"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy."
-Joseph Campbell
Plugged, wired, networked, and locked in. We find ourselves more interconnected than ever before, with instantaneous access to more data, stories, news and information than imaginable in previous generations.
On the flipside of the coin, the world is fractured physically, spiritually, and culturally- among race, religion, gender and income -- domestically and globally -- among the haves and have nots in terms of access to basic resources like housing, food, fuel and water.
Scary stuff, right? Late mythology expert Joseph Campbell implored all human beings to play our roles with a joyful heart even in the face of great suffering. His message is both radically simple and seemingly impossible.
Campbell taught that the only way to influence culture is with stories. And it is the story of our actions that determines our experience. No matter what the outcome may be, we must personally and publicly tell each other stories that reflect our values, principles, and-perhaps most importantly-our joyful participation in the face of inevitable hardships.
I have partnered with acclaimed story-teller Andrew Jenks. Worldwide crises and individual anguishes can be overcome with optimism and resilience, through an offensive approach. Jenks will help us tell these stories of offense.
We can't see the future, but we can have fun acting and telling stories of our actions. Campbell believed that nothing could be more valuable than stories of groups on missions; these unify us as human beings, communities and as a world. As a man committed to group missions, Campbell's message hits home for me.
Jenks and Ratigan Productions present a story of a man playing offense with his life as he navigates acclaim, humiliation, and redemption: Posterized: The Story of Shawn Bradley