Hero - what is it?

We're all familiar with the word, the idea or concept of the Hero. I am thinking of this word these days, a moment here or there to consider heroes of mine.  

Who or what are my heroes; what kind of character do I think of when thinking of heroes? 

It taking this thought further, I considered several beginnings to a series on this question.  The first is a song by Randy Travis, "Heroes and Friends".  

"Heroes and Friends"

Can one or another be both, a friend and hero too?  Have I ever known both in one, person?

I believe that this duo is possible; perhaps a lifelong friend is a hero (to you), for they have been there when you needed them--needed help, hope.  One may begin as just a hero or just a friend but then, BOOM, they become more....   

Can I or you be both to someone somewhere; can we offer that rare by highly-respected role of friend and hero too?   What is it in life that creates or conjures up enough courage and commitment to become both friend and hero?    How can we be the hero? 

Yet another quote to get this topic (question) going; Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn: 

Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed. It is all part of the fairy tale.  

Stop to consider and start to remember what it means to be a hero, great sorrow and great burden or sacrifice.  

Power and Politcs - more still...

Besides the alliterative quality--even poetic--of these two words, is the bond between and among them; the two are inextricably linked, related and dependent.  

Where there is politics and power, there is always corruption and, left unchecked, a cabal or consort, criminals of high crimes and misdemeanors.   A famous, often cited, quote by John Stuart Mill, 

Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends than that good men should look on and do nothing. 

Power & Politics is as the dragon; that without a dragon slayer or otherwise those who stand in the gap on behalf of the land, all that remains is the shouting for those that compromised and were complacent--all resistance arrested or resting in their graves.     

It is true that the best government is that which governs least..., so said Thoreau; and when left to fester and foment, Power & Politics becomes pandemic. From the still striving, a true statesman, Ron Paul, 

When one gets in bed with government, one must expect the diseases it spreads. 

He also said,  "Let the rEVOLution begin," and when/as/if it does, then Politics & Power will know that dragon slayers are not dead yet, one or more who stand in the gap on behalf of the land.

Power - confronting the dragon

How does the dragon doom its domain, destiny?   The answer is simply that it, the dragon, is destined to die, to rise indubitably and indomitably and then decline whether dramatic, or by a slow debilitating case of serious heartburn , heartbroken.  

What is true of the dragon is that it will die just as all the dragons before it; that once fierce and formidable, it will lose any and all of those who could be--and perhaps once were--friends (if it ever had a friend).  The dragon dies in more than the physical, but of a broken heart, shattered by its deep insecurities and insistence on taking it all, everyone and everything.  Yes, the dragon is insatiable and thus does not have a means or method to give or even express gratitude. 

Who or what is the dragon?  

"Good-reads", a Website of quotations, offers much on the beast or behemoth, whether words of tribute or terror; but the dragon is finally and fully unto itself; one with whom the figurative world will fight, fear and not forget.   The dragon is does not have to look the part, as with the illustration above, but nevertheless be the part.    

From C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,

Sleeping on a dragon's hoard with greedy, dragon thoughts in his heart, he became a dragon.  

When and where one consorts with dragon(s), so too will they become one, of the same mind of madness, a masochistic, their heart diseased with death and destruction.  Dragons cannot love or otherwise are incapable of care, caring, except to the extent that it serves them for the moment. They (it) may appear to at first give a care--and even speak on it--but they always and forever default to death and destruction--devoid of the capacity for care, caring and compassion.  The dragon considers love as a fault, a weakness.  

Beware of the dragon's breath that breathes your last.

Deception - pawns on the chessboard

Most of familiar with the game of chess; the king, that though limited in movement, is crucial to the outcome ("check", "checkmate" or when defeat is inevitable, concession).  Then there is the pawn, the many pawns as the first line of defense and, on rare occasion, a hero of sort.  

For the most part, the pawns are "consumed" however, taken out by the more powerful:  the queen and her court of bishops, knights and rooks.  It is not random or remote that the pawn is physically a small piece and, though larger in number, is much limited in movement, often serving as "cannon fodder"; sacrificed for the sake of the kingdom, the potential to preserve power through victory.For some play(-ers), the pawn may actually seem to get in the way, more a liability than asset, simply filling a block on the board, blocking the better.  Pawns are at best expendable, sometimes considered a indefensible as a wall in modern days of warfare.

The pawn is the least powerful and, though larger in number, is the least...

If you were a chess piece, which one would you prefer to be?  You can choose a pawn, the poorest of all pieces or something else, grand and great though fewer in number.  

It seems that the pawn is, per the number, "only a number" and nothing more.  The play momentarily accepts the loss of a pawn and quite incidental, ignominious in the casualties of the conflict, competition.   

At one time or/and another, the pawn will be your part; you will be drawn in to the game (racket) only to realize (perhaps after much time and thought), that you were taken...sometimes still believing that you did, "the right thing."  You may beat yourself up over this, accepting or acknowledging that you were a fool, too taken for your own good or benefit; yet life and living will never fully release you from "playing the pawn" as long as you love, really love.  For what is love without sacrifices and what is sacrifice without trust that, if not for them (whomever "them" happens to be) that you did it (whatever the gift or sacrifice was) for "us" as it was.  

Deception - Fooling thyself...and your own

Again, deception is more often about fooling ourselves; lying to ourselves about ourselves to please, for pity our pride, ourselves if not others too.  Our lives are reflected through smoke and mirrors so that what appears is, or is perceived, is not real, reality. 

One may think, say or act (as though they are entitled, have the right or otherwise are deserving) to play such games, first fooling self and then attempting to fool those about them, including family or their own.  

You're a liar to your family, familiar with lying and liking it!

Not that such deceit in nothing new under the sun; as with the ages, so too is deception one to one, one on one and one to others--even their own. 

In the Garden of Eden, Eve was deceived by Satan.  Among the earliest lineage of Jesus, Jacob deceived his brother Esau (and indeed, Jacob was much the deceiver).  Passing over many other accounts and occurrences, with often ugly outcomes, Judas Iscariot attempted to deceive Jesus only to realize some measure of the cost of betrayal.  

Yes, the world is replete with deceit and in these last days, such is on the rise thanks in part to the dissemination/distribution of information whether vetted or not, qualified as the truth or facts purported.   

In the later days, persons will deceive and be deceived, going so far as to reward those who do such things well.  One will turn against the other (to suggest marriage and family)

Who would do such a thing; who would lie to others so close--too close--without any apparent care of the costs let alone the feelings of the other, the relationship of the two?   Is/are such persons mentally ill, diagnosed or not with some disorder, or are they simply wicked, wrought with spiritual darkness?

Looking for Deception

Deception is, well, deceptive; it is the result of false, fraud and faux, pretending a friend but in fact using and abusing, sometimes going so far as shifting the very condition of deception on naivety--not the nefarious underhandedness of the deceiver.   

You may be familiar with the question/joke, "How do you know when a politician is lying?" 

The answer:  "When they open their mouth (or speak)."  

But in truth, lies are often developed from the heart, through the mind and finally, as action in one form or another. One may spend much time, a process, in forming lies or, in the moment or impulse, do similar. With the former, such as conspiracy, much effort and energy is applied to ensure or to bake this mother of all lies until it is done, ready to serve. In the later, a flash in the pan, one simply fires-off lies as much as for their protection or preservation as anything else. 

Still, deception is more often applied to self first, if others to follow. Yes, we lie and cheat ourselves, tapping into our imagination to believe that which delights us, entertains us and otherwise aims to make us happy. One may believe in God as singular, merciful and loving, while denying the might and wrath clearly described in the scriptures.One wants to embrace the fairy tale that ends with "...and they live happily ever after", avoiding and even abhorring the reality that we live in a fallen world, replete with wicked and evil behavior, minds and hearts.

One of the most difficult to see, "Looking for Deception", is the perpetrator who poses as a victim, the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing.  The one that deceives to such extremes will do everything to avoid or avert cause or blame, pretending and promoting their victim status  while concurrently carrying-out a conspiracy, using others to get what they think they want.  A deceiver of this degree will do and say anything and everything to keep their cover covered--fully convinced that they are just and right in doing so no matter the costs.  Their mental state or health further be demented, rendering them unable or incapable of the truth, acknowledging or admitting their ruse or racket.  

Be aware that such persons will chew you up and spit you out, as they slither along a path, inflicting poison with impunity.  

Me and Nasty

Aldous Huxley said, 

I like being myself. Myself and nasty.

What did he mean, "myself and nasty"?  

First, this quote is an excerpt from Brave New World; a dystopian story, covered in summary in the Spark-Notes, the video link below.  

Brave New World - Spark Notes Summary

Well, that is/was much information; more than necessary to understand how or why one enjoys or at least is comfortable with being "NASTY". 

Being "NASTY", is perhaps being self-indulged; that is, doing anything and everything to please yourself, to momentarily satiate your passions, pleasures, however fantastical or false the stimuli, the sense of it.   

Life is, after all, about getting everything that you can whether by "honest means" or otherwise.  The world revolves around you and thus, it your right to seize it however...

It matters not how you get it as long as you get it.  It matter not whom or what it costs, but only that you get what you want, momentary though it be!   The costs, however measured, are irrelevant in view of your NASTY.  

"To Hell with the rest and what's best.  I am in it for me". 

Unmasking Deception - methods and mechanics

I find the attached video as fitting the bill when it comes to waking up and seeing the deception all about us. One may ask, 

"How do I know what's real and what's a lie. Where do I gain the confidence and clairvoyance to first see and then believe without doubt?"  

It is not easy--that's for sure--for among other things, constraints on our conscience, is the certainty that we cannot always or often be certain. 

Yes, we see it (whatever it is) but is seeing really believing?  We feel it by other senses but then, is it really as it appears?  And yes, I know that these questions and the subject is abstract and ambivalent, but so too is the deception, the art and science of it.  

What is better for you; to be the fool or to be wise, to be deceived or to recognize the con and say, 

"See ya--cannot believe ya!" 

Sometimes this is hard, requiring a great deal of courage and confidence; for to call-out deception is to invite a plethora of pain--as one who knows. 

 Mechanics of Deception

Leviathan lives too

Ever heard of "Leviathan"?  Who or what is/are the Leviathan but a beast of enormous size and strength, most probably unstoppable; as described in the Bible, both New and Old Testament.  

Does Leviathan live, whether figuratively or in actuality?  In the later, the seas house this creature (as before), but in the former, the spirit of this alleged creature goes everywhere, anywhere, where power and might--for the worse rather than better--roams the earth as a spirit(s), creating chaos and corruption among and within mankind.  

"Where the glory of God is," so too will Leviathan live, aiming to undo what God does, the grace and redemption of the Father through his son, Jesus.  Yes, Leviathan lives and roams about--just as in the days of Job (the person and oldest book of the Old Testament). 

Can Leviathan be conquered or is it eternal, indomitable? Considering that the glory of God invokes Leviathan, it hardly seems possible since, if any might slew the beast, it would be God, right? 

As it is, we still must serve someone or body and thus the question is, given that Leviathan lives, is "Whom do I serve?"  Do I/you serve God as a true servant or do we instead give room for Leviathan to enter, rendering confusion to our otherwise openness and obedience to God.  

Beware and be weary of the spirit of Leviathan, who is crafty and cutting, severing relationships with the twist of truths among other deception, disruption and destruction since the beginning to new and until....  Leviathan is always aimed to destroy with boundless power, not physical or natural but supernatural, evil in all element.   From Revelation 12:1-7, 

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, ...