If—
Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
The poem, ‘If—’ by Rudyard Kipling awakens the positive feelings in a reader’s mind. While reading the lines, readers become enlightened concerning how to tackle the odds of life. Not only that, but also they start to realize what success means. It is not about winning a battle. Rather it’s about how one fights in the war and stands courageously until the end.
Janine-
Thanks for your insights. They’re reassuring and on point.
Most who see my videos say, “Nice but what is it about?” Or they may say nothing for fear they will appear stupid. Art never has one meaning. It is interpreted by the viewer. Some people don’t think in metaphors. So of course they assume it is some kind of intimidating code. They try too hard.
And maybe it is code. Poetry is symbolic or hidden meaning often. Does that make it better poetry? Not really. But ferreting out the meaning from a poem or a montage is like interpreting dreams.
There are times when some people tell me what they see or feel from a video montage and I think, “How insightful? I just learned something from them.” or “They get it.”
You get it.
More comments below.
On 2/1/22 11:06, Janine wrote:
Hourglass Revisited
There’s so much truth in this video. I agree with this statement: “The black widow symbolizes female loneliness.”
And I would add she represents a woman’s fear of powerlessness and her belief that she must be more male to be empowered and escape victimhood.
I think it’s getting better for boys and girls. MAYBE (I guess it depends on the day or circumstance). But it’s still nowhere good enough.
You definitely get it.
I believe — but am no scientist or expert — that there is a inner part of men that is fragile and vulnerable. These are their female characteristics. Many men hate weakness. Not only in others but in themselves. They refuse to see their tenderness and sensitivity. They bury it or ignore it or deny it. They even want to kill it. If they can they will project it on someone they perceive as weaker and call them dirty and unworthy and try eradicating them with gas chambers and genocide.
A weird thing is happening, media and movies and sport events want women to be tough like men. Even look like men. Spit and snort like animals. Not even men — animals. And women think they need to be equal in strength or better than men. They may think this is the only way they can survive in this world.
I once read an article in Fortune 500 magazine, they were studying women who served as CEO’s in Fortune 500 companies. All these women said their secret weapon to rise to power was their femininity. Not their sexuality. Sleeping their way to the top doesn’t earn the respect of men. Instead men despise those women. (Long story on why another day).
So how did femininity help them. By not trying to act or dress or talk like men or sex symbols, these women stood out. They were then recognized as intelligent and different. Their difference was the distinguishing factor. They wore colorful dresses. Not sexy dresses. Feminine. In a room full of suits, they were different.
Differentiation is a prime marketing tactic. They let men open doors for them. It was their contrast — not their sameness. They became respected for being strong and disciplined women. Their voices were heard.
Now is this every woman’s experience? I doubt it. But for a few, this strategy worked and it was the commonality of the female CEOs. These women earned millions as CEOs.
I never would guess that as a contributor to their power position.
So a lot of men and women are mistaken in their ideas of egalitarianism. Women would do better being women than try to act like men. It’s contrary to honesty. Wearing a tough male mask is recognized as fake.
Not Sons
It’s interesting that you would share this now. I read this poem two weeks ago. And remember thinking that even women and girls have lost their way. So I think amid all the confusion of our modern times, the poem “If” is good advice for any human being. In this case, the word if is synonymous with hope.
Yes. The video is about hope and empowerment. There are ways to overcome or compensate for supposed weaknesses and be seen as a superhero.
For the women portrayed in the video, they all felt empowered when the got their prosthetics. Not ashamed, they decorated their artificial limbs. The accentuated them into symbols. Their difference became their trademark of overcoming the odds. They were showing that they wouldn’t give up. Not giving up is tenacity born from hope.
So I like how you reference the Warrior Daughter. I do have warrior daughters. They are sensitive souls. But watch out if you decide to cross their boundaries.
Over the course of my own life, I’ve tried with all my might not to allow my pain, my disappointments, and my fears to decide how I interact with others. You are a champion. Don’t stop.
Bottom line
As always your content is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for investing the time to watch and analyze them. I appreciate that. More than you might expect.
I value your opinion.
-Steve
