"The endless circle" or "the ruthless and meaningless straight line"

Stan 2022-04-19 09:01:41

When I was a kid, I didn't expect to re-watch "The Lion King" after puberty, and I was still sitting in the cinema watching the real beast version. The storyboards were basically the same as the original, but in turn made me feel again how much superior the original was.

Someone has been telling me that the original book of The Lion King is Hamlet. But in fact, except for the revenge of the uncle usurping prince, it can't be said to be very similar to the story of Hamlet. I think what brings people to mind "Hamlet" is the classical nature of the structure of the story. Very classical, and also very much in line with the structure of psychoanalysis. In other words, it is precisely because it is a classical story that it fits the structure of psychoanalysis completely.

When a boy takes responsibility and grows into an adult, he will experience trepidation, depression, and panic in adolescence. He will die once in a spiritual sense, merge with something in the dark (unconscious), explore, grow, and form a new self. Fight against the darkness that was invincible in the past, and win. become a man.

This "unconscious fusion" process is undoubtedly the common life of Simba and Timon Pumbaa. It's a hippie spirit. In many, many literary films this process is described as painful or oppressive. Here, however, it manifests itself in a carefree joy, "Haku na Matata". This fully proves that Camus' existential philosophy in the long spiritual history of mankind, after the death of God and the disappearance of the classical spirit, its role is mainly to heal the human spirit, as a substitute for some kind of lost faith.

When Simba becomes a carefree adult lion and no longer thinks about the existence and sense of responsibility of classical heroes, he appears happy, but in fact he is heavy. Because he is a lion not a warthog. He is a king not a mortal.

"Hakuna Matata" denies the meaning of life, arguing that man is alone, isolated, a "relentless and meaningless straight line" that ends in death. And to find meaning in this meaningless straight line, one must be gloriously alone, one must be cool. This belief clearly conflicts with Mufasa's teaching, so is it wrong? no. The conflict between the two can create something new. While Simba is tormented by the conflict between these two paths, the meaning of his existence, "who he is" is in it. This is what "moderation" means.

When his mission and his story were opened again, that is, Nana as a "messenger" appeared in his unconscious paradise, invaded and plundered, he guarded the paradise with his own power, and the moment he "reunited" with Nana, This point in time makes it clear that he must return from the healing paradise of his subconscious to the responsibilities that require reality to fulfill it.

Naturally, this process cannot be completed all at once. So in the hesitation, he met the "sage", was guided, and reunited with the seeds buried in his heart in the past. The future is bleak, but there are still clues. This is the "star". The latter thing is completely the set we are familiar with. Demons, chariots, battles. In the end he got "the world". This structure is one that all adventure stories must follow. Because all the elements are in it.

When I was a child, I had a playmate who liked Pumbaa the warthog very much. Later, that friend was also attracted to the "beat literature" for a while. We all want to look cool in adolescence, to find a little presence in this cruel world by proving the meaninglessness of life. That's right, nothingness, fleeting light, that's right. But it is not absolute.

When a person is in reverse, he can't be himself, he can't find himself, if he is a hero educated in classical concepts at this time, he will be killed by guilt and self-blame. He therefore needs a nihilistic, joyous and meaningless philosophy as healing . The more patient and experienced call it patience, waiting, but the time the young man spent in his hippie village was just as meaningful to his life. After that, he will always usher in the pick, and everything will be straightened out naturally. The world needs you, you don't need to prove who you are, you don't need to know who you are. Because you as you are in the flow of destiny, including your will also becomes part of the flow of destiny.

The romance of classicism lies in its tragic nature. Heroes are still heroes when they are reversed. And the current popular nihilism... Although it has the effect of healing the spirit and replaces the God who is no longer, it cannot continue to guide the way when everything is going well, just like the starlight in the night, when the day comes engulfed by sunlight. With starlight in mind, moonlight in mind, and sunlight in mind. All light can illuminate the way.

But for me personally, the night is a bit too long. Or maybe humanity is just in the middle of a long night right now.

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Extended Reading

The Lion King quotes

  • Timon: That never gets old!

  • Nala: Are you with me, lions?