Why Evil Exists
Carnage or the Canvas? The Importance of Your Hero Myth
Hi, I’m Max Murphy! A failed creative turned existential imbecile. These days, I write The Murphy Memos where we explore the absurdity of existence with crappy jokes.
Consider subscribing if you’re into that kinda thing.. or don’t.
Did you know that evil, like your last Tinder date, is often misunderstood?
It’s not just a matter of being a bad apple, it’s about the stories we tell ourselves, the myths we buy into.
Welcome to the dark side of finding meaning in a meaningless world.
Death: The Ultimate Party Pooper
In the Denial of Death, Ernest Becker explained how it’s deeply traumatic to be so keenly aware of our own inevitable deaths. In order to cope, we find meaning through hero mythologies.
Some of these are great, but not all hero mythologies are created equal.
Some of them suck, and not in the good way.
The 2 kinds of hero myths
Let’s make the distinction between creative hero myths and destructive hero myths:
Creative hero myths: encourage you to achieve a symbolic form of immortality through positive contributions to the world.
Examples: artists, philosophers, architects, scientists, poets, and entrepreneurs.
Destructive hero myths: encourage violence, domination, or theft at the expense of others.
Examples: terrorists, gangs, cults, colonizers, and the military.
Destructive hero myths are basically the root of all world suck from economic exploitation, to violent military expansion, and yes, even those damn call centers.
Villains in Hero's Clothing
Have you ever noticed that evil people, even the worst ones, do not see themselves as evil?
Not the murderers. Not the war criminals. Not even Hitler.
Have you ever wondered why that is?
It all goes back to the hero myth that gives their life purpose. They’re enacting a mythology where they see themselves as the hero.
Hitler actually provides an interesting example. Most people recognize that creative hero myths are preferable to destructive ones. Even him. Long before he became Der Führer, he was a painter.
Art was his first choice.
But he faced the trauma that many of us struggle to cope with: giving up art and getting a “real job.”
:’/
This isn’t easy for anyone.
On top of the awareness of your own inevitable death, you're condemned to waste most of your life doing shit you don’t care about.
Like many directionless young men, Hitler found a hero myth that encouraged violence and drank that Kool-Aid like a Jim Jones follower.
The meaning industrial complex
The military has been a cradle of destructive hero myths since the days of Caesar, morphing into what I call the meaning industrial complex.
In the good ol’ days, they got you to sign up for some good old-fashioned stranger-killing with promises of glory and gold.
Not only did you get to hurt people, but you could get rich quick doing it!
Nowadays, they've scrapped the gold bit (seriously, that missile you’re about to launch is worth more than you'll earn this year) and doubled down on the glory.
The glory is in the hero myth, and that’s what these sad, directionless bastards are really after. You’re sold the dream of being a protector of the homeland, a freedom fighter, the epitome of noble sacrifice.
The myth of the nation transforms soldiers from mindless murderers to patrons of patriotism.
Our military, like all others, past and present, is a glorified terrorist organization.
Humans, by and large, aren’t fans of violence. History's most despised figures are often violent murderers. Take Charles Manson, for instance. The guy didn’t personally kill anyone, but he created a cult that did his dirty work, and look how he’s remembered.
The difference between Charles Manson and our blood-thirsty politicians is state propaganda constantly selling you war on the big screen.
The military is an institution built to inflict pain. An assembly line of suffering, churning out trauma on a global scale.
DIY Heroism: Picking Your Hero Myth
So, what's the big takeaway?
It's simple, yet life-changing: Pick your own hero myth.
Why?
Because your choice can drastically alter the course of your life, and others.
Remember Hitler? Before he became the architect of one of history's greatest tragedies, he was just a guy who wanted to paint. Imagine if he stuck to his brushes instead of his guns. We could've known him as Hitler the Painter, not Hitler the Dictator.
Two paths, one choice — and a world of difference.
By consciously choosing your own hero myth, you aren't just another character in someone else's plot. You're the author of your own epic. Whether it's becoming the next great novelist, a groundbreaking scientist, or yes, even perfecting the art of making the world's best lasagna — if it's your story, it's the right one.
In this vast, indifferent universe, the stories we tell ourselves aren't just fairytales. They're the blueprints that shape our lives, giving them direction, purpose, and a dash of magic. They transform our existence from a mere cosmic blip into a journey of meaning and adventure.
So go ahead. Reject those dog shit destructive myths peddled by society, corporations, and governments. Carve out your own path.
Find your myth.
Live it, love it, be it.
In the end, it's not about discovering some grand answer to life (spoiler: it's definitely not 24). It's about crafting a story you're proud of, one filled with laughter, tears, and all-too-human moments.
Who knows, your hero myth might just be the one to change the world, or at least, change yours. And honestly, isn’t that enough?
Next week, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of why it's so damn hard to find your own hero myth, and the existential angst that comes with it — which is really just a thinly-veiled excuse to complain about everything (aka, the lifeblood of this newsletter).
Stay tuned!
So, what is the hero myth that gives your life meaning? Is it a creative one? What does a hero look like in the mythology of your life?
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My hero myth: I'm a failed combo of St. Joan of Arc and The Little Mermaid. Both are tragic I just noticed 😱