"Iron and the Soul"

This is a fantastic piece by Henry Rollins, all the more amazing when you realize that the adviser who saved him and made him whole would today be fired. He knew, though. He saw, and he acted out of love and mercy: with punches to the solar plexus.

9 comments:

Cass said...

That was really a remarkable essay, Grim. Probably one of the best things you've ever linked to.

Thank you for sharing it - I would not have seen it, otherwise.

Grim said...

I hadn't seen it before today myself. It's a very nice distillation of several things I believe: about the value of dangerous old men for young men coming of age; about the importance of training body and mind in union; about strength and love; about the precise value of what the old Conan movie calls 'the discipline of steel.'

Rollins is to be praised for it.

raven said...

I could have used a mentor like Pepperman- might have saved me a few walks in places I wish I had missed. On the other hand- "do the best you can, with what you have, where you are."

An interesting observation on T.R.'s famous quote- I once mentioned it to a leftist friend, and she immediately interpreted it to mean, "stay where you are, do not strive to make anything better, know your place".
It was an interesting illustration of an alien way of thinking-

Cass said...

Isn't it funny how different people can look at the same article and see so many different things?

Not being a man, what I took from it was that it was a very nice distillation of how I've always thought life should be approached.

IOW, difficulties are there to spur you on to bigger/better things, no one else can make you stronger but you, people aren't doing you any favor when they feel sorry for you, sometimes people who are hardest on you have your best interests at heart, etc. :p The real "virtue" (if I can use that word, Grim, tongue somewhat in cheek :) in the article is that it contains so many truths that can be applied in everyday life.

I will be sending this one to my sons. I almost never do that, but it's that good :)

Eric Blair said...

You realize this is the same Henry Rollins that is mentioned in the "I stopped being a leftist" essay?

Grim said...

That he was wrong about that doesn't mean he isn't right about this.

Also, Iggy Pop. He's very much right about Iggy Pop.

Cass said...

I know pretty much nothing about Henry Rollins. I've heard of the guy in a vague sort of way, but would probably have no idea who he was at all if Grim hadn't linked to things about him a few times :p

Pretty sure I disagreed with whatever it was he was saying last time Grim linked to him. This time, I liked what he wrote.

I have to agree with Grim - I can agree with an argument or an idea without necessarily thinking the person advocating it is an admirable human being.

Haven't read the article about no longer being a leftist but I'm not a big fan of the genre. This morning Thomas Ricks, whom I used to mock mercilessly, has "come out" as a drifting-left-kinda-guy.

Unexpectedly! :p

Ymar Sakar said...

Story reminds me of GTO.

The world and humanity may fail you and fall, but steel will not until the very last is destroyed.

Also another great phrase is "Hard work will never betray you", even if the world does betray your dreams. Not everyone that works hard, will have their dreams come true. Yet that is much better on a personal level than those who think the Man is the reason why their dreams never come true.


It is interesting that culture has such people in it, yet the overall culture doesn't emphasize the good, only the corrupt and the weak.

Ymar Sakar said...

Rollins, like most although not all people, will get the final judgment in the end. If he is found guilty of crimes against humanity, he will be sliced in more than two by the steel itself.

If there is no extenuating circumstances, no bargaining, and an inability to stop supporting evil, it will come.

Rollins' comment that Mick Romney or Bush II should send their children to war, if they like America waging war so much, indicates a belief in personal power and strength.

It will be simple to put that to the test, as any duel appealing to the divine authority has always had.

As such, such individuals are much easier to manage and deal with than the others in the Left.