Essay IV: The 'Blessing' for Those Who Accept Absurdity (Hard Things)
In the previous chapter, I demonstrated from the perspectives of psychology and social structure the paradox that the more one seeks 'comfort,' the less one can distance oneself from the unreasonable.
From here, I will conversely examine what kind of blessing the attitude of accepting absurdity and hard things brings. Joseph and Job from the Old Testament are often cited as typical examples.
Instead of obsessively avoiding personal desires or the unreasonable, they faced the difficulties given to them and accumulated what they could do within those circumstances; the plot follows that they later achieved great results and happiness as a result.
This is not just an ancient religious tale, but also resonates with the modern philosophy that hard things are the breakthrough itself, often embodied by entrepreneurs, researchers, and artists.
1. The Essence of the Success Stories of Joseph and Job—Surrender to a Greater Order and Resilience
(1) Never Losing a Perspective Beyond the Self
Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt and even bore a false accusation of being imprisoned due to his master's wife's lies, yet he did not lament his circumstances, hold grudges, or seek revenge. Rather, he continued to work faithfully in the environment he was given, eventually gaining the trust of those around him and rising to a key position. Job suffered an even more profound tragedy—the unreasonable loss of all his property and family, and falling ill himself—yet he never abandoned his trust in God until the end. What they both share is an attitude of 'acknowledging absurdity as unreasonable, yet still believing that God exists.' To paraphrase in modern terms, it can be said that they demonstrated high resilience, remaining convinced that they were living with a mission or purpose even in the midst of hardship, and were able to continue acting without being swallowed by short-term anxiety or sorrow.
Joseph's expression, full of hope despite being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, tells his whole story. Later, he gained the power to take revenge on those who had wronged him. However, far from taking revenge, he saved them.
(2) Long-term Prosperity and Deep Satisfaction
The Old Testament depicts at the end of the stories of Joseph and Job that they regained prosperity, wealth, fame, and spiritual peace that exceeded what they had before.
What is important here is that this prosperity was not obtained by 'driving away the unreasonable with one's own ego,' but came as a result of going through the process of 'facing the unreasonable and doing one's best there.'
In the short term, there is much loss and suffering, but a great blessing is prepared beyond that. If we project this structure onto modern society, it is similar to cases where entrepreneurs or artists who dare to take on difficult challenges eventually receive exceptional recognition.
After Job lost everything, his friends relentlessly questioned him without cause, suggesting that because he had 'lost' everything, he must have committed some sin. His wife also cursed him. However, Job endured. The expression of righteousness on the faces of the friends who crushed Job, as painted by Ilya Repin, is excellent. The background world spreads out beautifully as if to bless Job, who endures it.
(3) 'God's Order' or 'Social Cause'?
The divine order that Joseph and Job relied upon is easily replaced by concepts such as 'public good' or 'social mission' in secular society since the modern era.
For example, scientists immersed in research on difficult diseases, entrepreneurs aiming for innovations that change the world, or artists who challenge social issues may not necessarily be driven by faith in God when they commit themselves to that path.
However, in that they believe in 'contributing to something beyond themselves' and face hard things head-on, they essentially overlap with the Old Testament attitude.
At the very least, from the perspective of 'as long as I am comfortable, that is enough,' one cannot hope for a great leap forward in the long term.
'Gandhi Spinning' is a symbol of resisting without fighting and turning daily life itself into a weapon. He was arrested many times in his life, thrown into prison, and tossed about by power. While he preached non-violence, his path was by no means peaceful.
2. The Startup Spirit Advocated by Paul Graham
(1) The Mindset of Entrepreneurs Facing Hard Things
The world of startups is filled with numerous hard things, such as high failure rates, cash flow issues, competition, and technological uncertainty.
Paul Graham, a charismatic figure in the Silicon Valley entrepreneurial community, repeatedly tells founders,“Terrible things will happen whether you like it or not. But push through them.”and urges them on.
This can be seen as a message encouraging people to abandon a comfortable and stable path and dive into hard things that involve unknown risks.
The attitude of 'continuing to make sincere and tenacious efforts regardless of the environment' like Joseph, or the strength to 'maintain one's beliefs without being discouraged by the criticism or misfortune of others' like Job, are essential elements for entrepreneurs.
While there is no Old Testament-style God appearing here, the attitude of“continuing to believe in a vision greater than oneself”is common. As a result, by choosing hard things rather than immediate comfort, innovations that eventually change society as a whole are born.
(2) The Huge Returns Brought by Eudaimonic Challenges
In terms of the contrast between hedonic (comfort) and eudaimonic (meaning/mission), what entrepreneurs aim for is closer to the latter. Only by accepting uncertain and harsh situations and betting on long-term value creation can huge returns be obtained. Rewards like
“blessings”(success, fame, social impact) only wait beyond that point. Conversely, a lifestyle of“taking a stable job and avoiding hard things”might secure short-term safety, but it is difficult to reach the miraculous prosperity or turning points found in the Old Testament.
That said, Paul Graham's philosophy does not necessarily preach that “everyone should go for hard things.”
Rather, it is based on the recognition that society changes at an accelerating pace because a small number of people who truly desire eudaimonic challenges push forward.
Just as Joseph and Job stand out as unique existences, the majority of entrepreneurs fail and disappear.
However, the structure in which the small number who survive gain immense results overlaps with the structure of blessings depicted in the Old Testament.
Paul Graham mentions this photo in his essay “How Not to Die,” stating, “He (the Octopart founder) could no longer afford to fail. Everyone he knows has seen the photo of him in a shirt with the word 'Billionaire' on it,” and continues, “If every startup were similarly featured in 'Newsweek' as a 'next-generation billionaire,' no one would be able to give up, and the success rate would reach 90%.” This is a symbolic episode of the social 'last stand' (hard things) that startup founders are placed in, and Paul Graham's recommendation of those hard things.
3. 'Mission' and Blessings in the Fields of Entrepreneurship, Research, and Art
“The Starry Night” is a work based on the scenery Van Gogh saw from the window of the hospital in Saint-Rémy, southern France, where he was hospitalized for psychiatric treatment. He focused on his work during the day and was attacked by mental confusion at night. Amidst such suffering, he said, “The night is more colorful,” and picked up his brush in solitude while quietly facing the darkness within.
(1) Social Recognition for the Minority Who Do Not Fear Risk and Loneliness
Not limited to startups, in the worlds of academic research and art, those who do not easily choose the comfortable path but persist through'gritty trial and error'and'challenges that sometimes involve persecution and ridicule'have gone on to produce major discoveries and masterpieces.
Many scientists who receive the Nobel Prize and artists who leave their names in history show a pattern of continuing their efforts in a crucible of absurdity while experiencing periods of being misunderstood by those around them.
After the war, entrepreneur Momofuku Ando lost his fortune, was imprisoned, and was forced to start over from nothing. Even after passing the age of 60, seeing people suffering from hunger, he developed 'instant ramen that can be eaten immediately.' Despite repeated failures, he completed it with tenacity, creating the world's first instant ramen. His figure, which persisted in his beliefs even in despair and sublimated them into a business that changed society, is the very archetype of a eudaimonic entrepreneur who has overcome the hard things.
This can also be said to be a manifestation of eudaimonic motivation, where one feels that they 'should accomplish something' even if they discard short-term pleasure and comfort.'should accomplish something'
By continuing to fight against the absurd by walking that path, they eventually obtain great social recognition (a blessing). It is, so to speak, a secularized version of the stories of Joseph and Job. They are not swayed by their environment or the gaze of others, but rather use difficulties as fuel to establish unique achievements.
Grameen Bank founder Yunus resisted the common sense and institutional barriers that the poor lack credit, overturning the lives of tens of millions and the common sense of finance with unsecured loans. However, since 2023, he has been sued multiple times by the Bangladeshi government on charges including labor law violations and corruption, and in January 2024, he was sentenced to six months in prison for violating workers' rights. He and the international community view this as political retaliation, and many voices of concern have been raised by Nobel laureates and international intellectuals and politicians, stating that 'the prosecution of Mr. Yunus is unjust.'
(2) A vision that transcends individual desire moves society
Such challengers often uphold a 'greater purpose or vision that transcends oneself,' even if they do not use religious language like'God's order'.'a greater purpose or vision that transcends oneself'Wanting to solve environmental problems, overcome unknown diseases, or dramatically change people's lives—such ambition becomes the driving force to push forward without fearing the hard things. While there are exceptional egoistic feats,most major success stories are linked to public interest or contribution to others.
12-year-old prodigy Rafal, imprisoned for believing in the heliocentric theory, is sentenced to torture by the inquisitor Novak. Novak shows him the torture instruments and demands repentance and the burning of his research materials. However, Rafal says, 'The enemy is formidable. You are not dealing with me. Nor are you dealing with a heretic. It is a kind of creativity, curiosity, and ultimately, it is intelligence,' and that night, he drinks wine mixed with poppy seeds and poison, taking his own life to avoid the burning of his research materials.
Viewed through the lens of the Old Testament, the act of 'following God's order' is often directly linked to contributing to those around one. Just as Joseph saved Egypt from famine, the stance of accepting the absurd ends up helping many people. Even today, the stance of tackling the issues of society and others is easily evaluated, and there is no shortage of examples where the ethics of overcoming hard things are added to that, leading to success. It is also possible to perceive this as a transcendent perspective similar to'God's order'in a secularized world.
The ways of facing the hard things taught by Joseph, Job, and Paul Graham all share the point of not eliminating the absurd, butfinding meaning in it and continuing to act. They prioritize a larger goal or order over'individual comfort', and while experiencing significant hardship and isolation in the process, they ultimately obtain blessings or success that transcend common sense. This presents one answer to the question of why those who 'accept the absurd' are rewarded.
Judas gave Jesus a cold kiss for 30 pieces of silver (estimated to be 200,000 to 300,000 yen in modern Japanese currency) and signaled that moment to the soldiers. It is thought that Judas betrayed Jesus as a result of the entanglement of loss of belief, error of purpose, and despair toward the world. Judas, who could not accept the hard things, and Jesus, who accepted the hard things handed to him by that Judas. It is said that the man peering into it with a lantern is Caravaggio himself (a portrait).
(3) What is a blessing—meaning beyond the material
The stories of Joseph and Job ultimately end as 'blessings that transcend common sense' or 'social success.' In the story, this is often depicted asmaterial prosperity, and the reader finds hope in that. However, I think this:
It is a metaphor.
That even if they did not obtain status or wealth in the end, they were 'blessed.'
The value of their lives was not guaranteed by external results, but resides in the fact that theypersisted in their beliefs and continued meaningful actions even amidst hardship.
Christ was crucified, and Dr. King was struck down by a bullet. They were not rewarded materially.
However, they were happy.
It is a fulfillment of existence that exists on a layer separate from material rewards, and a sense of being connected to something beyond oneself. It is truly the form of a 'blessing' that is eudaimonic, not hedonic.
The same holds true in the modern age. Even if Forrest Gump had lived out his entire life as a worker in a tire factory, he would have been happy.
AirbnbのCEO ブランアン・チェスキーが創業時に受け取った投資家から断りメールの一つを紹介。そして、こんな感じで数えきれないぐらい断られ続けた彼がいかにして世界を変えていったか。魂が震える起業家としての心得を語ってくれています。諦めるのはまだ早い。 pic.twitter.com/rphlaNEHON
— Brandon K. Hill | CEO of btrax 🇺🇸x🇯🇵/2 (@BrandonKHill) October 21, 2023
Many startup founders may not succeed. Yet, they are happy. At the very least, I am still a startup founder, halfway along my journey, and I cannot say I have attained material happiness. However, I am happy.
When one accepts the absurd and continues to act meaningfully despite it, one is already blessed.
That is precisely why we should not aim for success or recognition, but for 'the meaningful challenge itself'.
This photograph is a mugshot taken when Martin Luther King Jr., who led non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, in April 1963, was imprisoned. The following year, in 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It was not just imprisonment. He faced multiple assassination attempts, yet he did not flinch and never stopped moving forward. Then, in 1968, the day after he gave a speech in Memphis to support Black sanitation workers, he was shot and lost his life.
Next Chapter, Essay V: From Village Societies to Ultra-Large-Scale Societies—Uncontrollable Complexity and Market Principles
In the next chapter, I will examine the interplay between this attitude of 'accepting the hard things' and the structure of society as a whole (from village societies to ultra-large-scale societies, and the principles of the market). Why does the mismatch between the human 'old brain' and large-scale society accelerate hedonic desires, making eudaimonic challenges the domain of a limited few? I intend to clarify the characteristics of market principles that emerge there, and how the desire to 'avoid the absurd,' which is further amplified, impacts modern society.
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