Bruce Lee Achatype

By Shad Scott

The Man in The Myth

Like the ancient Greek demigods, such as Achilles, Hercules, and Perseus, Bruce Lee has taken on a similar mythological status in the hearts and minds of the masses. Subsequently, like other mythological figures his real life has become intertwined with fantasy. Within the collective consciousness of millions of fans the archetype for Lee represents the pentacle of heroism, masculinity, invincibility, and fighting prowess. Therefore, it is common for fans to debate and compare the fighting prowess of Lee with established fighters such as Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, George Saint Pierre, and Chuck Norris. This particular facet of the “Lee archetype” is incredibly difficult to measure. Unlike the previously mentioned fighters it is difficult to formulate a method to measure his fighting abilities. However, it is the opinion of the author that one can objectively evaluate the man in the myth through the science of psychology and first hand accounts. This article will attempt to objectively examine the Lee archetype and the man in the myth.

One cannot honestly address the archaically type Lee without acknowledging his iconic film persona. Culturally Lee is an iconic hero with lighting fast reflexes a perfectly chiseled physique, and indestructible. When it comes to martial arts cinema, he invented the wheel. However, his iconic film status has virtually transformed him into a fictional entity (Alderson, 2008). Thus, finding objective views of Lee are increasingly becoming more difficult. To further understand the archaically type Lee; it is prudent to dissect how mental constructs are formed. According to the principles of operant conditioning, behavior is shaped by environmental stimuli in conjunction with reinforcement. Moreover, desirable or pleasurable results increase the likelihood of repeating a behavior. Consistent with this theory, author Paul Bowman suggests the psychological investment and empowerment from sustained fantasy elicits an endorphin release within subjects (Bowman, 2009). Therefore, the fictional entity that Lee plays on screen is closely associated with this biochemical process. Furthermore, the relationship between fantasy and dopamine release increases the likelihood that individuals will further reinforce this relationship. Psychologically, this may offer an explanation to why individuals have difficulty-approaching heroic figures objectively. Perhaps the psychology of idolatry masks our insecurities. Parallel to Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s With a Thousand Faces, Lee’s real journey played out like many mythological heroes. He was an ordinary man who overcame adversity to become extraordinary only to fatally lose his life prematurely. For many, Lee embodies what we can become if we apply ourselves. Author Davis Miller (2000) illustrates the following:

Another big part of Lee’s appeal for me was that he was only about my size. Though he seemed invulnerable, he was short and thin and there was a fragility, an eggshell mortality, about him. If this little bitty guy could be righteous, whuppin’ huge bad guys with such unthinkable speed, power, accuracy, and ratifying beauty, I could, too (p. 5-6).

Subsequently, Lee’s heroic image has overshadowed the man to the extent that it is blasphemous to examine him objectively. One of the most frequently asked questions regarding Lee is, “How good was he?” Fans and syncs commonly pit Lee against fighters of his time, such as Muhammad Ali. Advocates often tout his fighting credibility by citing the numerous street fights that he was victorious in, as syncs reduce Lee to just a movie star. But the question that is often overlooked by fanatics is how good were his opponents? We know how good Ali was because we know how good his opponents were. It is human nature to measure skill by means of inference. Athletes such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Michael Jordan, and John Elway were considered the best in their respective field’s because they competed against and defeated other great athletes in competition. However, when it comes to Lee its almost impossible to quantify his abilities because we simply do not have any record of him going toe to toe against someone of comparable skill. That is not to take anything away from Lee because there is plenty of evidence that he possessed many of the characteristics of an elite fighter.

According to several of Lee’s colleagues, he had many of the abilities that fighters strive for. Joe Lewis states, “Bruce Lee had phenomenal attributes: amazing speed power, strength, reflexes” (Miller, 2000, p.179). In an interview with Mike Miles (1998), Lewis states, “He was the fastest man to ever stand in front of me.” (para. 9). Friend and co-star Bob Wall also agreed with Lewis’s depiction of Lee’s abilities, “He never competed, though we all felt he was good enough to be a lightweight champion” (Whitmore, 1976, p. 62). According to a friend and training partner Chuck Norris: “Lee, pound for pound, might well have been one of the strongest men in the world, and certainly one of the quickest. Whether doing one-handed, two-finger for his size, especially at only 140-145 pounds” (Norris, 2007, para. 9).

While Lee’s colleagues and pupils agree that he was an incredible specimen there is discrepancy when it comes to his fighting proficiency. Among his colleagues Joe Lewis was perhaps the most adamant that Lee was not a fighter but a trainer. Lewis states, “Bruce was not a fighter. He was an actor and a teacher. He was a great teacher” (bruceleedivinewind, para. 10, 2000). Former karate champion and friend Mike Stone, suggest that Lee’s motives for training established fighters was to give credibility to his art without having to risk losing. Stone asserts, “If one verbally proclaimed his greatness and the invincibility of his style but did not want to take the chance of its been disproved in the ring, what would be the next best thing? Train with the people who already are the best. Bruce knew that” (Graden, see section 533, 2014). Unlike the fictional portrayal of Lee in the biopic film–Dragon, he was the son a famous opera actor and a famous child actor in his own right. Similar to modern action stars the characters he played on screen had to be congruent with his off screen image. Thus Lee had a lot more to lose than to gain by fighting in competition.

According to Jungian theory, the hero archetype symbolizes the character formation that is refined through sacrifice, suffering, and struggle. “The hero's triumphs and defeats are the paradigms of the individual's confrontation with the challenges of his or her own individual life—no matter how mundane or exalted” (Myth & Psyche, para. 9). In the late 60’s Lee was a struggling actor searching for his big break. Despite the barriers he faced including blatant racism, he had an unrelenting will to succeed. In January of 1969 Lee wrote:

I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness.

Prophetically, he achieved everything he aimed for with one exception–to achieve inner harmony. The man behind the lens struggled from day to day trying to cope with the frailties of being human. The allure of fame and recognition came with a price. Toward the end of his short life, he was struggling with anxiety, insomnia, and paranoia. The pressure of having to live up to his invincible onscreen persona only increased with fame (Bleecker, 1996). According to Jungian psychology, the persona is nothing more than a mask we wear to shield the world from our true self (Cherry, 2014).

At the height of his prominence Shaw Brothers Studios (Run Run Shaw) publicly offered a contract to anyone who could best Lee in combat. Everywhere he went, he was someone’s path to fame. Lee became a recluse, carried weapons, and would self-medicate by eating hash. When he finally got the opportunity to do the Hollywood picture that he had longed for he was petrified. Lee’s battle with anxiety delayed shooting for two weeks (Bleecker, 1996). This was his most defining moment in cementing his status as a global superstar. To arrive at the edge of one’s comfort zone and take the leap of faith into the unknown is a part of every hero’s journey. If Lee had surrendered to anxiety, it is plausible that he wouldn’t be the cultural icon that he is today. When we elevate a man to a status of infallibility, we also strip him of his humanity. Perfection cannot be separated from imperfection; rather excellence is a product of overcoming our weaknesses. According to world champion fighter Mike Stone, “Bruce was a man granted an exceptionally talented and gifted man but a man nonetheless. It was his human qualities, including flaws and frailties, that made him a greater man” (Graden, see section 641, 2014).

References

Alderson, B. M. (2008). The Bruce Lee, Pro Boxing Connection. Retrieved January 2014, from http://philboxing.com/news/story-15207.html

Behind the scenes of 'Enter the Dragon' - Fightlinker.com | RM Sports. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2014, from http://fightlinker.com/behind-the-scenes-of-enter-the-dragon/