Definition: Victory generally means success, triumph or superiority over an enemy, obstacle or value in a battle, contest, confrontation or challenge.
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In this article, we examine Victory as a phenomenon and as an idea. In the next article, entitled Nike and her Roles, we explore the mythologisation of Victory as Goddess Nike.
Victory generally means success, triumph or superiority over an enemy, obstacle or value in a battle, contest, confrontation or challenge. From this general definition, we can infer two types of Victory: one resulting from rivalry; and another from perfectionism.
Rivalry is the act of competing between two or more similar entities in a battle, contest or confrontation for the same objective or for superiority in the same field. Common examples of rivalry include: in war (i.e. between competing countries); competitive sport (i.e. competing individuals or teams); and nature (i.e. competing species).
Perfectionism is the act of surpassing an absolute, established or self-defined value in a direction that best represents progress. Common examples of perfectionism include: physical progress (i.e. an athlete eclipsing a previous record); and intellectual progress (i.e. the discovery of a new scientific theory).
The motives for these varied actions, as a rule, are wide-ranging and complex. In rivalry, motives can range from survival or establishing superiority through to a common search for excellence in the course of fair competition. In the pursuit of perfection, motives can include validation, improvement, fame and appreciation.
This said, there is a base motive for these actions and it is the primary driving force of all animate beings: the Will to Victory. The Will to Victory is the striving and the desire towards Victory and success and the tacit acceptance of the possible consequence of defeat and failure. Life, individually or collectively, ebbs and flows and has its noontide and midnight according to the Will and Representation of Victory.
The Representation of Victory takes place in the phenomenal world. Victory is experienced as a moment or event in time marked immediately by survival or superiority and aggrandisement; both featuring a release of tension, uniquenessism and a state of higher consciousness, which is then extended by celebration and, possibly, reflection.
A general obervation of the phenomenon of Victory will illustrate these characteristics best, and for this we turn our attention to the following television footage of the 2008 Wimbledon Mens' Single Final:
- At 0:00, we see a focused Rafael Nadal playing in the longest ever Mens’ Single Final in Wimbledon Championship history against Roger Federer, the reigning five-times champion.
- At 0:26, Nadal serves for the match.
- At 0:32, Nadal is victorious: he collapsed to the ground as the tension is released and his arms spread as he receives Victory's salvation.
- At 0:35, Nadal has a split-second sense of uniquenessism.
- At 0:37, Nadal enters a state of higher consciousness and goes into foetal position.
- At 0:44, Nadal stands up as a reborn man and pays the respect due to his defeated rival.
- At 0:56, Nadal touches around the crown upon his head.
- At 4:30, Nadal joins in the victory celebrations of the crowd that began as soon as he had won and thoroughout the remainder of the footage Nadal continues to be in a state of higher consciousness.
- At 8:00, we see Federer experiencing the Victory of his rival. By his act of participation at the very highest level of tennis he has validated Nadal's superiority. If Nadal had faced an inferior opponent, the success would not have lead to the heightened victory shown in the footage.
In the abstract and cerebral world of ideas, wish fulfillment occurs in thoughts and dreams of an individual or a small group; or myth and culture for a larger group or community; and this constitutes a part of the Will to Victory.
Yet another part of the Will to Victory, an innate characteristic of human nature, is the motivation to project the wish in to the reality of the phenomenal world. To do so successfully, the individual or the collective entity must exert extraordinary effort into its actions leading up to and during the battle, contest, confrontation or challenge. Thus, the Will to Victory not only inspires actions; it is also the primary advocate and actualiser of progress towards perfection, in both perception and performance.
Victory is adored as a symbol of perfection. By definition, perfection is unattainable: the Will to Victory gives Hope of progress towards perfection; and, by the same token, it precludes expectation of success because there is the potential of defeat.
Nike, the Goddess of Victory, is also the deliverer of defeat since she has no counterpart in Greek mythology. Hence, Victory and defeat have, essentially, the same function: to continually initiate and motivate progressive actions.
Whether the actions lead to Victory or defeat, the mindful individual or collective entity will contemplate its own qualities and its limitations in light of the phenomenal world. Thus, the Will to Victory stimulates understanding and provides the opportunity for evaluation that, in turn, may lead to further actions towards a new Victory, a renewed attempt at Victory or a considerate capitulation in one area to focus on Victory in another.
Victory Rivalry Perfectionism Phenomenon Idea
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