We live in an era of unprecedented crisis, complexity, and exhaustion. We are constantly warned of society’s imminent doom. We are inundated with news, requests, and opportunities from every corner of the globe. We are constantly told that we are not successful enough, working hard enough, or doing enough to save the world. We must do more. We must be more. We must be great. We must transform ourselves into the hero who can save the world from calamity.
But we do not need heroes. That framing has simply reinforced our exhaustion and inadequacy. It is part of the toxicity that has plunged us into crisis.
We need antiheroes.
The hero begins their journey in the “ordinary world” of relative peace, comfort, and familiarity. They must be called out to adventure to save the kingdom.
The antihero begins their journey already in the extraordinary world, already consumed by existential calamity, already striving for heroic greatness, already exhausted trying to be something they or anyone will not and cannot ever be.
This is an excerpt from my upcoming book The Antihero’s Journey: From Burnout to Real Contribution in Polycrisis Times. To read other excerpts, go here.
