As antiheroes, we first and foremost strive to cultivate a foundation of peace.
Peace, in its fullest sense, is not merely the absence of conflict — it is the absence of whatever creates suffering, whether out in the world or within ourselves.
In the absence of such things, a state of calm arises. But that calm is often like a pond on a spring day. That pond can certainly be tranquil under the right conditions. But as soon as a storm comes through, that peace is quickly disturbed. The entire state of the pond transforms from peaceful to agitated.
This kind of peace is a fragile calm. It is peace. But it is temporary and conditional.
The foundation of peace the antihero cultivates is something different.
Unlike a pond, an ocean is always at peace. Yes, the surface may get quite agitated. There may even be towering waves that dwarf any disturbance we’d ever see in a pond. But even in the wildest hurricanes, the depths of the ocean remain calm, tranquil, unmoved. The ocean is so vast and deep that its core state remains undisturbed.
This is the kind of peace antiheroes are after: the resilient equanimity that can withstand outer turmoil, that can look the polycrisis in the face and remain calm, collected, still devoted.
It is not some temporary state. It is a vast resource and capacity that remains at our disposal at all times.
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.
