Issue No. 64

When I was 8, my father bought me my first DVD of Star Wars. Star Wars is a series of movies about a religious group called the Jedi who tap into the Light Side of the Force, a mysterious, metaphysical energy field that binds the galaxy together. This gives the Jedi amazing powers like telekinesis, enhanced senses, and even mind control.

The Jedi were peaceful until the Sith, who use the Dark Side of the Force, started to plan their revenge. Their goal is selfish gain and destruction, aiming to overthrow the Jedi and establish control in the galaxy. The story follows characters like Luke and his twin sister, Princess Leia, and their father, Darth Vader, a former Jedi who turned to the Dark Side. Their journeys are set against epic battles between the freedom-fighting Rebel Alliance and the oppressive Galactic Empire. It’s essentially a story about heroism, redemption, and the eternal struggle between good and evil.

The first time I watched Star Wars, I was fascinated by Darth Vader, who first appeared in the first movie, Star Wars: A New Hope, in 1977.

Darth Vader is a pop-culture legend, and for good reason. His character arc is one with tragedy at its core. As a kid, Darth Vader was called Anakin Skywalker.

He admired the Jedi and saw them as heroes who save people from pain. After all, they saved him from slavery, though they couldn't save his mother, leaving her behind on his origin planet.

Anakin turns out to be the Chosen One, prophesied to bring balance to the Force. When he realized his visions became reality, he wanted to protect his wife from a death he foresaw in a dream.

However, the power to save someone from certain death is only taught in the Dark Side of the Force, an unnatural power no one should hold. He eventually succumbs to this fear and joins the Sith. This fear turned into anger, his anger turned into hate, and his hate led to his suffering when he realized that he had essentially caused his wife's death.

He blames his misfortune on his old Jedi master, and during their fight, he was defeated and almost died. He was burned alive, lost his limbs, and essentially became a cyborg with a suit that keeps him alive. His new master, Darth Sidious gave him a new name, Darth Vader.

In the end, he sacrificed himself to save his son, Luke, and destroyed the Emperor, his master, fulfilling the prophecy of balancing the Force.

This story is a simple redemption arc but what’s special about it is how much it reflects reality.

I've known many people who were once the kindest you ever met but eventually became their own worst nightmare. They had everything they could ever want, but it seemed not enough. They wanted more, like animals that once tasted a delicious treat and craved it all their lives until they found something else. They had no control. Conversely, in high school, I knew some bullies who made others’ lives tough. But over time, life humbled them. They realized the impact of their actions and grew into more empathetic and respectful people. Their transformation is a powerful reminder that people can change and grow for the better or for the worse.

What Star Wars has taught me is that where you come from does not determine where you will be. You do not choose where you were born, but you can choose who you want to be. Do you want to be Anakin, who was seduced by power and eventually betrayed the people around him? Or do you want to be Luke or Leia, who brought compassion and empathy to those who needed them the most?

And it's a capability that we often take for granted. When you're on your deathbed, you cannot change anymore. You can change your perspectives, but you have no more time and physical ability to change your life. When you're married, you cannot change your life's course as much as you want to. You'll be limited by what your family needs. You can no longer take risks as much as you could when you were younger. If you're still young, embrace change. Take charge of your life. If you're one of the privileged ones who were able to reach at least a bachelor's degree, you can learn anything, pursue anything, and become anyone you want to be. You just need to take the time and do it every day. It gets easier eventually, but you have to do it every day. Do your work, do your duty to yourself, pursue what excites you, what makes you feel alive. When you do that, work doesn't feel like work anymore; it will feel like play. When work feels like play, that's when you know you're pursuing something worthwhile.

When was the last time you felt excited like a child? Do you even remember how it feels?

Maybe that's why I like watching Star Wars sometimes. When I watch it, I feel like that boy again, sitting in front of a television on a Saturday morning with juice in my right hand and a bread stick in the left. Nothing in my mind but excitement and adventure.

Even though I was not the smartest kid in high school or college, what set me apart from others was my consistency and resilience. I can make mundane work exciting by applying the concept of play. Whenever I participated in something, even though I started as someone who knew nothing about the subject while others were already advanced, I stayed with it for so long that eventually, the others gave up while I was still going. This proves that satisfaction in life doesn’t come from being born into a certain status. It can be an unfair advantage to come from a privileged background, but eventually, our hedonistic tendencies balance this out to an equilibrium, and we naturally desire more. Human nature is a prison of lust for the pursuit of something. Without a purpose, we are the living dead. So choose which side you want to go to, right now, while you can. Light or Dark? A life of meaning or a life of temporary pleasure? Sometimes the choices are as simple as that.

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Until next week,