Humanity in general, but I believe, men in particular are wired for adventure. The late Johnny Cash, singing on U2's The Wanderer, states "I went out in search of experience. To taste, and to touch, and to feel as much, as a man can before he repents." Whether or not one would need to repent after experiencing all that life has to offer might be down to one's various perspectives on things like religion and morality, which obviously isn't uniform across peoples, let alone across cultures and societies, but either way a sense of adventure can be purposeful and productive, as well as dangerous and destructive. Let's explore some of the avenues through which men experience adventure and let's weigh the pros and cons.
The Journey or the Quest
One of the major themes in literature or movies is the hero's journey or quest. The summer box office smash hit, The Odyssey, taps into this, and this story is thousands of years old. The journeys that men take in stories are often literal. They involve geography and the exploration of new and unexplored regions, whether the jungles of Africa or the Amazon, or the final frontier of galaxies far, far away. We are drawn to these stories because there is something spectacular about seeing or experiencing new things for the first time. Maybe they are only new to us, or they may even be new to humanity as a whole. And there is something powerful about setting out on a journey, whether that involves a pair of hiking boots and a walking stick, a car or an RV, or maybe even a plane ticket and a roller bag.
Sometimes these journeys are metaphorical in nature. We talk about life being a journey whether we go from a to b on a map, or only in our minds' eye. What is evident is that we seem to be created for the quest. Having a goal and destination to strive for seems to be essential for any human being, but I believe especially for men. Men are often goal driven and when one goal is met, a new one must be created.
At least 50% of statistics are made up (see what I did there), but I would reckon that 90% of the time the journeys and quests that men embark on are positive and productive. But, there are those moments when they can be destructive, and even deadly. Consider mountain hiking and climbing. Something like 1-3% of Mount Everest climbers do not make it back home alive. This isn't to say that people who attempt an Everest summit are wrong, but it is to say that they are taking significant risk with theirs and their fellow climbers lives when they embark on this adventure. According to AI, something like 25-40% of free solo rock climbers die in the midst of their endeavors. This makes Everest seem like a leisurely stroll in the park.
But what of the metaphorical journeys? How might they go awry? Consider the college football coach who cheats his way to a championship. Or what about the Wall Street trader who in his quest to become rich, lies, cheats, and steals. Men can sometimes be so driven in their professional lives, that they leave little time for others, including family, friends, and faith communities.
Though the journey or the quest can go wrong, when it goes right, it forms a crucial part of a man's life.
Purpose and Meaning
One of the reasons people, and especially men are drawn to journeys and quests is that we are in a constant search for purpose and meaning. Sometimes, we might be forced to work a job to simply put food on our family's table. But if possible, most of us want to pursue a career or vocation that fuels our desire for purpose and meaning. And we probably desire a little adventure a long the way.
I believe that when we lack clear purpose in our day to day lives, men can drift - often leading to destructive diversions. When we are unsure of life's meaning, it becomes easier to indulge meaningless pursuits. Sometimes men travel these paths out of boredom. Looking to add a little spice to our lives, we might find ourselves involved with unhealthy pursuits, like drug and alcohol abuse, gambling addiction, or pornography. We may not have set out to indulge in these particular vices, but when our lives are found lacking, they might serve as a substitute for meaningful endeavors.
Romance
Women may be drawn to romance more than men, but men too can be captivated by love. One of the strongest longings men may experience come from those attractions for the opposite sex. And when those feelings are unrequited, it can be pure torture. But when our "dream girl" says yes, it is one of the best feelings in the world!
Even in our fast-paced, busy, and distracted world, there is much to be gained from a heavy dose of chivalry and a Hollywood-esque romance. But when relationships become familiar and life becomes more pragmatic, romance can be lost in the shuffle.
And romance can sometimes go wrong when a man strays from the familiar, in order to re-ignite a spark that he last felt when his relationship was young and new. In search of the novel or the exciting, men sometimes pursue adulterous affairs (whether physical or emotional), or pornographic stimulation. Married and single men can easily be sucked into false versions of sexuality and unhealthy relationships.
Transcendence
What are men ultimately looking for as they strike out on an adventure, embark on a journey, embrace a quest, fill their lives with purpose and meaning, and engage in romance? I believe that men seek such things for an experience of transcendence. Men seek to "taste and to touch and to feel as much" as this life will allow, all the while yearning for life in the age to come. But it is possible to seek such things without the need to repent. When our quests are centered around the higher goods in life, like faith, hope, and love, not only will our destinations be worth it, so will our journeys. When our lives are filled with purpose and meaning, we can enjoy the lesser goods, like a well aged glass of wine or a romantic get-away with our spouse. In these instances alcohol and sex are gifts from God to be enjoyed in their proper place and context, not idolized and demonized. In fact, all the goodness in creation is open to be enjoyed, provided we continue to worship the creator, rather than the creation. And whatever adventures we seek in this age, will ultimately pale in comparison to that which awaits us in the age to come. - Shay
No comments:
Post a Comment