Who Are You, or What Do You Want?
Life lessons from Babylon 5
I’m currently enjoying a re-watch of Babylon 5.
I’m amazed at how much wisdom this show has, and how relevant it is again in our current time. The show has race conflict, political corruption, and a government organization pulling the strings.
I’ve heard people say that Star Trek is an optimistic view of the future, but Babylon 5 shows how it would really be if we went to the stars and met other races.
I won’t spoil the show, but I will say this—no one on Babylon 5 is what they seem. Everyone has their own agenda, and there are many shades of gray.
Characters are complicated and real. You love them one minute and hate them the next. The lines between right and wrong are often blurred. And the creator, an atheist, has a better grasp of spirituality than many of us who are religious.
The writing is exceptional. The whole show was planned out from the beginning. Little details in early seasons are often revisited and become important as the show progresses.
There are two opposing races on Babylon 5 who each ask very different questions.
The Shadows ask, “What do you want?” They believe progress should come through conflict and chaos.
The Vorlons ask, “Who are you?” They believe progress should come through order and discipline.
Which question, and method, appeals more to you, and why?
Who are you?
I identify most with the Vorlons and their question, “Who are you?”
If you don’t know who you are, how will you ever truly know what you want, or need, for that matter?
We waste so much time chasing likes and approval. And for what? A temporary ego boost on social media? To please someone we want to impress?
The true secret to happiness is to live as your authentic self.
When you discover who you are, your other questions will be answered.
When you know who you are, claim it. Don’t say, “I aspire to be a ________.” Instead, say, “I AM a ________.”
If you play an instrument, you’re a musician. If you draw, you’re an artist. And so on.
You must believe in yourself first if you want others to do the same.
Knowledge of who you are is the first step to wisdom and success. Otherwise, we are swayed by every opinion.
Knowing who you are will give you a life worth living.
How do you want to live?
If you believe you will fail, you will fail. I know this from experience.
For a very long time, I was in an environment where I was told I was a failure. I learned to question every decision I made. I doubted myself all the time, and I still often do. It’s a daily battle I must fight.
The good news is, we can learn to overcome this mindset. It’s not easy, but it is possible. We can learn to have confidence in who we are and what we do.
What other people think of us really doesn’t matter.
If someone doesn’t like us, or what we do, they are simply not our people. It doesn’t mean we are “bad.” We just don’t mesh with them. That’s all.
This mindset shift will save you a lot of pain.
The most important thing is to live an authentic life. What other people think doesn’t matter. We will never please everyone, so we must please ourselves.
Don’t live your life for other people.
The first step to getting what we want in life is knowing who we are. What are our core values? Who are we? What is important to us?
Don’t let anyone else tell you who you are. You get to decide who you are and what’s important to you. Live according to those values, and you will have a fulfilling life.
Thanks, Babylon 5 for reminding me.
Take care,
Lisa
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I have never watched this one, might check it out! Most sci fi is so bleak nowadays, I miss that Star Trek optimism for humanity! Glad it lifted you up, I love when a show or movie helps me have a new perspective!
I love this post because it's so true! This reminds me of a time when a wise woman once said to a group, "Do you like everybody?" Most of the group shook their heads. She continued, "Well, how can you expect everybody to like you?"