard money 💰 of course).
And oh, how sharp that wit is.
He becomes the prime example of a over preparer; learning every martial art discipline known to man, learning Tibetan meditation techniques to evade tricks like hypnosis or general brainwashing (a serious trump card), constantly exercises his IQ, pattern recognition skills, and attention to detail to the limit as a detective, and literally has a contingency plan for his own super powered friends in case they go haywire or are mind controlled (this proves useful, by the way)
He becomes a Swiss Army knife of skills and equipment, all regulated by his big beautiful mind.
And the best part - he is constantly underestimated by new villains, especially if they are super powered.
Now here is the irony: the supers are born with leverage over everyone else, so they rarely focus on making full use of the other parts of themselves. They become overly dependent on their powers and often underestimate the common/weaker as no threat for them, until it becomes too late.
This, in my opinion, is one of the major keys to Batman's many successes, and why he stays alive and respected by even the gods of the DC Universe. He constantly outwits them because he very literally has no choice than to rely on his wit and unique set of skills.
He understood the power of constraints and leverage; and maximized it to the limit.
We see this play out in many scenarios - whether with individuals, communities or nation states:
The man born into poverty and uses that as a motivation to find any and every means to survive, powered by that resilience + fear till he's able to push through.
The composer who suddenly becomes blind and has to learn to innovate his art in new ways because of said physical condition.
The nation that is seemingly deficient in natural resources learns to rely on human capital and becomes a giant in technology, or a major exporter of culture, or a tourist capital, or learns to create their own rain.
..and so on, and so forth
The truth is, humans have an uncanny ability to become otherworldly beings under pressire. There's a way that scarcity (of any kind) seems to make people think and push past themselves, especially if it's directly related to, or a precondition for, survival.
They think about how to bypass the limits placed on them
They think about different means to survive
They think about alternative resources available to them that they might never have noticed in a situation of seeming abundance.
This then places a very important question, as always:
Would this person have become the same manner of man, if these constraints were absent? Would they have had to think or create etc. in this manner? Is another way possible?
Well, I think we can learn, and by so doing, make it possible.
Mistakes and patterns are important to society for multiple reasons, chief of which is for us to learn.
When we see the example of struggling individuals or nations build themselves out of a handicap, a perceived disadvantage or scarcity, they ought to be a source of inspiration to be the rest of us.
And when we see people with perceived leverages fail because of an over reliance on said leverage instead of utilizing the other things available to them, they become lessons not to repeat.
Because after all, the right way to live, is to shine in a billion sparks of light - using every ability, and faculty available to you, regardless of your leveraged or constrained position.
While constraints can serve as a superpower, I very much believe that solely relying on it is still an inferior way.
A superior way would be a framework of abundance, which I touched on a bit when I spoke about the stewardship of time here.
You do not have to experience constraints like others have in order to shine in all the directions that you ought. And while I will not doubt the fact constraints can be powerful motivators and can be used as such; I refuse to allow humans to be defined solely in a way that translates as:
A species that only be super motivated by disadvantage, tragedy, near-tragedy, or a severe awareness of finiteness via highly entropic experiences.
I envision an era of abundance that doesn't lead to apathy, but instead to exploration of all potential possibilities
Call me delusional. Call me true. Call me a rebel.
You argue - what need would there be to explore, if there is no motivation inspiring the same? What need would there be to explore your ability to create value in tangible or intangible form, if wealth and plenty was all you ever experienced? How would you be driven?
The answer: Just as I referenced here, stewardship. A true understanding of stewardship and its implications, is the answer that redefines your approach.
So constraints can be a good motivator, but an awareness of stewardship is a far better trigger to allow you indulge in the abundant life indeed.
Or as I once wrote:
A billion Points of light
Shooting stars with no end in sight
Darting in all paths that can be seen.
You were given. So use; and do not let tragedy define the nature of your exploration.
Nuff said.
Till we see again,
Yours in Wisdom, Wonder and Whimsy,
James, TheDescriptor.