The Three Primal Realms
When most people think of bullying they envision teenage social groups converging on an unsuspecting peer with aggressive teasing that quickly turns into harassment and humiliation. But there is another form of bullying that stretches far beyond this example and is equally as disturbing.
But before I delve into that I feel it necessary to explain (and defend) a timeless ritual that, over the last decade or so, has been confused with bullying and should not be. I am referring to the Rite of Passage.
Today the term Rite of Passage has been broadened to mean any process by which a person evolves from one stage of personal development to another. But it is important that we place focus on the traditional definition, which is the process by which a boy transitions into manhood.
For centuries various tribes and cultures across this planet have organized rituals to indoctrinate the boys of their communities into men. But what forces spawned these rituals to begin with? And why have young men in this country, with little or no knowledge of such rituals, been so compelled to do the equivalent? The answer is simple. Because it is necessary!
Right around the time that a boy reaches puberty a genetic code is activated, compelling him to determine what is necessary to achieve optimal survival on the planet as manhood draws near. When groups of like beings collect, this pent up energy intensifies, creating a natural climate for conflict that can only be released by way of physical combat. As the fighting gets underway this powerful energy is released into the universe, satisfying the Three Primal Realms. What is sent back to each individual male being who has competed is humility, inner-peace and, most importantly, respect. How each young man faired in the battles mean very little. What is important now is their bond and the fact that they know where they rank. Now they are able to advance to the third and final realm which is the realm of Enlightenment. This is what allows them to move on to the next phase of their lives, which is figuring out their true purpose on the planet and who or what to thank for achieving optimal survival.
Bullying…
The main factor preventing some boys from participating in this necessary Rite of Passage is fear. The realm of Fear. This is why boys who have already conquered this dark and scary realm are genetically predisposed to force boys who remain bound to it to compete and free themselves. But, again, nowadays this provocative behavior has been labeled as an aspect of bullying, ostracizing the strongest of our children while convincing those who have the potential of becoming strong that they are victims. It is pointless to debate the value of this process, no matter what you label it. But what I can do is explain to you what a boy can become when he is encouraged to avoid breaking free and allowed to walk a path that embraces weakness.
The narcissist and the fake tough guy…
A man who has never broken free of the realm of Fear will never know where he ranks among other men and will remain incomplete on a primal level. Degrees, career, authority, a wife and children will not satisfy his primal need to know where he ranks. Such a man is left to buy into the hype of what his secular accomplishments mean. This creates two dysfunctional personality types; the narcissist and what I refer to as the fake tough guy. Whereas the narcissist relies heavily on career and education to convince himself of a superior intellect, the fake tough guy relies more so on his ability to attract girls and a steroid enhanced body to convince himself of a superior physical prowess. Both however, are highly prone to use careers and positions of authority to affirm their shallow interpretation of themselves. For many, their careers and positions of authority are not enough, especially when in the presence of men perceived to be manlier. This can compel some to cross the line in order to reaffirm these assumptions as real.
Workplace bullying…
When Henry Ford opened his Model T factory in Highland Park, Michigan back in 1910, the formula was such a huge success that it became the model for how to operate a factory. Its success was due in large part to a low turnover rate (which greatly reduced training costs) and high productivity. Ford was known for hiring minorities and ex-convicts and paying them a good wage for their human capital and expertise. Many of these men quickly moved up the ranks taking on positions of authority. I believe that the reason for the factory’s success had a lot to do with the fact that the men hired and placed into positions of authority had already proven themselves out in the streets. As a result they possessed the humility, inner peace and respect necessary to lead other men, whether these men had proven themselves out in the streets or not. This created a sense of commonality which allowed the workers to focus on work and not how they ranked on a primal level.
Many of today’s workplace environments have become a circus where men with degrees and authority but no street credibility parade their superior intellects and egos around unsuspecting employees who are forced to buy into the hype because they don’t want to lose their jobs. Systems, policies, protocols and company goals ensure that the work ultimately gets done. But on a primal level having such a boss or superior creates is very stressful work environment, which lowers morale and productivity while increasing turnover rate and training costs. The stress also impacts many workers physically, in the form of high blood pressure and other ailments, which directly impact company insurance costs.
Despite this, these guys still manage to move up the corporate ladder unchecked. And the higher they climb the broader their agenda of preventing real men from following gets. This may explain why it is becoming increasingly difficult for men with even a slight criminal record to find respectable work nowadays, which is a slap in the face of Henry Ford’s highly proven model.
But no matter what we do we cannot fool the universe. Nor can we bypass the way the universe commands that a boy is to evolve into an enlightened man. So when men attempt to cheat the universe by using their positions of authority to acquire an unfair primal advantage, no good energy is sent to the universe on their behalf. As a result, no humility, inner peace or respect is sent back to them as compensation, forcing these guys to have to feed off the act itself, which quickly fades. This puts such a male in the position of having to commit similar acts over and over and over again in order to maintain a sense of superiority.
It is my conclusion that if we want to stop real bullying we must be be afraid to create real men. And the only way to do that is by preserving the Rite of Passage.
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