Part One. The Chimera Will Save and Destroy You . . . It All Depends
Junpei’s foolish “3-Woman Theory” compels him to seek the “Right Woman”—a chimera. See page 236 in the middle as he finds a way to see commitment as a way of “missing out on life.”
The Chimera as a Force of Destruction:
Junpei’s pursuit of the chimera distracts him from his personality failings—using women as consumer and recreation products; fearing real intimacy with women; indulging in self-pity; fearing life as he shelters himself; stuck in a rut that stifles his creativity. Because no real chimera exists, he always has an excuse for never committing to a single woman.
The Chimera as a Force of Positive Change and Redemption:
Junpei’s infatuation with Kirie causes him to critically examine his shortcomings. It causes him to see the splendor of falling in love with a single woman. It causes him to open up his creativity by embracing life with more courage because after all Kirie is a chimera of courage and adventure. His life will never be the same after his encounter with her. Having said this, I don’t know if Kirie is real or a figment of Junpei’s imagination.
The Chimera’s Definition, Causes and Effects
1. The chimera is a mirage that draws us in slowly, starting with a burp or a trifle (something stupid like a father saying, “you only get three women in your life”), a tease, an iridescent color that flashes before our eyes or it hits us over the head. In either case, it grows into an obsession and consumes all our energies, thoughts, and dreams.
2. The chimera is based on unconscious longings: belonging, acceptance, proving yourself, being good enough, popularity, parental unconditional love, proving our doubters that they were wrong, having a chip on the shoulder.
3. We project our fantasy onto a tabula rasa.
4. Often the chimera is a panacea, a cure-all for all our woes.
5. The Absolute Fallacy
6. The Transcendence Fallacy
7. The Bitch Goddess Fallacy
8. The inevitable despair of the chimera. George Bernard Shaw said there are two great tragedies in life: Not getting what we want and getting it.
9. The cycle of ongoing chimeras, people who never learn and who go in circles, jumping from one chimera to the next.
10. The paradox of the chimera: Chimeras destroy us but they also feed our dreams and in some ways give us strength, drive, motivation, and vitality that we otherwise wouldn’t have.
11. The need for the chimera: We must have stars in the horizon for which he can row our oars.
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