The Plutarch Project

The following is a retelling of the Okinawa Origin story. It focuses on the creation of the islands by the goddess Amamikyu. It is a rich tale vibrantly interconnected with the lovely people and gorgeous lands of Okinawa.

In the beginning…

When the earth was still young, before the islands now known as Okinawa dotted the turquoise and deep blue seas, the world below was empty—no land, no people, nothing but endless ocean stretching toward the horizon. From the celestial heights the great Heavenly Emperor (天帝) gazed down and decided that this void must be filled. But who could accomplish such a task? The Heavenly Emperor decided upon a divine being by the name of Amamikyu (阿摩美久). He called to her and said, “Although there are many places below here where spirits reside, the fact that there are not yet islands is regrettable. You should go down to make islands.” In obedience to the Heavenly Emperor she obeyed and descended to begin her task.

The Creation of the Ryukyu Islands

Amamikyu descended from the heavens and wherever her feet touched new islands sprouted beginning with the sacred island of Kudaka. Once the rocky lands were complete she took a moment to look at her new creations. They stood barren of greenery and void of life. She lifted her head toward the heavens and spoke, “I have made and offer these islands, but I wish to also present trees and grass among the stones and earth for you.” the Heavenly Emperor, and in response, he sent another divine spirit, Shinerikyu (志仁禮久), to bring her trees, grasses, and stones.

With these gifts from the heavens, Amamikyu and Shinerikyu breathed life into the Ryukyu archipelago. She built sacred sites such as Sefa-utaki and constructed Tamagusuku castle and Chinen castle, forming the foundation of the vibrant world that was to become the home of the Ryukyuan people.

The Birth of the People

The land was lush and vibrant but empty of souls. There were no people to walk its shores, till its fields, or sing its praises. Amamikyu once again looked to the Heavenly Emperor and asked for the creation of humankind. Yet, none of the other gods wished to descend to Earth.

And so, through divine mystery, Amamikyu conceived a child with Shinerikyu—not through mortal means, but by the will of the heavens. From their union, the first people of the Ryukyu Islands were born, and generations flourished under their care and guidance.

The Rise of the Ryukyu Kingdom

Time passed, and among Amamikyu’s descendants, a child of divine lineage was born—Tentei, the “heavenly grandchild.” It was he who established the order of Ryukyuan society, dividing his people into five sacred roles:

• His eldest son, Tenson, became the first King of Ryukyu.
• The second son took on the mantle of Aji, a feudal lord who would rule over the land.
• The third son became the first farmer, ensuring the people were fed.
• His first daughter became the royal Noro priestess, guiding the spiritual heart of the kingdom and connecting them to the heavens.
• The second daughter served as the village Yuta priestess, watching over the people’s daily lives and guiding them through tough times.

From these five roles, the Ryukyuan way of life was born—the perfect balance of leadership, labor, and spirituality.

Amamikyu’s Eternal Rest: Hamahiga Island

Amamikyu’s work is now a distant memory in Ryukyu culture. But, her presence continues to linger on in the material world. Her final resting place is said to be on Hamahiga Island, where a sacred tomb honors her memory. To this day, visitors come to pay their respects, leaving offerings and prayers. Some claim that a visit to the island and her tomb aids in fertility

Non-linked Sources:

https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1217404/1/13

Translating the Chūzan Seikan — Part 1

https://amakuma.ryukyu/en/amamikyo-en/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amamikyu#/media/File:Tomb_of_Amamichu_03.JPG

Hungry for more knowledge on Japan?

Check out some of our other articles about Japan and Okinawa!

The Dojima Rice Exchange

Shisa: The Ancient Guardians of Okinawa

Rare old photos of Japan

Takeru Yamato: Mythological Hero of Japan

And a whole lot more of articles!

If you ever happen to visit Okinawa you will undoubtably encounter the shisa. Shisa: The Ancient Guardians of Okinawa have a rich origin story. Read below to learn more about the myth behind Okinawan Shisa and their role in society.

The mythological origin of Shisa

Long long ago, before the shores of Okinawa became part of Japan, a RyuKyuan king ruled over an island paradise nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea. The coffers of the kingdom were filled through trade with their neighbors China, Japan, and Korea. The king’s people grew fat and happy and they loved him dearly.  All the world seemed to be peacefully strolling into the future. 

Unbeknownst to the island paradise something devious stirred in the black depths of the sea. One day the earth began to shake and a dim light peaked through the newly exposed crust below the ocean.  A great golden dragon’s slumber had been interrupted. Worse yet–it was hungry.

As previously mentioned, this was a time of unusually profitable trading. The profits were so high that a ranking Chinese Emissary was invited to dine at the king’s palace, Shuri Castle, in Naha. After a night of dining, dancing, and drinking the sweet nectar of Awamori, the emissary gave the king a treasured gift; a Komainu. At first the king looked at it in horror and disgust. “What is this beast you give me?!” The old emissary chuckled and took no offense but gently replied, “Forgive me…its appearance can be frightening, but it is nothing to be feared. This totem is part lion and part dog.And, like a dog, it will be loyal and fierce. It will protect you and your people.”

The king took another look. After a few moments of introspection the furry warm face of his childhood dog came to mind. His heart warmed and he thanked the emissary for the kind gift. “We will have to find a word for it in our own tongue….We’ll call it Shisa. They will guard us as they have guarded you.”

After the emissary had left the king sent out a decree to search for the best craftsmen in Okinawa. His wish was to immediately have the figurine made into a necklace he could carry with him at all times. Months later, when it had finally been crafted to the king’s specifications, he made a solemn vow to wear it at all times.

One day not long after, waves began to rise and crash upon the beach of the nearby town of Madanbashi. Each night local fisherman began to regularly disappear into the vast blue range. At last one evening, just before sunset, a terrifying golden dragon emerged from the black depths. It dragged itself onto the beach devouring everything in sight. It trampled the well laid streets and clawed at the red brick roofs of terrified peasants. After it had eaten its fill it disappeared back into the ocean. 

The Noro (royal high priestess) had seen the dragon emerge and wreak havoc. She went straight to her power spot and began to pray herself into a trance. In the midst of the trance a vision of the king standing on the beach, one arm outstretched in front of him holding his new treasure, the shisa, appeared to her. Immediately after her vision subsided she ran to the palace to tell the king what she had seen.

At first the king couldn’t believe a golden dragon had set foot upon his lands. His face burned red and he shouted, “How could you ask me to believe such a tale! Do you take me for a fool?” Calmly but confidently the Noro pleaded with the king.

“Today you must come. You must see for yourself! Don’t forget to bring the shisa around your neck…”  Reluctantly the king left the castle ground with his personal guard in tow. When he came to Madanbashi he couldn’t believe his eyes.

Large, deep impressions in the shape of a yamori (gecko) feet were strewn about the village. Red roof tiles littered what were left of roads. The king fell to his knees and began to weep. The sun would set soon but the king would not return to the palace until the noro’s prophecy had been fulfilled. The Noro told him once more about her vision. The king immediately took off into the direction of the village.

After a hard trek the king finally made it to the beach. The sun had nearly mounted the hills to the east as the king shouted, “Damn you dragon! Show yourself! You will face my wrath!!”

The ocean began to stir and bubble. The waves swelled and reached increasingly higher up the beach. The king wrapped his fingers around the shisa waiting for the dragon to emerge.

“BEEEEYAAWWW!” The dragons golden head encircled with seaweed breached the surface. It slithered to the shore and stood defiantly in front of the king, “What do you want puny human? Your crown cannot save you from being devoured like a mere peasant.” The dragon lifted its head back, smiled and showed rows of katana like fangs intending to devour the king.

The king, knowing this could be his last chance, ripped the shisa from around his neck and thrust it toward the giant gold dragon in front of him. The earth began to tremble and the dragon, feeling fear for the first time, fled back into the ocean. The terrified king dropped the shisa onto the beach and ran back toward the village.

The shisa’s mouth opened and a deafening roar filled the air. Just as the sun crested upon the peaks of the eastern hills a dark shadow descended across Okinawa. A rock from the heavens fell straight onto the golden dragon’s back trapping it before it could make its final escape into the ocean’s depths. The dragon pleaded for help (as well as tree fiddy) but the people would not hear its pleas. The villagers watched and scorned it as it eventually died of starvation. The king and the power of the shisa became forevermore, legends.

Today, hundreds of years after the dragons death, its remains are still visible today at the Gana-mui woods near Naha’s Ohashi Bridge in Okinawa.

A Bit More on Shisa

The story above is one of the local legends for an iconic piece of Okinawan culture, the shisa. Shisa can be compared to gargoyles in the western world. They can be beast-like in appearance but they serve as a form of protection from bad/evil spirits.

Shisa come in two forms, one male and one female. Depending upon who you ask the different genders and their appearances signify different things. The most commonly held opinion is that the male is placed on the left with its mouth open to scare off evil spirits. The female, is placed on the right, with its mouth closed to keep good spirits and good fortune in.

If you ever visit Okinawa you will indubitably see these figures all over the place. They are placed in front of residences, businesses, on the street, on rooftops, on t-shirts and have become a very popular souvenir to bring back home.

Like many things found in Okinawa it seems to be a modified version of something Chinese. In this case Shisa The Ancient Guardians of Okinawa are believed to have developed from the Chinese Komainu (lion-dogs?). Komainu were brought to Okinawa sometime during the 14th century. Eventually shisa found their way to mainland Japan and were known as “guardian-dogs” during the Edo period (1603-1867).

Today shisa come in all shapes and sizes! 
From the terrifying to absolutely adorable. They guard houses, bridges, shops and government buildings. They are on stickers, t-shirts and many other souvenirs which are very popular with tourists from across the globe.

This story was originally posted on a blog about living in Okinawa.

Hungry for more on Japan?

Check out some of our other articles about Japan and Okinawa!

The Dojima Rice Exchange

Rare old photos of Japan

Takeru Yamato: Mythological Hero of Japan

And a whole lot more of articles!

Looking back through time photographs help us see the old world anew. Old photos of Japan aid in building the legendary mystique of the land of the Rising Sun. This post is dedicated specifically to old photos of Japan from the late Meiji Era (from about 1900-1912). During this time great changes occurred throughout Japan. The shogunate stepped down, a young prince was lifted to the realms of emperor, and a grand shift of public and private duty occurred. A new Japan was being birthed into the modern world; armed with the Enlightenment of new ideas and technologies and the horror of how to utilize them against other humans. Some of these schisms between the old and the new can be seen in the following old photos of Japan. If you like this consider reading more about Japan and the Edo period HERE. We hope you enjoy!

Swords, Guns, and Samurai! Oh My!

At the earliest stages of the Meiji Period token of change, including the pistol seen above, became more and more present in photography.

Entertaining the Change

Many elements of Japanese culture remained true to their heritage such as Kabuki. Others, including the stage arts, began incorporating elements from outside cultures to wow their audiences.

The Asahi Beer company is still around today. Im fact it has about a 34% share of the domestic market. The photo above was in honor of opening a new store in the year Meiji 32.

Youthful Change

Marine based fashion was all the rage midway through the Meiji era. The photo above was taken during the Russo-Japanese War. As the countries waged war over the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria life at home was also changing.

Women’s education changed as well. In this new era lessons were 28 hours per work. Schools began to emphasize gymnastics and martial arts education.

Choo Choo

Trains began to play an ever more important role in modernizing Japan. The train above was made and imported from Germany.

From Backwoods to Global Power

Emperor Meiji reigned for just shy of 45 years. Japan’s presence on the global stage shifted forever during his time as emperor.

Ready for Battle

War was a major part of the imperial dreams of Meiji Era Japan. Locals from Ryukyu Kingdom (modern Okinawa), to Taiwan, to China, to Korea all faced the wrath of the imperial machine. Often those facing the war machine built by Japan were technologically at a loss. The Taiwanese soldiers [last picture below] fought with swords and bamboo against Japanese artillery and rifles.

The war machine built by Japan began to further build its manpower through the conscription of all national soldiers in 1897.

Working in the coal mines

Although the world around them was undergoing drastic changes, the common folks still had to do the dirty work of the previous centuries.

Keep on Learning

Thanks for taking the time to check out these old photos of Japan. If you want to see and learn more cool stuff check out our ARTICLES or PODCAST. Thanks for stopping by! Onward!

With great memes comes great responsibility to share them. We have taken this message to heart and spent countless hours exploring the deepest corners of the web, cataloguing intriguing memes from coast to coast-sea to shinging sea- to bring you the very best humanities memes we could place our delicately manicured hands on. Credit has been given to those whom sources could be found. If you created one of these glorious humanities memes and wish to be credited shoot us an email and it will be taken care of. Now it’s finally time for volume 2 of our best humanities memes, sit back, tune in, and party on! If you missed it you might want to head on over to the best humanities memes vol. 1! To start things off we will begin with a few history memes:

History Humanities Memes

Philosophy memes

It is much more difficult to find hilarious philosophy memes than we initially thought. So tucked into the following sections are a few randoms that beg you to chuckle, just a little, in-between the thought provoking exigences of navel gazers.

Other Memes

Can you see us… on a regular basis?

Thanks for checking out the best humanities memes volume 2! (Did you check out volume 1?) If you thoroughly enjoyed this content check out our ARTICLES, PODCAST, YouTube And FACEBOOK (Literally a meme page at this point) all dedicated to spreading the humanities. Feel free to send us your own favorite memes and we will credit you in the next post! Thanks for stopping by! ONWARD!

HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND just plain FUNNY

The Best Humanities Memes … probably not the first thing you thought you would come across when you awoke this morning. Internet memes have become an ambient part of our daily lives. From cats doing silly things to Sarcastic Wonka sharing irony to Escobar displaying how lonely we feel as we wait for Covid-19 to end. The humanities, particularly history and philosophy, are frought with fantastic examples of how internet memes can make us giggle, think, and rethink our lives and the ideas that help frame them. This is the best of humanities memes from across the web. You will notice those taken from sites such as reddit still have their attribution. Though others, with perhaps more devious or mysterious roots, remain unattributed. If you know the origin of the meme… let us know and we will be sure to attribute it to a page, person, or government agency. If you have any humanities memes to share with us we can spotlight them on our FACEBOOK page! Yo! Don’t forget to check out Volume 2 of the best of Humanities Memes! Just shoot us a message and we will be sure to attribute you as the contributor (if you want). Enjoy and feel free to share with your humanities loving friends!

History memes

Lets start off our jaunt through the humanities memes with a few glimpses at history through the lens of the modern meme. This is by far our longest category for volume one. Be sure to share your favorites and to attribute the original meme smith (not us!) if its apparent.

Philosophy Memes

Thinking about thinking. Philosophy is a dense act that a lot of folks find themselves proclaiming to partake in. These humanities memes are sure to get you thinking and perhaps even breathing through your nose (because it is weird to laugh while staring at a screen by yourself, right?) Be sure to keep an eye out for humanities memes volume II highlighting philosophy memes. Enjoy!

Funny miscellaneous Humanities memes

The rest posted here are an odd assortment of various facets of the humanities (psychology, mythology, literary theory, etc.). Enjoy!

Thanks for checking out Volume I of the best Humanities memes. Feel free to check out VOLUME ” of the best Humanities memes. A special thanks for all the meme smiths out there putting in their time and effort for thought provoking and charming memes for us to enjoy! If you liked this check out our ARTICLES, PODCAST, or YouTube channel based on various facets of the Humanities. Don’t forget to check us out on FACEBOOK and to share this page! Onward!

Imagine if you will, bison Skulls piled as high as a two story building. And in your mind a never endly supply of enormous beasts filling stomachs and helping fuel the modern world. For a time bison and bison skulls and bones did both. Bison were once one of the most prominent animals spread across North America. In the opening years of the 1800s 60 million bison were said to have roamed across the vast continent. Their range was from Northern Mexico to the center of Alaska. By the close of the 19th century settlers had killed an estimated 50 million of them; leaving behind mountains of Bison Skulls. At the lowest point the bison’s numbers had dwindled to about 600 (total).  Today you would be hard pressed to see any bison where once they were plentiful. Over the course of 100 years the face of North America changed drastically. Here are a few photos displaying the carnage born by bison during that time starting with a mountain of bison skulls:

At one time bison skulls littered the plains. Next time you find yourself traversing across the USA imagine the world a mere two hundred years ago. And feel free to let out a bison yawp. If you liked this content check out more from the PLUTARCH PROJECT ! If you’d like to learn more about Bison click HERE or  Here. or HERE

We don’t mind if you linger around a bit. We focus on various issues of the humanities: from philosophy to history and a few stops in-between. Check out our PODCASTS and ARTICLES.for more content!

Learning new skills can be tough. It’s a roller coaster of emotions. The highs that come with reaching the smaller goals along the way are often countered by the lows of the countless defeats between them. It is during one of these periods of defeat that people often give up on their new aspirations. They decide looking, or perhaps closer to reality, feeling foolish outweighs how they think they will feel after acquiring the skill. Whether its breaking your own personal record at the gym, learning a new language, or picking up a new hobby, opportunities to progress and grow as a human are limitless. And, so are the opportunities for failure. So how should we frame progress when shrouded in the shadows of doubt and worry? Today we will be building off of the last episode focused on Marcus Aurelius, The Captain of Your Own Ship and looking at one of The Golden Sayings of Epictetus (CLVIII). We hope you enjoy today’s podcast, don’t forget to subscribe and share!

Howdy and welcome back to The Plutarch Project Podcast. this is episode 2 of our short form podcasts, “resonare illustrationis”-or echoes of illumination a brief illuminating look at a piece of literature, history, or philosophy to fill the gaps between our longer form podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe and share if you find yourself picking up what we are putting down!

Epictetus was a stoic philosopher. Unlike last episode philosopher, the noble born emperor Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus was born a slave in 50 AD in what is now modern day Turkey. As he grew, his owner, a secretary under the Emperor Nero, allowed him to study philosophy. This lucky break made his world-and by extension our own- much richer than it could have been. He was freed sometime after the death of Nero and began teaching philosophy in Rome. In 93 AD all philosophers were banned from Rome and Epictetus set up shop in Greece with his own philosophical school. He lived until 135 AD  and all of his works have been passed down to us by his most famous pupil, Arrian of nicomedia. 

There’s quite a bit to his philosophy, but for our purposes here today it might be best to categorize him with Seneca and Marcus Aurelius in that philosophy is not some abstract field of study, but rather a way of living life. 

If you can recall last episode, Marcus Aurelius believed all things in the human world to be mere opinion: love, anger, wealth, power and so on. The only thing that can aid us in this battle of opinion is to take control of our own mind and “let go” of our own opinions. Epictetus held a similar belief. His writings focus on people knowing, examining and crafting their own actions as acts of discipline and self-control. The reason being that all externalities are simply out of one’s control, the only thing you can have agency over is yourself. With this we can focus on today’s quotation:

It reads, 

“If thou wouldst make progress, be content to seem foolish and void of understanding with respect to outward things. Care not to be thought to know anything. If any should make account of thee, distrust thyself.”

It’s probable that Epictetus was talking about grander ideas than picking up the guitar with the goal of playing like Jimi Hendrix in mind. But, for our purposes in the contemporary world we can apply these same words to microscopic goals adding to our macroscopic experience. The thing that really stands out at first is the line, “Be content to seem foolish.” There aren’t too many cats out there that would prefer to seem foolish, especially when aiming to master something. Let’s face it. Unless you’re a prodigy or just happen to have some natural advantage you are probably going to be rather terrible at something the first time you try it. Reflect back on your life, how many things have you given up on because at first they seemed insurmountable after the first attempt? How many rockstar dreams have been smashed by the ironclad hammer of reality? Perhaps its our expectations, or our opinions-to borrow from Marcus Aurelius- of how progress should be that hinder our actual abilities to progress. This is where the next part of Epictetus’ saying comes into play.

He writes, “void of understanding of outside things.” One of the greatest advantages of learning a new skill is being brutally aware of how much we don’t know. It’s great to know what is possible. Seeing Hendrix riff the national anthem, viewing Michael Jordan hit the game winning shot in the championship game, or reading about ultra-marathon runners can be motivating. But, without at least theoretical knowledge of the gap between a newbie and these people who have excelled at the highest levels  the newbie is in for a world of hurt.

 It’s like training to climb Mount Everest by p stepping up and down off of your sofa; you’re gonna have a bad time when you arrive at the base of the mountain. Recognizing that you are “void of understanding” and letting the anxiety of not knowing flow over you can allow your curiosity and drive to sprout and bloom as progress is made one step at a time. Unfortunately those who don’t recognize their limited understanding are subject to things like the Dunning-Krugger Effect: A cognitive bias where people overestimate their ability because they can objectively view it.

Even world renowned experts have limitations. You can be the foremost expert in the world on something and still there will always be more to be obtained. This is where Epictetus’ notes, “Care not to be thought to know anything.” Now, he isn’t saying forget how to use a spoon and forget wearing pants, although that sounds like it could make for an interesting time. He is saying don’t be content to flaunt your knowledge; there’s always more out there and if not now, then later someone else will have a greater depth of knowledge. There’s no reason to peacock, especially if your understanding of something resides only within the basics. Heck, if experts are free to express that they don’t know it all why shouldn’t a beginner? 

Finally Epictetus lets loose with the final line, “If any should make account of thee, distrust thyself.” Progress is great. And it feels great to be praised. Rarely will you see anyone truly praising an expert. I once had a mentor tell me praise is for kids and beginners, when people stop praising you and begin treating you like an expert that’s when you are really onto the path of hard earned progress. A simple example can be found in many people’s lives. At one time you were praised for being able to use a spoon by yourself. How many people are praising you now for the same action? Life is full of examples like this and it’s best to reflect on your own past experiences if you are feeling unsure of your progress in a given activity. 

A checkpoint of motivation could be to keep pushing to this point, and once this point is reached, pat yourself on the back for a quick minute, and then keep on working toward the next goal in your idea of progress. It’s up to you to let go of outside opinions, to focus your drive and determination toward something greater, and to keep progressing through the foolishness, through the amatuer stage, up until you are satisfied, truly satisfied, with your level of attainment. So for now, be okay with feeling foolish, be okay with not progressing at lightning speed, be careful of too much praise, and focus on the things you can control your opinion and your actions. Thanks for listening and as always… Onward!

Howdy and welcome back to The Plutarch Project Podcast. this is episode 3 of our short form podcasts, “resonare illustrationis”-or echoes of illumination a brief illuminating look at a piece of literature, history, or philosophy to fill the gaps between our longer form podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe and share if you find yourself picking up what we are putting down!

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus made his grand appearance into the world on April 26th 124 C.E.. He was born with the name Marcus Annius Verus. His lineage was said to date back to Numa Pompilius the legendary second king of Rome. A bold claim that linked their family with many of the cultural and religious institutions of the time. Marcus Aurilius would come to be known as a Statesman, Philosopher, and perhaps most notably and importantly a character in the 2000 Ridley Scott film “Gladiator.” Actually, he was the last of the [quote]5 good emperors” of Rome. Today’s podcast comes from one of his many meditations.

His meditation reads as follows: “Remember that all is but opinion, and all opinion depends of the mind. Take thine opinion away, and then as a ship that hath stricken in within the arms and mouth of the harbor, a present calm, all things safe and steady: a bay, not capable of any storms and tempests: as the poet hath it” (loc. 6065)

“All is opinion” Now that’s a bold statement Mr. Emperor! Let’s think about this for a brief moment. He couldn’t possibly mean everything… could he? If he were considering the natural world he probably wouldn’t extend it to all of the natural phenomenon of the world. But, in the dealings of humans and the world we have created as a species… why not? Is human existence-the world we reside in-is it NOT a subjective experience? Perhaps you are not convinced… I don’t blame you, but with a bit of meditation of your own you too will come to the same conclusion.

Let’s start with the most objective tools we have… our senses. We can use our sight and say “The sky is Blue today!” But, is what is blue to you blue to other people? Is it the same shade of blue? Are the cones and rods in your eyes firing away painting the same image inside your mind as well as others? Or is there a chance that although it is similar… they aren’t exact copies… does that mean that our realities are the same? Or are they similar? This doesn’t even take into account those who are colorblind… or even blind. This same idea can be extended to all of our sense: tastes, touches, the sweet caress of my voice in your earholes… all are packaged products produced by the mushy computer trapped inside our skulls. 

Marcus Aurelius noted this phenomenon in the quote above and noted the power of this realization. It’s not the world that shapes how we view it… It’s us (as individuals and as a species) who shape our own view of the world. We are all doing it all the time, collectively and individually. But, as we have already noticed there is a gap between individuals.

Science Fiction has found its way around this problem in a myriad of ways. One of the most known is from Star Trek in which Spock, and other Vulcans, can mind meld– or join their mind with anothers– experiencing the world through someone else’s experiences. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for some of you filthy rascals, we can’t do that. So we will never REALLY know what it is like to be someone else. Chew on that for a second… 

We are indeed like the lonely boat in Aurelius’ metaphor. One ship among a fleet of billions. All similar, but experiencing human life from different vantage points. 

It’s the solitary nature of the mind that when inspected disassembles the world we think we know into the phantasmagoric things they really are… and all that is left is the flickering opinions we conjure about them.

One thing we can be certain about it that the more human the idea… the more opinionated it becomes. The myths we have built as a species… myths like love, hate, envy, greed and even those further in the realm of abstraction such as Freedom are mere opinions of collected thought passed on throughout time… imperfect copies of ideas floating down the generations into the realm of the future. 

So if you find your own mind ship tossing and turning… Remember you are in control of the ship, take a moment, breath, let go of the world of opinions and enter the safe harbor of your own creation. 

Let us know what you think in the comments. Thanks for listening, and as always, onward!

If you enjoyed this podcast share, like, subscribe, dance, compose an ode for the ages, write down some amatuer philosophy and share it with the world at large… or something like that. Don’t forget to check out the transcripts for extra useful links! Good day!

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 The scent of diesel and the thunderous cacophony of warfare enshrouded the battlefield near Leningrad in January of 1944. The Leningrad-Novgorod offensive had begun and the fire of cannons, small arms, and mortars were the guiding lights of the bloody slaughter it would become. Today’s story ends here on the 17th of January 1944. An unlikely conclusion for an unlikely story about a unique woman who went against the grain of her time and made a mark on one of the world’s greatest armed conflicts. Her name was Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya (Мария Васильевна Октябрьская). As the battle raged around her an explosive knocked the track off of her tank, “Fighting Girlfriend.” Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya and members of her tank team jumped out of the tank and sprang into action. Hustling to and fro within the roar of warfare and the dazzling lights of shots fired in hate they frantically worked to repair their tank’s track. No doubt a sigh of relief flooded over Mariya as stood next to the completed project. Her comrades’ cover fire erupting mere feet away applauding their effort only interrupted by the enemy’s angry retorts. Unbeknownst  to her death was already raining down from the sky. The mortar shell of an enemy collided with the scorched earth nearby-hurtling shrapnel into her head-leaving her unconscious.

Life before War

Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya’s story begins years before in the then sleepy Crimean Peninsula. Mariya was one of ten children living the life of rural peasants of the soon to be Soviet Union. The English and Russian sources differ on her exact date of birth, placing it sometime between 1902 and 1905. There is little known about her early years other than she completed the equivalent of high school and post high school work. In the early 1920s she concluded schooling and began first working at a cannery in Simferopol. Later as a telephone operator at a city telephone exchange. Life seemed to be moving forward at a leisurely pace for Mariya. In 1925 she found love in the form of a handsome calvary school cadet, Ilya Fedotovich Ryadnenko. 

The Arts of Love and War

Soon after meeting they got married and took the family name of Oktyabrsky (Note: that the name will change slightly depending on the husband or wife variant of the Russian language). The life of Mariya began the fast track toward becoming a legendary figure of the Soviet Union. After their wedding they were stationed in several different settlements of Ukraine. As her husband trained and became more adept at his warrior craft Mariya became active in women’s councils and volunteer work. Among other wives of the command staff she was envied for her abilities in needlework, fashion, and homemaking. Although this was impressive Mariya also took a keen interest into the workings of her husband’s life. She graduated from medical care courses, learned the basics of driving a tank and mastered machine gun shooting. Overall she became one bad ass woman. Mariya was quoted as stating:

“Marry a serviceman, and you serve in the army: an officer’s wife is not only a proud woman, but also a responsible title.”

In 1940 they joined the USSR and her husband became the commissar of the 134th howitzer artillery regiment. It was a relatively peaceful time until the outbreak of war between the USSR and Nazi Germany. The day after the declaration of war ( June 23, 1941) , MV Oktyabrskaya, along with her sister and other members of the families of USSR officers, were evacuated to Siberia. Hoping to do her part to help she soon became a telephone operator once again aiding an artillery school that had recently been evacuated from Leningrad. During this time her husband fought valiantly in Kyiv (formerly read as Kiev). As the fading scent of summer lingered before the long, cold, dark, winter Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya received word that her husband had died in battle. The death notification read as follows: 

 “regimental commissar Ilya Fedotovich Oktyabrsky died the death of the brave on August 9, 1941 in one of the battles in Ukraine. The commissar I.F. Oktyabrsky, commissar of the 206th Infantry Division, was hit by a machine gun burst, leading his men to attack in one of the battles near Kiev”

Upon receipt of the notification Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya stormed into the enlistment office and demanded to be sent to the front (perhaps as a nurse). Time and time again she was turned down due to her age (36 years old) and past illness (tuberculosis). It was here at this moment-when most people would simply throw in the towel-that she derived a plan that would separate her from the rest of the pack and solidify her position as a USSR hero. 

Getting “Fighting Girlfriend”

Another way to support the war effort was through donation. Although adhering to the principles of communism there was still a little money, particularly for officers in the military, in circulation. Mariya devised a plan to sell all of her belongings and make and sell her needlework creations to earn 50,000 rubles; the exact cost of a T-34 tank. After several months Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya had saved up enough to telegram the Kremlin with the following message:

Dear Joseph [Stalin]! In the battles for the homeland, my husband died – the regimental commissar Oktyabrsky Ilya Fedotovich. For his death, for the death of all Soviet people tortured by fascist barbarians, I want to take revenge on the fascist dogs, for which I have contributed all my personal savings to the state bank for the building a tank – 50,000 rubles. I ask you to call the tank “Fighting Girlfriend” and send me to the front as the driver of this tank. I have a specialty as a driver, I have a good command of machine guns, and I am an [excellent] shooter. I send you warm greetings and wish you long, long years to fear the enemies and the glory of our country.

Oktyabrskaya Maria Vasilievna

After some debate the Defense Department, seeing the tenacity and public relations opportunity, gave in and allowed Mariya’s plan to evolve into a reality. She was sent to a five month tank training school at the Omsk Tank School. Most new tank drivers were quickly trained and sent to the front. This may be due to the propaganda opportunities she offered to the USSR. In September of 1943 she finished training and became the country’s first female tank driver and mechanic; a magnificent feat in and of itself. In October, a month later, she was sent to the front with her new tank crew: commander junior lieutenant Pyotr Chebotko, tower gunner sergeant Gennady Yasko, and gunner-gunner Mikhail Galkin. Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya was given her new tank and across its side they painted “Боевая подруга” [Fighting Girlfriend]. A mere month later she was sent to the Eastern Front and one step closer to the legend she would become.

Fighting on the Front

On October 21, 1943 in the city of Smolensk “Fighting Girlfriend” joined the fray in some particularly intense fighting.  Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya drove her tank through the battlefield destroying Nazi machine-gun nests, artillery guns, and foot soldiers. During the fighting her tank was hammered by gunfire. Mariya knew they would be sitting ducks without a quick fix. Going against orders she jumped out of her tank and fixed a broken hydraulic system, returned to the pilots seat and kept kicking ass. For her heroic actions she was promoted to sergeant and her legend grew bigger within the USSR. 

The next notable battle took place in the village of Novoye Selo on November 18, 1943. During the fighting Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya and her tank broke through the enemies defenses destroying artillery and massacring nearly 50 soldiers. Artillery and small arms fire disabled her tank and although they were immobile they continued fighting. Mariya and members of her tank crew were wounded. For two days they repelled one enemy attack after another. Finally they were evacuated and sent to receive medical help. Afterward the tank battalions commander praised their efforts stating, “Fight like the tankers of the ‘fighting girlfriend’ fight. Only today, the crew of a glorious machine destroyed a platoon of Nazi bandits.”

In a letter to her sister she wrote:

“I’ve had my baptism by fire. I beat the bastards. Sometimes I’m so angry I can’t even breathe.”

The Final Showdown

The thunderous cacophony of warfare enshrouded the battlefield near Leningrad in January of 1944. The Leningrad-Novgorod offensive had begun and the fire of cannons, small arms, and mortars were the guiding lights of the bloody slaughter it would become. Today’s story ends here on the 17th of January 1944. As she stood successful in her endeavor death was already raining down from the sky. The mortar shell of an enemy collided with the earth nearby hurtling shrapnel into her head, leaving her unconscious. After the battle she was sent to a Soviet hospital in a coma. Two months later she died on March 15, 1944. After her death she was hailed as a hero of the Soviet Union and was buried in one of the most sacred cemeteries of the USSR. 

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Sources:

Mariya Oktyabrskaya

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariya_Oktyabrskaya

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Октябрьская,МарияВасильевна

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Т-34

https://vk.com/@zvezdamodels-mariya-vasilevnaoktyabrskaya