Dionysus is called “the god of letting go”. I would argue
that a better title would be “the god of irrationality”. Letting go
is often much needed in human lives, such as when faced with the stress of school, work,
dating, and more all at once. However there are many situations when people
decide to let go in a dramatic fashion, and in the process also let go of any
grasp of reason. One situation comes to mind of a family I know well. The
parents of the family were happily married for over 30 years with two kids when
all of a sudden the husband decided that he wanted to “let go” by abandoning
his family and marriage to try out some new found homosexual desires. There is
only two ways of looking at this man’s recent decision. Either he has just made
the most irrational decision of his life, or by making this new decision is
saying that for the past 30 years he has made a slew of irrational decisions.
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| I love this quote, and I apply the last two sentences to almost everything in my life. |
Before Pentheus hears the tale of
what the cowherd saw and experienced in the forest he wants to arrest or destroy
the women for their attempt to go against the Theban society. After he hears
about the women firsthand, and with a little persuasion by Dionysus, he is drawn
by the sexuality of the women to go and investigate. This complete flip flop
from his original feelings about the Bakkhai ultimately results in his own mother
taking his life. This shows the most powerful lesson from the Bakkhai, that irrational
behavior amplified by sexuality will cause those closest to us to turn on us
and lose their love and concern for us.
It is
important to have a way of dealing with our sexual drive and other characteristics
of human nature that seem to decrease our ability to make rational decisions. Basketball
has always helped me to deal with irrational thoughts in life. There are
certain things that are in your control and out of your control in the game. There
are rational and irrational decisions to be made in the game. The outcome will
be based on the sum total of these 4 things. Life is comparable to this.
Through hard work, good decision making, and a little luck you can win the game
both of basketball, and life.
