commitment and the way of the warrior

The warrior’s path is not the only path, nor is it the only correct path, and nor can anyone prove that it is the correct path for you. This set of facts, however, is integral to the meaningfulness of taking said path. Inherent in the path is the virtue of resolution - a warrior makes deliberate decisions, then trusts in himself and commits to his decision with fullness of action. Therefore, in order to truly take upon herself the path of the warrior, an individual must decide for herself to voluntarily embark upon the path, trust that she has made this decision for herself, and hold herself to the decision. Any other method of starting on a path cannot be said to be the warrior’s path.

This tautology still does not seem sufficient reason for wanting to choose the warrior’s path in the first place. Why would a person commit to the path of the warrior, especially outside of any apparent wartime context? In my opinion, all truly meaningful paths are motivated by a desire to fulfill a transcendent goal - that is, an objective which fulfills the needs of something or someone above and beyond the individual. The warrior’s path, like all meaningful paths, is full of paradox: only in striving selflessly can a person find self-fulfillment and personal meaning. War is the ultimate manifestation of personal sacrifice in service of some greater good. No one fights a proper war alone, or for only their own sake. Proper wars - though they may be strategically justified to attain some specific set of win conditions - are fought on the ground, in the name of transcendent ideals, such as tribe, family, nation, honor, etc. Without these meaningful transcendent ideals, a fight is not a war, but is merely a raid, squabble, or skirmish, undertaken for immediate tangible and practical reasons, and quickly abandoned when life or transcendent meaning is at risk. Wars inspire personal sacrifice only because they exist in service of objectives which are greater than any individual.

Several similarities exist between fighting a war and living a life of meaning. At the most fundamental relevant level, a meaningful life emcompasses a transcendent goal, in the same way which a war encompasses some transcendent ideal. Culture has preserved for us the image of the successful warrior, and this image can serve as a blueprint for one possible way to live a meaningful life. Importantly, the warrior’s path is only meaningful and authentic, in the existential way, if it is voluntarily chosen. An individual must recognize his call to this path, and understand that the call reflects the resonance of his internal warrior with the transcendent Warrior - the Warrior God - which is embodied in human culture. It is the warrior’s birthright to commit to this path among all others, if she so chooses. Commitment is truest when other perfectly valid choices exist, and for this reason the warrior’s path can never be fully justified as correct - like the moon, it may only be pointed to.