From The Past, To You
Can I Be a Hero?
C. N. Vujanovic
AT THIS POINT I MIGHT BE DRAWING THE STRANDS ON THIS SERIES A BIT THIN. But I think there is something behind the laughs of this whole ‘Sigma hero’ thing.
So far, our focus has been solely on war, examining how heroes emerged through their actions or sacrifices. However, I believe attributing heroism to just one of these factors oversimplifies reality and fails to grasp the intricacies of the Sigma lifestyle.
Socrates’ breakfast isn’t merely about the protein in egg whites and protein pancakes. It’s not just about what we consume, but rather what we express. It’s the thoughts we generate and our capacity to articulate them. The influence our words wield over others is what defines us as Sigma.
A real picture of Socrates
Look at Socrates, the giga-Sigma (yes, I just merged giga-chad and Sigma) was eventually executed for being so biased. Socrates followed his values was public in his beliefs, and so he was executed for ‘corrupting the youth’, enabling them to hold ‘dangerous beliefs’.
In Plato’s book, The Apology (a banger), it records Socrates defending himself (the word apology comes from the Greek word “ἀπολογία” or a ‘speech in defence’) in a court trial. His critics ask, “Are you then not ashamed, Socrates, of having followed such a pursuit, that you are now in danger of being put to death as a result?”
His response? “To fear death, gentlemen, is to think oneself wise when one is not.”
Mr. Incredible, a modern Sigma, when he hears Socrates say that.
In the same way that Achilles stared death in the face, Socrates stared and smiled. Not only was Socrates a war hero, but also one who stood for what he believed. In spite of even death, he stood to the end, believing in good over evil, and right over wrong. And today, he is a hero. (Or at least to me)
Why? Because while this philosophical intellectual “buffoon” may indeed be a Sigma, there’s a twist. This isn’t just about transitioning from Achilles to Alphas or from Socrates to Sigmas; it’s about bridging the past to the present, connecting it to you.
What we really learn from Socrates and Achilles is that a Sigma, a hero, is not merely one who fights on the footy field. Nor is it one who is a stoic studier. But the true essence of heroism is the intersection between those two extremes.
The reason we remember Socrates and Achilles is because of what they represent – Achilles, an apex gladiator dude, and Socrates, a giga-brain thinker. So for you, even though we fit into neither of those archetypes, what does it mean to be a hero?
It means to stand up for what is right, even when it is unpopular and dangerous. Not with arrows flying at your ankle, or a threat of death at your doorstep, but with the threat of losing social Sigma points. To be a hero means to be a source for change, inspiring others through action and thought and pulling others up by integrity and hard work. It is not just eating your protein pancakes in the morning by yourself, but it is encouraging your friends to eat those protein pancakes with you.
Your friend eating protein pancakes with you.
As I close, one question still remains: Am I just repeating the same social commentary on the brain rot of society but with another ancient fella? No, no, I am not (at least mostly). But at this point I do not think I am drawing the strands of this series a bit thin.
The reason why is because the past matters. The stories we told matters. And who we once were matters. See, while the context and challenges of heroism might change, the core of heroism still remains. That is, to make a lasting impact, being remembered not just for our deeds, not just because we were a Sigma, but because we stood fast to who we are.