Holding On and Letting Go

For many years now a friend of mine who I have been close to since childhood and I have maintained a tradition. We can make recommendations to one another whether they are of films, TV shows, books, or just about anything else, and the other regardless of their initial affinity to genre or storytelling style the other will have to engage with this recommendation. This allows the two of us to experience media and writings that we never ordinarily would have even considered and has led to several gems being unearthed on both of our parts.

In my experience however the greatest of these obscure gems came in the form of Cowboy Bebop, which vaguely falls under the mantle of an anime, but as the creator, Shinichiro Watanabe in all of his chaotic genius insists does not come even close to explaining the soul of his creation. This was long before the live-action show was in the works or even in talks to be created and represented my first ever proper foray into anime, a creative style that I have not ever fully embraced but respect in many ways for its bold choices.

This explanation aside, I feel that the show which was released in 1998 and has gone on to achieve firstly cult and later legendary status, is well worth watching for the casual viewer and even more so for individuals interested in Stoicism. Therefore I will be using a few scenes from the show to explain the outlook of its most fascinating character Spike Spiegel, so I will of course be delving into mild spoiler territory and this is your early warning.

Cowboy Bebop centers around a group of misfits who each in their own way are struggling with the weight of their past. The episodic nature of Bebop allows for each of these characters to receive the level of depth and personal exploration to make their struggles with what has come before resonate with the viewer.

While Jet Black, Ed, and Faye Valentine are each fascinating characters in their own right I have always gravitated towards Spike Spiegel. Spike a former high-ranking member of a crime syndicate carries a past that shapes his future and the eventual conclusion of the story immensely. Playing upon the themes of lost love, despondency, despair, and existential questions as to whether he is alive or dreaming, his tale is a masterclass in story writing.

Throughout the show he regularly displays a deep connection to philosophy particularly in his connection with the great Bruce Lee, musing upon his speech on being like water and even using his martial form Jeet Kune Do when forced to fight. Despite his prowess as a bounty hunter, however, he displays an uncharacteristically nonchalant and happy-go-lucky attitude. At odds with the majority of the characters whom he comes in contact with, particularly his initial partner Jet Black.

This philosophy is given much more depth in several instances throughout the show’s run, most remarkable of which for me in Session Nineteen Wild Horses. This revolves around a relatively simple premise of Spike’s spaceship requiring an overhaul while Jet and Faye chase a bounty that relies on immobilizing ships in order to take and sell them on. This is a blatant oversimplification of the storyline for avid viewers but should hopefully suffice in this instance.

Spike having overhauled the ship at this stage with the help of an old friend named Doohan goes in pursuit of the bounty. However, as is often the case in Cowboy Bebop things rarely go to plan. Spike’s ship is immobilized and he is slowly pulled into the gravitational field of the planet, to his inevitable demise.

Jet attempts to provide solutions, but Spike accepting the gravity of the predicament informs his old friend of the location of an old bottle of whiskey that he should drink in honor of his soon-to-be deceased friend. It is at this point that Doohan provides a viable alternative in exchange for the whiskey.

Spike realizing he can now exert some form of control over the situation takes action and manages to just about place his ship into the larger rocket. Thinking he is now safe Spike thanks Doohan for saving his life and begins to smoke a cigarette, only for Doohan to inform him the heat-resistant tiles have burned off of his ship and they are far from safe. Spike calmly pulls out a cigarette and lights it up before uttering the iconic line;

Spike throughout the entirety of the series verges on nihilism, expressing that he often feels as if he is living through a dream and that he has never feared dying, yet I feel his philosophy has merit in terms of Stoicism. In a single given week several years ago, I broke my jaw having been hit by a motorbike and was hospitalized for a short period after, had my bank account locked due to my details being leaked, leaving me in a foreign country with just over a hundred euros.

Yet whenever this came up in conversation, people would bring up how much of a misfortune these events had been for me, my response has echoed Spike’s however by responding calmly with, “Ohh well, whatever happens, happens.” This returns to a practice of the Stoics which is the key tenet of their beliefs, to focus only on what we can control and not place undue importance upon what is outside of our control.

I can acknowledge that I am unlucky and lament what has happened all I want, but will this alter my situation in a meaningful way? Rather I prefer to calmly break down a situation into what I can and cannot control, focusing on the former and disregarding the latter.

“To bear trials with a calm mind robs misfortune of its strength and burden.” –Seneca

The future remains uncertain and things will not always be easy or straightforward, yet in maintaining an attitude of, whatever happens, happens and going with the flow, rolling with the punches as they might say, we take from the future the power to impact upon us negatively. Fortunately, as a practicing Stoic, the events I have mentioned above were not capable of bringing me down, I knew my situation was temporary, and even in such cases of bad luck, I could make use of the situation.

“Here is a rule to remember in future, when anything tempts you to feel bitter: not “This is misfortune,” but “To bear this worthily is good fortune.”-Marcus Aurelius

Spike also refuses to hinge his enjoyment of the present upon what may come in the future. While I am not a smoker myself, Spike is renowned for his love of cigarettes, and knowing that this may be his final moment he takes the time for one last smoke before facing this impending uncertainty. Likewise in such difficult parts of our lives, it is vital to remember that there is still so much enjoyment to be derived from even the smallest things. Which ultimately deserve far greater appreciation on our better days than we usually afford them.

When I first broke my jaw I could not smile or laugh and a few days after I was able to do so for the first time since my accident. This made me think more about the simple things and also allowed me to acknowledge that even the unfortunate parts of my life can be a source of positive lessons.

Spike’s view on death in this scene is also well in keeping with the Stoics, particularly that of Epictetus. I am currently rereading his seminal piece the Discourses and the moral fortitude of the man shines through in each line. As a slave, Epictetus was well aware of the fragility of life and also how quickly and unceremoniously it could all end.

This left him with two options, to fear his impending demise and cling to life with as much fervor as he possibly could or to embrace the present which was all he truly could enjoy at that given moment without fear of what was yet to come.

“I must die. But must I die bawling?”-Epictetus

The concept of death hanging over all we do is ever-present within Cowboy Bebop, the lives the main characters lead are perilous, to say the least, yet it is the way they face up to this cruel reality that matters. In the same way, as Epictetus Spike refuses to panic and give in to fear, knowing that while death is a certainty in that instance he could no longer control his fate so there was no point in unnecessarily worrying about what was to come.

This approach is further echoed by the words of Laughing Bull, a Native American shaman of sorts who sporadically advises the characters of the show;

“Do not fear Death. Death is always at our side. When we show fear, it jumps at us faster than light. But, if we do not show fear, it casts its eye upon us gently and then guides us into infinity.”

The show itself was not particularly long-lived either, lasting only one season of twenty-six episodes and also spawning a movie, yet its finale and the message it conveys ensured its place as a masterpiece which fans have returned to for over two decades now.

Spike had been running from his past for years by the time the finale came around yet as he stated his past eventually caught up to him. This leads to a chaotically climactic final two episodes, in which the past does, unfortunately, catch up with all of the characters in varying yet universally heartbreaking ways.

In the interest of avoiding as many spoilers as possible, I will not recount what happens during these final episodes. Rather at the end of each episode, a black screen flashes with a sentence in white appearing in the corner, usually stating, “See you Space Cowboy”. This differs for certain episodes but none more impactfully than that of the final episode the Real Folk Blues Part Two.

This line was taken from a lesser-known song of the Beatles and has sparked much in the way of discussion among fans of the series. Many fans see it as a cautionary statement, as to the weight of the past that we are forced to carry if we are unable to ever truly move on from what has been. While this is definitely a valid and interesting view on the conclusion to the series, it is not what I have taken from an intentionally vague ending.

I do not view this weight as being an outwardly bad thing, each decision and choice gives with it consequences, so too with inaction and these consequences are the weight we are forced to carry.

This may not be a weight we would like to carry or even always feel capable of bearing, yet it makes us who we are. Tough choices are inevitable and as long as we do the right thing in such instances regardless of the price we are forced to pay, as Stoics such as Marcus had done for the good of all those around them despite their internalized personal preferences, that weight remains bearable.

The personal cost may be high, but we do what we must in such situations. Then even if the individual or individuals for whom we make this decision are not aware of the price paid or the weight borne for them, then it is that burden that we carry that makes the decision meaningful. In that way, the cost of one’s choice becomes as impactful as its impact.

“The truth is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it”.”― Venugopal Acharya

So while the weight of the past may be a heavy one to bear, often threatening to bring us to our knees, it often defines who we are. Reminds us of what we were capable of even on our darkest days, giving us the strength we require to face what is yet to come so that if it was all to end in a brief stretch, it would have been a burden well carried.

There is little use in lamenting or denying the past, looking back on what could have been, all we can do is carry the painful lessons that came before and ensure they motivate us to do what is required of us regardless of consequence or the opportunity to take an easier path. The Stoics always believed their duty was to make the world a better place through their practice, this is not possible without consistently doing the right thing.

So what I would say is carry that weight and accept that whatever happens happens, elsewise Spike’s inability to deal with his past will resonate with you more than most. Do what is required of you and while the past may shape who you are right now, its burden can either weigh you down or make you stronger and more capable of facing what is yet to come in a perpetually uncertain future.

Taking these scars of the past, we can allow them to aid us in making the choices in the present that will lead to us becoming the best versions of ourselves, day by day, step by step, and decision by decision. Above all else though go watch Cowboy Bebop either for the first time or in yet another rewatch it is a true masterpiece and with the lens of Stoicism, there is much to be gained from it for the Modern Stoic.

“Allow yourself to think only those thoughts that match your principles and can bear the bright light of day. Day by day, your choices, your thoughts, your actions fashion the person you become. Your integrity determines your destiny.”-Heraclitus