Examining the Athenian-Aresian Dichotomy
Introducing a New Sex-Based Archetype Dichotomy, and On the Importance of Differentiating Between the Individual and the Will
“Nietzsche was correct about the Apollonian Dionysian dichotomy, but what is equally important is the Athenian Aresian dichotomy,” writes a controversial anonymous account on X.
“Athena represents strategic warfare. Ares represents lust for battle.
Strategy and bloodlust, wisdom and rage, Athena and Ares: we need both.”
Indeed, we need both. The Hellenist is not known for presenting subtle socio-political positions on Elon’s X. However, once in a while, the account will post striking conversation pieces that are worthy of further examination. The aforementioned post is one of those occurrences.
The Apollonian-Dionysian Dialectic Explained
The Apollonian-Dionysian dichotomy is a device often used as a modern heuristic to evaluate individual occurrences within society that is still highly influential with thought-leaders today.
For the uninitiated, the Apollonian-Dionysian dichotomy is a philosophical concept representing an almost cosmic duality experienced in our lives, best illustrated and embodied by the figures of Apollo and Dionysus. Although its popularization is widely attributed to The Birth of Tragedy by Friedrich Nietzsche, the general idea was a fixture of the overarching Zietgiest experienced within the last few centuries, being cited by other great thinkers such as Johann Joachim Winckelmann among others, and is a permanent feature of Occidental philosophy.
Both Apollo and Dionysus are sons of Zeus. While Apollo is the enlightened son of Leto; master of man’s natural inclination towards logic, the fine arts, science, music, fidelity, and general prudence; Dionysus, son of Semele, embodies man’s desire for pleasure, debauchery, and losing oneself to the intoxication of personal pleasure and spirits. Dionysus is the god of the final liberation and the dissolution of the individual vital essence (ego-death) that occurs in the process of deconstruction; whereas Apollo presides over the process of individuation that comes with constructivist thought and development. While, in theory, these two deities would appear to be natural-born rivals – both are necessary for the existence of one another. Apollonian-Dionysian juxtapositions have appeared throughout the dialectical process of civilizational progress.
However, although this dichotomy is a valuable device to interpret the world around us (as well as determine which deity best epitomizes your individual temperament and psychological profile) it does not encapsulate the entirety of your being; namely, how you should interpret and engage with the world around you.
Differentiating Between the Individual and the Will
An individual experiences the world from two different foundational platforms of being: that being, one’s Individual temperament and one’s Will.
Temperament is comprised of biochemical, psychological, and other internalized idiosyncrasies shaping an individual’s character profile and emotional constitution. Several rules of thumb could be applied here to better understand the material world and other individual phenomena. For instance – and it is perhaps slightly reductionary to pose this suggestion, although often true, that – men are typically more Apollonian beings, whereas women are often more Dionysian. (Yes, of course, exceptions occur). Additionally, there is also the Orientalist interpretation of the Dionysian spirit, responsible for imbuing the Eastern cultures with the exotic spirit of the chaotic feminine, while the West is continually possessed by the innovating spirit of Apollo, with its cultures largely impenetrable to external Oriental influence and warfare.
Cultures are no doubt a conglomeration of the individualized wills and temperaments of separate peoples, ethnicities, tribes, clans, and races; each one embodying the spiritual elements of either the Apollonian or Dionysian pneuma. Every individual exhibiting these unique traits are mainly influenced by a predetermined set of physical and biological modifiers developing their predictions.
For instance, a typical woman, subject to the cyclical hormonal structure of female development, exhibits the disordered and periodic evolution of consciousness often so characterized by the Dionysian ethos. (Also interesting to note the cadre of female devotees Dionysus would predictably attract beyond the attention of men – his Bacchae.) While one woman may enjoy the Dionysian spirit to a greater degree than another, it is frequently the case that in great numbers, women generally embody the Dionysian spirit.
Then, there is the question of Will. While temperament and character certainly influence the direction and usage of one’s Will, is not, in and of itself, the substance of Will.
There is a very important question we must ask ourselves, and it is a question both science and philosophy have yet to answer: what separates the Individual from their Will? Does Free Will exist?
Although it is difficult to ascertain the components of Will, and whether or not it is entirely determined by biological factors, environmental influence, or even something more – it is, at the very least, easy to distinguish from other externalized factors such as these when it is being demonstrated. It is determined by one’s decision-making abilities, their agential progression, and, to a certain degree, one’s Intelligence Quotient.
Will, in large part, is best observed when someone decides to externalize oneself. It is demonstrated by one’s ability to manipulate the material and conceptual world around them, and exert themselves – namely, their identity – accordingly. Take note that I am not speaking on one’s agency alone (like I have in the past) but rather only how much agency one possesses.
Examining the Athenian-Aresian Dialectic
Ares, son of Zeus and Hera, and half-brother to Athena, is the deity of war. He primarily embodies the valor, brutality, and physical prowess associated with the savagery of war as well as the bloodlust required for its success. In contrast, his sister Athena, also a deity of war, functions rather differently. She specifically presides over military tactics, strategy, and statecraft necessary for success in wartime and effective governance. Athena's military superiority to Ares was culturally determined in part by the fact that she represented the intellectual aspect of war in addition to the virtues of justice, whereas Ares represented mere ruthlessness. Regardless, both temperaments synthesized are required for triumph.
While Apollo and Dionysus are useful figures in interpreting Individual constitution and the metaphysical components of one’s character and motivations behind an action, it appears that the Athenanian-Aresian dichotomy can be used to interpret the Will of our personal development, particularly, how one decides to implement actions in order to impart their agential will and motivations into the physical world.
The natural, assumption here is that if one so happens to dramatically possess the Dionysian ethos, he will also naturally gravitate towards the Aresian Will, or one who is more Apollonian will instinctively embrace Athenian Will. I assert that there is no such connection. Any so-called ‘obvious’ connection that sexually is shared between the two dialectics is spurious.
For example, let’s consider the differences shared between the sexes once again. While men may be more so clearly manifesting the Apollonian spirit, his directly conflictual nature aligns himself more naturally with the Aresian Will. Joyce Benenson explains this best in her essay on female conflict styles, saying:
“From early childhood onwards, girls compete using strategies that minimize the risk of retaliation and reduce the strength of other girls. Girls’ competitive strategies include avoiding direct interference with another girl’s goals, disguising competition, competing overtly only from a position of high status in the community, enforcing equality within the female community and socially excluding other girls.”
Classifications of the Sexes Explained
Whether it be due to biological realities or social factors, it is apparent that women will typically administer strategic methods at inflicting their Will and assessing their agential position on others through an Athenian style of combat. Women are more systematizing, detail-oriented, and dissecting in their approach to the material world than their masculine counterparts.
Needless to say, these are generalities.
There is also the issue of semi-turbulent personalities (sT); individuals who suffer common psychological woes who have failed to completely assimilate to the functional culture, albeit, have very normal motivations and can easily resolve their turbulent nature with psychological and/or medical persuasion. These are the peoople who are unable to garner any sense of balance in their fixed personalities. Specifically, these include Apollonian-Athenian males and Dionysian-Aresian females. This classification is less so common that the previously mentioned classification, however, it still constitutes a rather large portion of the human populace. The common problems plaguing these individuals are basic family structural issues placing a damper on personal development well into one’s childhood, particularly, as it pertains to the child’s relationships with the opposite-sex parent. This includes men who suffer poor relationships with their mothers, also known as having“mommy issues,” and women with poor or absent relationships with their fathers, also commonly referred to as “daddy issues.”
Then, there is the problem of pure-turbulent personalities (pT), simply referred to as the ‘maladaptive.’ These are Dionyisan-Athenian men, and Apollonian-Aresian women, or, their alternative extreme classifications of the opposing sex (pT-s); Dionysian-Aresian men and Apollonian-Athenian women (yours truly). These individuals take up the least amount of the human population and whose motivations are characteristically difficult to understand nor is it socially adaptive behavior. This personality profile will be developed early from childhood as a result of a myriad of problems, many of which are still to be determined. However, the best explanation for the cause of these personalities is a poor relationship with the same-sex parent, that being; young men with a lack of a father figure or a poor/strained relationship with the father, and similarly, girls having a strained relationship with their mothers.
I believe in total free will myself, it makes people are more than simple flesh golems and animals, it makes them truly human. If weak men don’t have free will they should aspire to acquire it. Punch rationalism in the face until it breaks, turn back the dice of fate. It is why the tree of good and evil was put in the garden. Pursuing free will, that is the pursuit of perfection. As actions without free will have no value.
If you are a slave to your emotions you are not free as much as being a slave to a dictator, idea, cult religion or to poverty.
Adding on ares-athena is very interesting. A well adjusted person will be able to employ each side of the dichotomy or cooperate with those that balance them. The Apollonian-athenian will make grand plans but will be incapable of generating vibes and impassioned speech, maybe even motivating themselves out of bed and so will need a Dionysian-Aresian to motivate people to carry their plans out.
The Dionysian-Aresian alone, controlled by their emotions will manipulate and chaotically warp everything around them in a black hole until it destroys even themselves. If only we could fuse Curtis Yarvin and Nala Ray together without it neutralizing.
I encourage you to develop this archetypal model in the realms of tradition, ethics, politics, and epistemology. It is certainly innovative while also being functional. Of course, a functional archetype seldom aligns with pure historical example, although this does not impact the usefulness of the model in question. Unlike Nietzsche, your model is more aligned to Tradition, and I would advise you to explore Evola's concept of the "Hyperborean Apollo" in Revolt Against the Modern World. I only suggest this because, unlike Nietzsche, Evola doesn't relegate Apollo to the realm of pure "human reason", but ascribes a transcendent, pre-mental quality to this type of Thought (which, in practical terms, may be construed as between mundane logic/reason and will in a higher capacity, such as "psychic" abilities).
As you already understand the fundamental differences between men and women (and Athena/Ares as a result), Evola may be more useful in this case. Regardless, great work. If my newsfeed can be compared to a desert, this article was a welcomed oasis.