You need to take more risks if you want to find meaning
A warning and solution from sports history
Comfort becomes a cage
In the late 1880s cycling boomed because of the introduction of the ‘Safety Bicycle.’ Gone were the Penny Farthings, the comical looking bikes with the big wheel in the front and tiny wheel on the back. These new bikes with the same sized wheels created a much safer and enjoyable ride and everyone wanted to ride one. This is the process of modernity in action: smoothing out the bumps to create comfort and ease. Another way to think of this is modernity attempts to remove as much risk as possible.
While that might sound good it has a disastrous consequence for the meaning of our lives; especially the life of a modern day man. Men require challenge and adventure. It forms a huge part of our identities. When we remove the ability to test ourselves, we settle into mediocrity and accept ‘good enough’ instead of striving for more.
This is why men who have the most wealth and safety struggle find meaning. It’s true in North America where we have the most overfed, over entertained, pampered generations that are simultaneously the least happy, fit, and healthy. Think of a Lion in zoo versus a Lion in the wild; that’s what modernity has done to men. It’s a good trade for some things but disastrous in others.
Removing risk in your life looks a lot like this
Following the same life path as everyone else.
Go to school
Get a job
Climb the ladder
Work for decades
Retire in old age
Dead too soon after you stop working
Choosing comfort over struggle every chance you get
Junk food over health food
Consuming entertainment over exercising your body
Remaining silent in relationships instead of standing up for yourself
What’s Old is New Again
This isn’t a new phenomenon. Removing risk tilts people toward decadence, luxury, and entitlement. When you live in good times the world seems less dangerous, but it’s a false reality. Imagine the place you live without electricity for just ONE WEEK. You see how illusory our security is precisely because we’re not resilient enough to face extreme risks.
This process forms a classic trope seen throughout the history of civilizations. You’ve probably even heard it best summed up by this classic G. Michael Hopf quote illustrated below
A great example from history comes from the fall of the Roman Empire. In the early days of the Republic the citizens of Rome made up the fearsome Roman Legions, the Military units that terrorised opponents and conquered much of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Worlds. As the Republic turned into the Empire, the citizens who lived in Rome began outsourcing their fighting to the conquered peoples who lived in the outer provinces and regions of the empires. The people in the city lived in luxury and let others handle their risk for them. Eventually when a hostile invading force showed up to the city in 410AD the citizens had no chance to defend themselves and Rome fell for the first time in almost 1000 years.
You see this reflected in the sports culture as well. The Romans created the sport spectacle. They consumed sport for entertainment and didn’t practice it themselves. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?
Ancient wisdom provides a modern solution
This dramatic example from the past helps us better understand the paradox of modernity. We want to have more efficient and effective ways of living but removing risk leaves us weak and susceptible to decline. How do we square this circle? Again let’s turn to history.
The Ancient Greeks created competitive sports as a safe space to face risk. In sports one gained all the virtues needed to fulfil the duties of a politician, farmer, soldier, and leader. The key was learning them in a protected environment of rules, regulations, standards, and morals. The sports themselves were vicious: heavy boxing with leather straps, painful wrestling, and ancient mixed martial arts known as Pankration. Competitors frequently died in such brutal events. But the training was measured, calculated, and overall safe. This is our way forward today.
Sports provide us a dream like scenario to face risk, learn what we are made of, and become courageous in the face of danger. It’s not wise to tempt death but it’s not a bad idea to come into contact with fear of injury and a little risky adventure in sport. Meaning comes from finding peace in the past, present, and future. Without risk there is no connection, you just float through time. With risk you’re brought into contact with your ancestors who struggled to survice and your future progeny who will face unknown challenges. Doing something hard will always mean more than doing something everyone else can do easily.
A Challenge
My challenge to you today is simple. Go into the deep waters with your body through sport. That could be a run 3x longer that you’ve ever done or a brutal workout like a Murph. It could be a long hike taking a little less food and water than your normally do. Or going outside in less than ideal weather and braving it. The point isn’t to be stupid with your body, it’s to be conscious of taking on a little more risk than normal and becoming comfortable in the body taking it. This is one way we can all learn from history to avoid to decadence that modernity provides us. Don’t shy away from risk instead embrace it in a calculated way through sports!
