Q: What human behaviors have you witnessed in your own life that you see in Oedipus the King?
A: I have seen people in my life let pride be their downfall. I’ve witnessed someone be too proud to admit that they are hurt and injure themselves more, or refuse to accept help even when it is obvious it is needed, only making it harder for themselves and in turn making things harder for the people around them. The quick temper Oedipus displays is something I’ve observed about other people and something that I’ve been guilty of in the past, reacting too quickly and too harshly in the moment and then regretting my choice later. I feel like the ” negative ” traits O. displayed as a whole are things we see everyday as we talk to people and move around in our lives.
2 thoughts on “WK 3 Discussion Juwaan F”
Juwaan, I agree that we see some of Oedipus’s behaviors often during the course of a day. I’m guilty of overreacting to things, and it’s something I try to keep a handle on, not always successfully. I once read a formula about how to stay calm, think, and not overreact. It’s called STOP. S is for stop. T is for take a breath. O is for observe. And P is for proceed with kindness. But the first one is easy to skip over, and it’s so important.
I agree about how fatal pride can be to someone. There are many situations where, in an attempt at self-preservation, people will lead themselves further towards destruction. As you mentioned, I think this especially happens when someone feels hurt. Often, issues can be resolved through a simple discussion and apology. But, because one might fear being vulnerable, they bottle it up, resulting in an inevitable explosion that serves no purpose except to direct your pain outwards. It is why we hear people speak of moments of anger with such regret and sorrow. This happens when words are used, instead of to communicate, to go to war.