Words of Wisdom — May 27, 2014

Joseph Campbell on What Defines a Hero

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” – Joseph Campbell

bigthinkeditor

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

– Joseph Campbell

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A group of five people stands in front of a brown van, channeling their inner Richard Feynman. The background features a wall adorned with lush plants, setting the perfect scene for these everyday heroes.

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Ask Ethan: Why isn’t Richard Feynman your personal hero?

One of the 20th century’s most famous, influential, and successful physicists is lauded the world over. But Feynman is no hero to me.

A painting of lord Rama, a major deity in Hinduism and a key figure in the monomyth, depicted with a bow and arrow set against a dynamic sky background.

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The “hero’s journey” isn’t as universal as you think

Joseph Campbell argued that nearly every myth can be boiled down to a hero’s journey. Was he right?

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Description: A depiction of a sorrowful woman surrounded by flowers, symbolizing the stages of grief.

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“5 stages of grief” is a myth — and knowing that helps us better cope with loss

Grief never ends. There is no closure, but there are things we can do to mitigate the feeling of loss.

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What makes someone an “asshole”?

We all know assholes. Perhaps, you are one. Now, psychologists are trying to answer one of life’s biggest mysteries: What, exactly, makes someone an asshole?

an older woman against a dark background illustrating aging loneliness and regret

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Loneliness and regret: People share what getting old is really like

“I suddenly woke up one day and thought, you idiot, you are letting your life fade away, you have got to do something.”

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