]] The pirate and the fortress— “Work was never pleasure for me, nor homekeeping thrift, which feeds good children. But to me oared ships were pleasure, and war, and well-glinted spears and arrow.” So speaks Odysseus, playing the pirate. This is motto and life of the pirate. Do you understand what pirate is? Many times I’m asked, why the Bronze Age? Because it’s the heroic age you see in Iliad and Odyssey, yes, but don’t forget what hero really means. Thucydides says the men of that time enjoyed piracy, and saw nothing wrong with it, and this is true. And what is the pirate but the original form of the free man and of all ascending life! How pathetic, when you are told now about “living life,” or “having a life”—these people know nothing about what true life means. Compare the intensity of Alcibiades, that super-pirate, or of what I am about to describe here, to the “life” you’re encouraged to “have” today. How worthless the vaunting of these anxious creatures who live on pharmaceuticals, cheap wine, the rancid fart-fumes of status and approval they beg from each other. Schopenhauer says that at some point in the past all animals were herbivores, but then some species decided to take its own life in its jaws, to risk itself, and with great daring become a beast of prey, living off the hunt. The predator is always the more intelligent animal. In every decision to become a hunter or pirate, a man or a people is showing great daring and embarking on great freedom. Hero is not slave to the many, who sacrifices himself for them; the common manis awed by this kind of “sacrifice,” because they would never do this for themselves or others. But this is hero reduced to faithful dog. Wolf seeks not to “sacrifice” anything, but to discharge its powers over territory. We take the wolves and lions and leopards from among us when pups and break them with false ideas, vicious conditioning, and lately, drugs that would have lobotomized a da Vinci, an Alexander, a Frederick the Great out of existence in his youth. Then the energy that remains to them is channeled into mindless work for money. Labor and commerce are the ways to subject you to mere life and its preservation: when the superior are corrupted to a life of work and finance, they slowly move for their own destruction in the long run. I could say leisure is the source of all great things. [Bronze Age Mindset an Exhortation by Bronze Age Pervert](x-devonthink-item://F953FB51-EE4A-4FC6-BC1B-95F5C8D5175F?page=91&start=787&length=1561&search=The%20pirate%20and%20the%20fortress%E2%80%94%20%E2%80%9CWork%20was%20never%20pleasure%20for%20me,%0Anor%20homekeeping%20thrift,%20which%20feeds%20good%20children.%20But%20to%20me%20oared%20ships%20were%20pleasure,%20and%20war,%20and%20well-glinted%20spears%20and%20arrow.%E2%80%9D%20So%20speaks%20Odysseus,%20playing%20the%20pirate.%20This%20is%20motto%20and%20lif) *** ![[🌠The Pirate's Creed - Choosing Adventure over Conformity.png]] # The Pirate's Creed: Choosing Adventure over Conformity ### Text Analysis: The passage uses the figure of the pirate, along with the mythical hero Odysseus, to epitomize the ideal of living freely and daringly. The allure of adventure, war, and piracy is contrasted with the routine of traditional work and domestic life, representing a choice to live on one's own terms. Drawing from Schopenhauer's theory, the text likens predatory animals, who lead lives of hunting and intelligence, to humans who choose paths of risk and freedom. This metaphor serves to critique the modern lifestyle, which often prioritizes material success and social conformity over the adventurous, risk-taking spirit embodied by pirates and heroes. ### Metaphorical Explanation: Imagine life as a vast ocean. In this ocean, the pirate represents the ultimate symbol of freedom and daring. Unlike the merchant ships following established trade routes, the pirate ship charts its own course, unbound by maps or laws. This ship moves where the winds of adventure blow, seeking not just treasure but the thrill of the unknown. The pirate’s life is risky and unpredictable, but it is also exhilarating and authentic. On the other hand, the majority of people are like sailors on commercial vessels, following predetermined routes. Their journey is more secure and stable, but it lacks the excitement and unpredictability of the pirate’s path. They may witness the pirate ship in the distance and feel a fleeting desire for such freedom, but they remain within the confines of their charted course. ### Contextual Insight: This metaphor of the ocean and the pirate ship vividly captures the essence of the text's argument. It illustrates the contrast between a life of adventure and risk, symbolized by the pirate, and a life of security and conformity, represented by the traditional sailor. The pirate, like the predatory animal in Schopenhauer's theory, chooses a path of intelligence, daring, and independence. In contrast, modern society, much like the merchant vessels, often encourages a path that prioritizes material success and societal approval over individual freedom and the pursuit of adventure. The critique of the contemporary lifestyle suggests a yearning for a return to the values of heroism and the spirit of exploration, challenging the conventional definitions of what it means to truly live. *** ### Reflective Questions Considering the metaphor of life as a vast ocean, with the pirate embodying freedom and daring while traditional sailors represent conformity and security, how might this perspective influence your thoughts on the choices between stability and adventure in your own life, and what factors might guide your decision-making in navigating these contrasting paths?