Let’s start with the backstory of how I came to be writing this post today. So I was wondering what I could write about. Then I came across this Chinese Youtube video that was unexpectedly novel rather than a carbon copy of something else. One of the words that appeared in the video was the Chinese character ‘忍’. I pondered on it. Was there anything I could write about the tolerance of suffering? A thought struck me, to be honest. I could write about ‘忍道‘, or the ninja way (from Naruto). But then it still felt like the content was lacking, so I forgot about it. But then in the afternoon, some Enneagram post showed up on my Google news feed. I hesitated for only the slightest moment before accepting that I would be clicking on it. Now coincidentally this particular post wrote about the exact Enneagram type I am, so my attention was hooked, and then one thing led to another and so I ended up looking into Enneagram subtypes. And then it turned out that my Enneagram subtype literally is called tenacity, which is like precisely the tolerance of suffering and all that. Coincidence… or some higher forces at play? I’ll leave that up to your imagination. By the way, this is the link to a good explanation article.
So… right, Naruto. One of my first anime. Now, Naruto can be called the epitome of tenacity. When he was a baby, he lost his parents and had a demonic nine-tailed fox sealed within him. None of the other kids in the village would talk to him (probably because their parents told them not to). He also seemed to have no talent in the ninja arts. However, Naruto had an unbeatable tenacity that would see him climb up from the ground every time he got beaten down to accomplish the world he wished to see, living by his ideals. Ultimately, he would fight, because ‘this is my ninja way dattebayo!’
Now, the ninja way (忍道) can simply be likened to 道 or Dao itself, as stems from Daoism. Now, some simple terms that those reading Chinese xianxia would surely know. These people basically cultivate to achieve immortalhood (修道成仙). In the process, they must also solidify their dao-hearts (道心) and avoid being consumed by their heart demons (心魔). Actually, the process of cultivation (修行) is a real thing in the real world too, though maybe minus all that flying through the air and controlling flying swords with fingers. 修 refers to refining the self while 行 refers to one’s actions as manifested in the real world. In Naruto terms, the former would be training some new jutsu while the latter would be utilising it in actual combat. So, these actions are undertaken in accordance with one’s dao-heart. Protecting those precious to oneself is a classic example of this. Relating this to Daoism, there are a multitude of ways or daos which can possibly be. People may walk different paths as some are averse to those of others (道不同不相为谋). In metaphysical terms, you can match those paths/daos to moral judgements, but the daos itself really are neutral. They merely exist, and people can walk them.
Now, was that slightly confusing? I hope not. Just a quick overview of the metaphysics I have grasped, you see. Anyway, spiritual people in the Eastern tradition, as far as I can tell, believe in cultivating as the path to enlightenment and a higher state of being. However, you technically can draw some relations to Western philosophy too!
Back in high school, I came across existentialism, personally, you see, not through the philosophical traditions that already existed but just through philosophising alone. I did learn a bit more about traditional existentialism in philosophy class, though, and have since integrated it into my own understanding of the topic/metaphysical structure. I found out that existentialism is summed up by the words ‘existence precedes essence’. What does this mean? Basically, what conclusion can you draw regarding life? It’s this: before anything else, you exist. Existentialism is a philosophy on the side of free will. Everything is a choice. Just think of yourself as a character. Something befalls said character. The character thus reacts to something. Circumstances really are external. You yourself choose how to react to them. A person need not spiral down into depression when bad things happen to them. They can choose to be face it with a positive mindset, learn from it etc. In other words, it is about mindset! Definitely not overrated, this. Truth can be simple, just hard to adopt.
Now, something that seems related. The Buddhists may say that all is an illusion and we need to cultivate to break out of the reincarnation cycle and achieve nirvana. Now, this may seem like a very!!! faraway concept to us. So, we don’t really have to think too long and hard regarding this. The concept of impermanence, though, is pretty easy to grasp if you think about it. Basically, change is the only constant and all that. Everything you see is just an appearance (象) that we have access to. However, things may quickly change, with another set of circumstances coming into play. Most people are also only able to skim the surface. Most people also tend to take it as truth rather than try to grasp the meaning from the underlying essence. It’s a bit like Plato’s Allegory of the cave, really. Anyway, from that concept of impermanence, we can learn not to be obsessed with things that are only temporary and seek inner peace. And using precisely that inner peace, we can choose not to be bothered by things that needn’t really bother us because they just don’t really matter to us. That’s how I see it, at least.
Next, the concept of fate. Now, fate seems to suggest that everything has been pre-determined beforehand. What does it entail? Some people would immediately throw in the towel because it seems like whatever they do is bound to fail, isn’t it? However, it simply doesn’t work that way!!! Don’t put up a needless struggle against fate? Hey, there is no logic behind your pessimism! How do you know that fate is what you’re struggling against? Maybe fate is precisely the force of you struggling against what you are trying to change! Even if things may be determined, since you cannot know what they are determined as, how can you say that they are one way or the other? Even struggling itself can be a part of fate. What said person is doing here is defeatism and choosing to NOT! struggle. Basically? It’s a choice! Everything you do is a choice and fate? They can coexist! They can coexist as you who live in the present and the outsider standing externally from the stream of time, seeing what happens as a result of that struggle. Anyway, there’s no logic to support defeatism. It’s really a choice.
Okay, how sure are you of what you know? Personally, for me, I try not to generalise as much as possible. Conspiracy theories are indeed plausible. Prophecies are also surely plausible. Every individual deserves to be given the chance to give their piece, and then you judge for themselves how much you are willing to be convinced by them. It’s inevitable that sometimes, fate itself unfortunately is lacking. For example, I had heard of stuff like Sp/So that relates to Enneagram subtypes in the past, but maybe my fate with them was yet to come, for I even held a tinge of disdain and already-know-it-allness that prevents one from being open to and potentially integrating new knowledge into their system. However, I have come to learn of them more proper now. There is no need to be mad at oneself for something you feel you should have done then. Maybe you were just lacking that fate! However, armed with your present knowledge and refined cultivation, strive towards THE best of your abilities, and that is not letting yourself down.
There is much within this world that is out of our grasp. At the very least, though, I believe we should maintain a healthy respect for forces beyond out comprehension and do the best we can. I ultimately believe in the concept of 苦尽甘来 – at the end of all the suffering comes a higher joy. Bad people can repent too, if they do truly sincerely desire so. But if one likes to inflict some suffering for the suffering they receive, thus making everyone miserable, it’s just so very immature, yo. Happiness is already so hard to come by. It’s dumb for you to create a hell of your own making around yourself!!! Basically, mindset, choice. What do I think about tenacity defining my subtype? Why, I would be so much more miserable without it! Like for real, you know. Don’t bemoan stuff. Think of yourself as the protagonist and go for it!!!!!! Ganbatte, Hokage ni narou! Ja na!
(Admittedly sometimes, clinging to optimism feels like walking into a fire. It’s pretty masochistic. Still, for the sake of that desired future, there is no reason not to do it… You may feel uncomfortable by virtue of action in leaving your comfort zone. You may feel pain by virtue of emotion in opening yourself up to the potential negativity of others. All the same, we hold our heads high and stride forward… for that is what it means to live.)
