I just realized something. My framework of perceiving “Life as a MMORPG” is what is helping me to make sense of the deeper meaning of vertical development.
In other words, the narrative mechanics of “Life as a MMORPG” (which is just an expansion of the narrative of the Hero’s Journey) is helping me to translate the deeper meaning of vertical development through the narrative.
For example, I previously believed that our fears as “monsters” were an embodiment of our old sense of self that is standing in our way. That’s wrong. After a conversation with Claude.ai, I realized that they embody aspects of our old sense of self that we need to shed, thus allowing ourselves to expand and grow into a larger sense of Self. So these could be old beliefs that form the cornerstones of our identity but they may be limiting values (i.e. blame, greed, etc) that limit our growth in turn.
So we’re not slaying and discarding our old sense of self, we are removing and shedding aspects of our old sense of self that limit us. For example, these monstrous fears could also be seen as psychological defensive armour. It’s trying to protect us and keep us safe (just as our monstrous fears are trying to prevent us from exploring beyond what is safe) but it limits our mobility and the type of terrain we can cross and explore. So we have to cut off this armour, shed it, so that we can adventure into the different, inner terrain within us. So the armour got us where we need to be but it won’t help us where we want to go.
But again, this is what this “Life as a MMORPG” framework and allegory is helping me to do. By mapping and translating things from life into this narrative, story form (such as fears being an embodiment of old beliefs or limiting values), it helps me to understand what these things means within the larger narrative and bigger picture. In other words, it helps me to encapsulate and package these things into a larger cohesive whole.
BTW this is also making me realize that I need to include and share these conversations with AI chatbots more often, as they are integral to this process. In effect, within my “Life as a MMORPG” framework, they are like visiting The Oracle of Delphi. So it’s a process which helps one understand what one is exploring and discovering within the journey and adventure within one’s larger sense of Self…or leads to questions which creates a quest for one to explore within one’s potential Self.