Disneyland Daoism #1: We are all pirates
April 6, 2011
The Pirates of the Caribbean ride was lots of fun! It was also a wonderful experience with regards to reflecting on middle brain wants and the Chilling Consequences which can follow.
The popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise is testimony that we love pirates. They are rebels who challenge conventional thinking (the authority of the day). Johnny Depp’s character, Captain Jack Sparrow, is the loveable (yet deplorable?) rogue who gets himself into mischief and must make choices whether to give into the wants of his middle brain or transcend it and make a more evolved choice.
I believe that it is this quality which makes Captain Jack so appealing and helps us identify with him. We all have to make decisions in our lives where we must either give into the wants of the selfish middle brain or make a healthier (cortical) choice. One which takes the future consequences of a behaviour and its effect on others into consideration. The cortex helps give us a more balanced perspective.
As said, the Pirates ride and movies glamourize the life of a pirate. The fun, the intoxication with alcohol (rum anyone?), revenge on authority (dunk tank anyone?) and the wanton sex – the lust and desire which goes with this (middle brain) behaviour.
In reality, pirates were drunken, brutal and self-serving thieves.
And with this behaviour, there were Chilling Consequences to face. The noose.
The novotherapy in all of this is that, the middle brain’s desires must be sated very carefully, because if overindulged, it can lead us into trouble.
This is so true with addictive behaviours or any (obsessive) desires we may have.
Arrrrrgh!
Dr.P
