Introduction

In order to understand the relationship between destruction and progression, we must first analyze the mind's method of interpreting the sensations and experiences that are the most powerful. Normally, the mind analyzes and interprets events around us using our senses and our past experiences. For instance, if we see a picture moving in a frame, we can either interpret this as reality via our sensual perception, or we can use our prior knowledge to call this moving picture a television. Knowledge builds through this relationship, but so do emotions, wisdom, and strength. The word sublime, I will define as any experience that is exceptionally stronger than any past experiences. By "exceptionally stronger," I am referring to the emotional reaction to sublime actions. Merely learning does not qualify as sublime, since the strength of the acquisition of knowledge may often be mundane and unemotional, but learning through a sublime action evokes a strong emotional response to what is being learned. The majority of sublime responses come through emotional actions, like tragedy or aesthetic beauty. I refer to the experience as "learning" because as we experience something sublime, our minds are being force fed new and very strong ideas, or experiences, that expand our perception of the world.

One scenario that would evoke a sublime response is from witnesses of a great tragedy, like the bombing of the world trade centers. The emotions that are felt when watching such horrors are sublime because we know of similar tragedies happening, but the actual sensual perception of such an action is much stronger than just the knowledge of the event. The mind's ability to take in such a horrific event, and get over the event, leads to a stronger, more experienced self. The mind not only becomes more emotionally numbed to such tragedies, but also intellectually interprets the entire process as a whole as a means of growing. Although sublime does not necessarily refer to tragedy, understanding the sublime reaction is important because it is the start of the mind's path from destruction to progression.

When we experience loss, anger, confrontation, or any strong negative emotion, we are naturally inclined to the avoidance of similar responses. The mind does not like feeling afraid, insulted, or angry so we naturally avoid any action that poses a risk of these. If we are lucky however, the mind can take another step after merely attempting to avoid tragedy, and instead grow past the initial emotional wound or experience, just as a callus forms over worn skin. As we experience more and more tragedy's, arguments, insults, and pain, our brain's emotional callus grows and results in a stronger individual. Although this new individual may not be happy at first, they must remember that tragedy and pain are natural to life itself. We do have to kill other living things just to survive after all. The fearful avoidance of any situation is an adherence to the claim, "ignorance is bliss." Fear only keeps us from experiencing what inevitably occurs naturally and outside of our sensual perception, so we might as well use the existence of tragedy as a tool for our growth. Experiencing tragedies allows us to expand our knowledge of the world, improve our maturity as an individual, and strengthen our resolve when we are faced with similar tragic situations.

With this all being said, I must digress and urge the reader to take such a claim with a grain of salt. There is a crucial difference between fearlessness and stupidity that must be underlined. I think that living without fear is the key to living a beautifully fulfilled life. Living a beautifully fulfilled life however, involves actually living long enough to achieve such a status. Embarking on ruthless and careless adventures in an attempt to experience life is not encouraged as it will too often result in the loss of life. A crucial balance must be met in order to adequately grow through tragedy. Arguments, affronts, claims, beliefs, open-mindedness, and courage in the face of tragedy are all ways of becoming open to the many experiences life has to offer. I will conclude with a quote that too many people devalue, that being Friedrich Nietzsche's claim, "What does not kill me, makes me stronger."