Through a new reading of true choice, meaning, and direction in life.
Destroying the 'perfect order' that leaves us empty!

We need to know four things:

“What is there in this world?
What to do with it.

“There is a difference between knowing what you have and knowing what to do with it.”
So what is the difference?

Every culture has a core premise that forms the center of the culture and serves as the foundation for all secondary beliefs.
We cannot easily give up this premise, because if we give up, 'everything we believed in' will collapse, and the unknown that brings chaos will once again dominate the world.


Drawing on research in mythology, literature, and modern neuroscience, this book shows how humans learn to navigate perilous "unexplored territories" and how they transform those unknown threats into opportunities, leading us to rediscover the "structure and meaning of beliefs" that govern and shape our lives.
Moreover, in this era where all standards of law, justice, and right and wrong are being shaken, this will serve as an opportunity to once again realize what we must protect and live by, and why it is important.

Today, humanity possesses technological capabilities that are both immensely destructive and creative, but at the same time, it is equally engulfed in the lightness of existence, uncertainty, and chaos.
Constant cultural exchange and critical thinking have made it difficult for us to trust in age-old traditions.
Maybe there was a good reason for that.
But man cannot live without faith, and science cannot create faith.
We have to believe in something.
So, since the rise of science, have the myths we have come to rely on been more refined and complete than those we have rejected?
--- p.54

Humans, like animals, are true to their instincts.
Will this eat me? Can I eat this? Will this chase me? Should I chase this? Could this be a mate? We can model "objective reality," and there's no doubt that such modeling is useful.
But in order to survive, we must model 'meaning'.
This map of meaning (in the form of a story) that we desperately need shows us the value of reality compared to our ideals, and also provides practical methods, or action plans, to achieve our desired goals.


Describing the three elements—the current state, the ideal future, and a plan to change the current state into the ideal future—is a necessary and sufficient condition for weaving together the simplest form of a story.
Stories like these explain the value of our given environment in relation to spatiotemporally limited behavioral patterns.
Assuming we are now at point A, we can go to point B.
Because if you don't know where you are now, you can't plan where to go.
The fact that point B is the final goal means that the value of point B is higher than the value of point A.
Point B is a more ideal point compared to the current location.
The map is given emotional value, meaning, because of the perception that point B is better than the present.
The ability to create hypothetical goals, such as point B, and compare them to the present allows humans to utilize their cognitive systems to regulate their emotional responses.

--- p.74

To exaggerate a bit, we could say that we spend our entire lives trying to avoid encountering the unknown, or at least 'unintentionally'.
As civilized people, we enjoy a sense of security.
(Assuming that others share their stories with us) we can predict others' behavior and, furthermore, control our environment to minimize the possibility of threat or punishment.
Such prediction and control became possible as a result of accumulated efforts to adapt to the environment, which formed a culture.
But it is this very culture that blinds us to the depths of our emotional reality, to the breadth of its scope and the dramatic consequences of its consequences.

--- p.129

This mysterious and seemingly absurd 'sacrifice ritual' actually enacts two key, interrelated ideas in dramatic form.
First, the human essence (the divine aspect) must constantly be 'offered up' to the unknown and must voluntarily come before the destructive and creative power of the Great Mother, the embodiment of the unknown.
Second, only when we destroy and sacrifice what we 'love most' do the unknown positive aspects of ourselves emerge.

The first idea is based on the idea that new information must be generated and new behavior patterns developed through voluntary encounters with the unknown.
The second idea is that clinging to something that is inappropriate, outdated, or ineffective (such as inappropriate behaviors or beliefs) hinders adaptation and turns the world into a wasteland.
The act of clinging to 'things of inappropriate value' is an act of being ruled by a 'sick value system' (a dead god) and denying the hero.

--- p.318~319

It is very foolish to act as if only some of the elements that make up the world exist.
Ignored elements will inevitably raise their heads even when oppressed.
And in an undesirable way, too.


Knowledge of myths makes it easier to avoid being fooled by ideologies.
A true myth portrays the many contradictory aspects that exist in any situation.
Behind every positive aspect, there is always an 'enemy' lurking.
Therefore, the benevolent aspect of 'nature' must be understood alongside its horrific aspect of randomly inflicting suffering and death on living beings.
Moreover, the power of society to protect and safeguard individuals can only be properly understood in light of the conservatism of a society that has become corrupt and suppresses diversity.
Even the heroic aspect of an individual must be viewed in light of the arrogant, cowardly, and cruel nature of his adversary.


Stories that fully explain the 'components of the real world' in this way are stable and balanced, unlike ideologies, and cause far fewer social ills.
But the elements that make up the world as a field of action are constantly in conflict and at war.
Where should we go amidst these conflicting elements? How can we consider "all elements" and still survive without being destroyed? Examining the relationship between "individual, society, and chaos" from a developmental perspective can help us understand the appropriate interplay between these forces.

--- p.400~401

The core of human limitation is not suffering, but existence itself.
Humans have the ability to carry the weight of their own limitations.
The reason we turn away from that ability and become corrupt is because we are afraid to take responsibility for our own lives.
Then the tragic condition of existence necessary for life becomes unbearable.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not earthquakes, floods, or cancer that make life truly unbearable.
Humans can withstand natural disasters and, moreover, deal with them with nobility and dignity.
It is the senseless suffering we inflict on one another, our own evil, that degrades life to the point of unacceptability and shakes our faith in human nature.
So why does the ability to commit evil exist?
--- p.495

Usually, a false person is guilty of not doing something he ought to do (of course, he may also commit active sins) rather than doing something he ought not to do.
They deliberately fail to explore and update existing knowledge.
The fact that an anomaly has occurred in the world of experience simply means that there is a flaw in the goal-oriented schema that dictates our current actions and evaluation criteria.
In the first stage of analyzing an anomaly, the exact location and cause of the error and its meaning are merely 'hypotheses'.


To properly understand and experience anomalies, we must elicit their specific meaning.
We must work hard to transform purely emotional information into behavior, beliefs, and even mental and personality changes.
Experiencing anomalies and taking no action is the simplest and most common way to commit a lie.
By not looking at anything and not acting, you can temporarily hide the dangers inherent in your mistakes.
People who reject creative exploration in this way do not bother to refresh their procedural and descriptive memories, but rather adapt to the present as if nothing has changed, refusing to think in new ways.
Correcting errors requires effort.
It takes courage to mediate between order and chaos.

--- p.601~602

Meaning is the most profound expression of instinct.
Humans are drawn to the unknown and are accustomed to conquering the unknown.
Our instinct to perceive meaning in our minds regulates the extent to which we engage with the unknown.
When you are exposed to too much of the unknown, change turns into chaos.
Conversely, if you have too little contact, you will stagnate and regress.
People who find a good balance between the two will develop a strong personality.
You will gain the confidence to endure life and the adaptability to deal with nature and society, and you will be able to get closer to the heroic ideal.
Because each person is unique, if they have the courage to maintain their individuality, they can each find meaning in their own way.
When the diverse individualities of individuals are expressed and transformed into knowledge that can be passed on to society, the course of history will change, and all of humanity will enter deeper into unknown territory.

We each have social and biological conditions that set the limits of our lives.
But those who know how to consistently pursue their heart's interest will transcend limitations by acquiring their own appropriate means.
Meaning is the instinct that makes life possible.
If we abandon meaning, each individual's individuality loses its power to save.
The worst lie is to say that meaning does not exist or that meaning is not important.
Those who deny meaning are bound to be visited by hatred for life and a desire for destruction.

--- p.871~872

Father, I think I've discovered something no one has ever thought of before.
But I'm not sure if I can convey that idea properly.
The idea is so vast that we can only think clearly about a part of it at a time.
It's really difficult to write it all down.
So, most of the knowledge I'm trying to convey in logical language has always been passed down from one person to another through art, music, religion, and tradition, rather than through rational explanations. It's like translating one language into another.
But this is not just a different language, it is a completely different way of experiencing things.

--- p.855