Writing Wednesdays
Icons and Iconization
By Steven Pressfield | Published: July 14, 2010
This is a subject I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. Iconization as an issue in real life–and as a form of Resistance. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.
On their way to iconhood?
First, what is an icon? The dictionary says it’s “an object of worship.” An icon originally was an actual physical artifact—a splinter of the original Cross, say, or an article of apparel once worn by a martyr or a saint. Worship could be directed at this object, as a stand-in or intermediary for some higher embodiment of the divine.
(Some would call this idolatry, but let’s leave that alone for the moment.)
People can be icons
Human beings can be icons too. We make them into icons by worshipping them. Movie stars are icons. (Interestingly, character actors or minor stars are not.) What makes stars into icons is some vivid power or gift that they seem to possess. Angelina Jolie’s ass-kicking sexiness. Jennifer Aniston’s girl-next-door vulnerability. Bette Davis’ eyes.
There already.
When we make a human being into an icon, we endow them in our imagination with a power or gift that we in fact possess ourselves, but are either afraid, or not yet ready to, embrace.
Clint Eastwood is an icon. His movie image, in films like Dirty Harry or Unforgiven and on to Gran Torino, is of a man of suppressed and explosive rage. We, watching him onscreen, endow his character with the power of violent, even fatal payback. We iconize him.
Einstein is an icon. So are Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Gandhi. Today, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are becoming icons.
Real people can be icons too
When we fall in love, we can iconize our beloved. We imagine that they possess powers that we don’t. We love them, at least in part, for those powers. If only we had them! By being with our beloved, maybe some of those powers will rub off on us. But just being with them is often enough.
Iconization and Resistance
Making others into icons is a form of Resistance.
We endow others with powers because we’re afraid to claim those powers for ourselves.
Iconization cuts both ways
When someone falls in love with us, we can get iconized. Since the publication of The War of Art, readers have from time to time tried to iconize me. I’ll get long, soul-baring e-mails, invoking me as if I were Yoda or Obi wan Kenobi, seeking advice and counsel. It’s unnerving.
When you get a note like that, it’s impossible not to see the psychological mechanism behind it—and to be alarmed by it. Clearly the writer is giving away his power. Clearly fear is the motivation. It’s an insult, actually, to be iconized. Because the person doing the iconization is dehumanizing you. But the biggest danger is the harm you can do to the vulnerable individual who has (unconsciously) fallen prey to this very human tendency, which none of us, if we’re honest, can claim to be immune to.
Good mentors and bad mentors
Every good mentor I’ve ever had has deflected my attempts at iconizing them. They refuse to bite. Instead they turn my solicitations back onto me, which is where they belong. You, they remind me, have the power to make that decision, to see through that illusion, to take that action that you are so afraid of. Don’t give me that power, the honorable teacher/shrink/mentor says. It’s yours. Embrace it.
When the iconized person exploits the power that the iconizer has given him, that’s called abuse. Depending on how much he or she exploits it, it can become a crime.
But let’s get back to the bright side.
Catching ourselves in the act
When we catch ourselves iconizing somebody—in real life or in the sphere of celebrity—the smart move is to stop and take a seriously deep breath. What power or gift are we endowing this icon with? Do we ourselves possess that power or gift? What is keeping us from embracing it as our own?
When we take that power or gift for ourselves, we break the spell of the icon. We emancipate ourselves from self-imposed slavery. But this isn’t easy. For some reason, we are terrified of embracing that power or gift that is our birthright as our own.
That’s as far as I’ve gotten on this subject. I’ll be very interested to read the Comments this week. Please, friends, don’t be shy about offering insights. This is important—and interesting–stuff!
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I can remember several times where I have iconized someone. They all tend to be writers. The main thing is wanting to do what they have done, accomplish writing a book and taking it to the end.
The one thing I did find that putting writers on such a high horse made what I felt that I could do look like nothing. These people have finished writing books. Accomplished many great things and they did become iconized in my life; I admit it.
The biggest moment that happened was when I empowered myself. I knew that I could write a book and took that power and used it to fuel my passion of writing and it has worked out great.
I loved the post and agree that empowering others by iconizing them does nothing for us.
M.A Walstad
Very interesting Steven, I have been pondering myself these last couple weeks on ego and self-discipline and how any amount of flattery I get (while it seems to be nice) only harms my following the craft and accomplishing my goals.
You mention iconizing people and becoming a slave, but I’m also thinking about how much it feeds resistance to me when someone says how great I am and “I” let it go to my head.
Self-importance can be a killer.
Gran Torino was a great film, with a great song by Jamie Callum.
I think it would be important to think about the differences and relationships between the words: relic, icon, iconisation, idol and idolatry.
You say it’s unnerving to receive readers’ messages sometimes.Is always the motivation? Have you ever thought about writing a post or two on ‘The Responsibility of the Leader/Teacher’?
Sartre talked about people who go looking for advice always knowing subconsciously what advice they want to be given anyway but this perhaps ignores the essentially human nature of learning, teaching and growth. Does learning like this necessarily have to be such a harsh affair?
In a way, iconization can be good. I’m looking at it from a “this person has accomplished great things and I want to accomplish great things as well” perspective. In this way, iconizing someone helps us formulate a plan of action where we may not have had one before. Sometimes it’s good to be a follower as long as we’re not making ourselves to be clones of someone else.
That said, in person or even via e-mail (like the soul-baring e-mails you mentioned) iconization crosses the line a little bit. You state that it’s unnerving and that makes complete sense. A lot of people fail to realize how much power they have and they dig themselves into a hole by giving that power to others.
Thanks for always making me think.
I think there is a good distinction here worth noting: putting a person’s actions versus the person themselves on the pedestal. There are some studies showing that praising a child as “so smart” actually hinders them in the long run. They begin to think “Well if I’m so smart, and this thing I’m trying to do is so hard, then maybe I’m not as smart as people think I am.” On the other hand, if you praise a child’s effort towards achieving either success or failure, they learn that it’s not some innate attribute that leads them to achieve, but the quantity/quality of work they put into it.
The flip-side is demonization, which is I suppose more obviously destructive.
For example i found my self in a state of irrational fury this morning reading about Sarah Palin’s plstic t*ts.
I live on a different continent. Why do I care?
I often notice a level of devotion bordering on sycophancy in the comments on this blog that would unnerve me (despite that fact that they may be “deserved”).
As a budding writer myself I feel that this kind of unconditional praise can be worthless if not destructive.
heidi ( novartis )
Thanks for the thoughts on iconization, Mr. Pressfield. I have often sought in writing a master, someone who would be The Writer for me. But I think this has held me back from being the writer I was meant to be. There’s room for imitation of writers whose work you admire (Picasso said go ahead and imitate and the part that is original will be you anyway), but when it gets to wanting to be that person (emulation?) then it hurts you. My wife suggested instead of finding a master I just include all my favorite writers in a “Parthenon.”
Okay Steven, I promise to stop invoking you. The first thing I read online this morning was that Marilyn Monroe’s house was for sale. My first thought was, if I had the money, I would buy that house. Why? It must be the icon thing. I think icons are anchors for people in an overwhelming, ever-changing world. I don’t think an icon is a problem as long as you see it as existing apart from your identity. You cross to the dark side when you merge with that icon, when you no longer see it as a symbol representing something else but as a symbol representing who you are. Is this crazy? Absolutely. Do I still want Marilyn’s house? Yes I do.
Hi Steven,
As you know, I am not shy in sharing my thoughts. I love this post.
I was 15 when I became World Champion in Horse Vaulting. It changed my life completely. I had the opportunity to meet well-known people and celebrities when we were honoured. After talking to a few the novelty wore off pretty quickly. This “celebrity thing” is just something we project onto people. Inside they are normal people like you and me. Idolization is rather superficial too cause when you start digging you won’t find the “holy grail”.
On “every good mentor I’ve ever had has deflected my attempts at iconizing them….” – I call that humility.
When I don’t idolise or iconize someone who is well known and treat them with respect I wonder if they think I am being ignorant. I am just looking for substance not superficial stuff.
Maybe that’s why so many of the idolized celebrities end up in rehab or all sorts of other problems cause how can you possibly make sense of this phenomenon?
Great post – thank you so much. In my folder I have 45 “Writing Wednesdays” – 7 more to go and you will have completed a whole year (one for each week = 52 weeks = 1 year).
Much love,
Annette
I think having an icon can be useful in the regard of thinking “what would ________ do?” and then emulating that. In that way, someone could take on a role they wish to see within themselves. It is a safety net when ‘trying on’ a new position. It is only transitionary, if done properly. Eventually the prompt is no longer necessary because the habit or behavior has become their own.
I think in order to maintain proper perspective, the person would have to see that the icon isn’t, in fact, a person, but a concept. That way the person behind the iconic ideal doesn’t get put on a pedestal.
I agree so much with this. I’ve been fortunate (in a sense) to meet several of my ‘icon’ over the years, and they are never as I pictured them. Such is the way of humans! Where this has usually been disappointing at first, I’m later really grateful for the opportunity to “kill the Buddha” and realize that all of those great qualities I saw in them were really facets of myself reflecting back.