The Castle of Wonders
The Grail Cycle, a central inspiration behind this brand, is a drama of the human soul. Within the Grail myth of Parzival, a noble knight, Gawain, is tempted by a scheming black magician, Klingsor.
Klingsor resides in the Castle of Wonders, a shimmering palace filled with beautiful women, strange beasts, and bewildering décor. Klingsor relies not on force, but on cunning, to entrap his adversaries within the confines of his domain. He tempts, he hypnotizes, he mystifies. His hope is that the noble aspirants, on the quest for the Grail, will become so enthralled by his kingdom that they never leave. Maybe this sounds familiar.
Similarities can be drawn between this tempting, bewildering castle, and the digital environment that we all participate in. In many ways, lies, delusion, and cheap thrills have become the language of our culture – mass media provides the perfect conditions for it to proliferate. Mindless pleasure abounds, “anybody can be anything,” and unchecked egoism reigns.
Just in the case of myself, or this business, let’s consider two possible descriptions.
Option A: My name is Brandon, I offer strength and conditioning coaching. I want to share the knowledge and experience that I’ve gained through error and suffering, so that we all might grow stronger and more capable. This business is an opportunity for me to profess the truth, serve others, and devote myself to a worthy cause. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to pursue this endeavor.
Option B: Brandon – CEO, CFO, COO of Grail Strength. Disrupting the strength training industry. Innovator and creator. The Barbell Knight. Inventor of the Grail Strength training system.
Which of these options can be recognized as truthful? Which is riddled with hubris and artifice? Which of these options, as a pattern, is most common on social media platforms today? If you have to lie to sell your product, you become the lie.
Social media has normalized pride, dishonesty, and vanity on a mammoth scale – all forms of ignorance. The “American Dream” has been reduced to manic consumer spending, fearful obedience to every murmur from the black mirrors, and hopelessly parroting trends – it hasn’t always been this way.
“Everybody’s a winner, everybody’s the ‘main character,’ everybody deserves immediate pleasure and validation!”
We are all deeply immersed in a kaleidoscopic swath of swirling emotions, ideas, and images, every single time that we look at a screen. We are manipulated, tempted, and conditioned by the digital “Castle of Wonders.” The Castle is designed to trap you - I’m just as susceptible as anyone else.
The solution is to turn the other way - unplug. Engage with your family, your neighbor, and your community. Find what you have in common with your fellow man. Rebuke lies and seek that which is noble, vital, and true. Seek to forgive and humbly serve.
There is nothing higher than the truth.
