I have been a fan of Game of Thrones since the first book came out (or probably obsessed with it). Many people may not like it because of the nudity, incest, blood bath and murder but behind every event or every character, there are some lessons that each and every one of the characters teach you. George R.R. Martin may have not intended that but then again, I can see it as clear as crystal. Here are some of them.
(Warning: May have some spoilers and flashbacks. Proceed with caution)
1. Too much love will kill you.
There is more to life than love. Take Tyrion for example. Tyrion Lannister is the type of character that wants to be loved. If he loves someone, he expects them to love him back. Since he was a boy, he has been craving that love from his father, Lord Tywin Lannister because he is a dwarf and as he has said so himself, “All dwarves are bastards in their fathers’ eyes.” He craves that love from the start. In addition, he fell in love with a girl, Tysha. However that love story did not end well. Since then, Tyrion craved love from everyone. He fell in love with Shae, a whore but ended up betraying him after falsely testifying against Tyrion in the trial of Joffrey’s murderer (not to mention she slept with his daddy). Tyrion continuously craved that love which ended up with him dying emotionally and killing someone physically.
I realized by looking into his story that love is not what makes the world go around. You cannot love somebody expecting them to love you back. There are other things to enjoy other than love and relationships and all that fuzzy muzzy stuff. So go forth and live life your way.
2. Love everyone. Befriend a few. Trust no one.
This lesson might be extremely negative from your point of view but this is very relevant and quite helpful. In this world of competition and power struggles, you can only rely on yourself. There might be some instances were you really need to rely on other human beings to survive but at the end of the day, you alone can only trust your gut. Each and every decision that you make is yours and yours alone to make. Ned Stark trusted Littlefinger too much because of the superficial assistance and appearance that he is showing. We never expected Littlefinger to be the greatest manipulator ever but then again, good old Ned should have confirmed more and delved deeper into it. After all, Littlefinger used to adore his wife.
The current state of the world is all about competition, deny it or not. Everyone is trying to get ahead of everybody, they try to be superficially caring and all but deep inside there is always that chronic bastard or bitch that lives inside us. Thus I learned to be careful with who I trust or if I could help it, really trust no one.
3. Life is unfair.
As what this gif is saying, life is just unfair. There are things that will end good and there are just some things that will end way worse than you are expecting it to be. Theon Greyjoy found that the hard way. So did the Starks of Winterfell. Even the Lannisters who did everything to gain power and be in a good situation are now ending up like shit in a pig pen. In the world of Game of Thrones, you are life is as good as you are. Being that nobody is perfectly good, that means their lives are not perfectly good at all.
What goes around comes around as the song says. Everything happens for a reason. May it be good or bad, it has every bit of reason as you are. It might be for the better or worse but it depends on how you decide to act upon it. There will be people that are greater than you or people lesser than you (YES THEY EXIST! DEAL WITH IT!). There is no such thing as “All men are created equal.” Some people may have been born with disease, some with their minds hanging upside down or some with good or bad genetics. But the key is to make the most of what you have been given. You have been given life and it’s your choice what to do with it.
People may push you down or pull you up. You’re gonna have successes, you’re gonna have failures but the key is to keep moving forward every single day. In school, if you feel overwhelmed, you have a chance to extend the deadlines but in real life, there is no such shit as extensions. Deal with it homie.
4. Every family is complicated. But still, love them anyway.
The Lannisters are perhaps the most fucked up family in all of Westeros. Well, that is if you don’t count the Starks’ luck. A dictatorial utilitarian of a father, incestous brother and sister and the leacherous imp. Yep. That’s the composition of the richest house in all seven kingdoms. But then again, as Tywin said “It’s the family that lives on. Not your personal glory, not your pride but family.” He was right in so many ways. Cersei might have to learn it for many more years but Jaime and Tyrion certainly learned it from the very beginning. They may have had their differences but they still think of themselves being brothers.
Regardless of the perks of your family, you still should love them. Your father might be a drinker, a horrible jokester or a non-existent entity (figuratively). Your mother might be a nagger, a mediocre cook or a non-existent entity (figuratively). Your brother might be a bully, a spoiled dickhead or a non-existent entity (figuratively). Your sister might always have that chronic bitch face until she dies, perhaps a clumsy person or a non-existent entity (figuratively). Nevertheless, they are your family. Your blood is as volatile as yours. You make sure you love them because at the end of the day, you’re still gonna go back to them. 🙂
5. If you think you are above another person, think again.
Where can I begin with this one? Joffrey is a mighty fine example of this lesson regarding arrogance, boasting and its opposite. Joffrey has no right to the throne first of all and the way he ascended is just distasteful including Ned’s head being chopped off. But then again, this boy thinks of himself as the true ruler. He has that sadistic nature, the spoiled attitude from mommy Cersei and the extreme arrogance to boot. But then again, all “good” things must come to an end like this:
This goes to show that the moment you become arrogant and full of yourself, your downfall starts from there. You should always keep your feet on the ground, think of the world as your peer, not necessarily your equal but always learn to downplay yourself. A little bit of humility always helps. And yeah, not being a pompous brat is also key. Always remind yourself that you are a normal human being just like everybody else.
6. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorn
This is for you gents. Women are never meant to be derided, scorned, hurt or physically, emotionally or mentally tormented. They are meant to be loved. They are lovely human beings. I honestly think that anyone who hurts a woman is a douche. General rule for myself. Never beat a woman, that’s what I teach my students at placement especially the males. Jon Snow and Yggrite were very much like that. Jon never meant to betray Yggrite. He was doing his duty but he truly loved her.
And just remember that women, like men are very capable of getting back. Newton’s third law states that for every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction. What you see is what you get. So good luck dealing with a woman’s wrath.
7. Use your head
Tyrion definitely is one character that used his wits a lot. You can actually learn a thing or two from him. Well most of the time he gets ruled by the cravings for love, but you cannot deny he uses his brains very well in the tightest situations (not to mention words).
People usually get ruled over by emotions and beliefs. They assume too much and think too little. Most are also hot heads who rush like there’s no tomorrow without even considering the consequences of their actions. They even speak harsh words without even knowing their real meanings. This is one lesson everyone should remember. Have some common sense. Since common sense is a sense not common to all.
8. Nothing is safe so don’t be complacent
Ned Stark learned it the hard way. Robert Baratheon went first though. Robb Stark also got the same fate in the end. In the war-like world of Westeros were everything is backstabbing, scheming and fighting, there is no such thing as safe, complacency and a proper life. Very much the same as the world today.
In life, nothing is ever secure. The things that you have right now might probably be gone tomorrow so never settle for safe. Try and take risks. Be confident enough and strong enough to decide for yourself and feel the joys and sadness of your life. You only live once so they say therefore you make the most out of it. Never stop improving yourself. Accept the changes that happened, that are happening and that will happen for change is permanent. Ned Stark could never accept the changes that happened in Kings Landing much less the changes that happened to his friend Robert after he became king. He couldn’t stand the dynamics of the politics of Kings Landing and in the end he lost his head. Robert Baratheon grew complacent after he won the rebellion. He got the Iron Throne but he thought it would be his forever. He was a fine warrior before, The Demon of the Trident, but after he won, his complacency took over him and he stopped improving himself. He drank non-stop, whored and became fat. In the end he took a boar’s tusk to his belly because he was too drunk to kill it.
9. Never make promises you can’t keep.
You never go back on your word. That’s one of the creeds I have in laugh but I always make sure that the promises I make are very realistic and achievable. In nursing, it’s like that too. Never make a promise to a client that you could not keep or much less attain by yourself. It really is disappointing for the people you promised at particularly if they are craving for that thing you promised them.
Robb Stark is definitely a fine example for this one. He promised Walder Frey that he would marry one of his daughters. Walder Frey always wanted a son-in-law from a member of a great house. Inferiority complex you may call it. He wanted a king too, and with Robb styling himself as King in The North, Lord Frey’s cravings even grew more and more. When Robb decided to break his pact with Lord Frey in order to marry Jane Westerling (I’ll stay true to the books because it is not Talisa), Lord Frey felt very disappointed and slighted. Robb was in a position of power and he is just trying to win the alliance of the cunning and unloyal Lord Frey. I cannot blame Lord Frey for murdering Robb and his family at The Red Wedding but honestly, it was Robb who struck first. I know murder was not the solution but a man who could not keep his promises is a man of no worth at all.
In addition to never keeping his promises, Robb is also one of those folks who was ruled by emotions and didn’t know the 7th lesson: Use your head. In all honesty, he deserved his fate.
10. If you want to acquire something, go get it yourself.
This lesson by Ned Stark is something I personally like. The quote above might also mean that the one who fired the gun should be ready to be fired at meaning that if you did something, get ready for the consequences but it could also mean that you want something, you must not rely on others to do it for you. Be a go getter and take that opportunity for your own. What would you have to lose right?
11. Don’t judge people. Don’t underestimate people. Or you will suffer.
Everyone is counting the Stark family out since Ned was beheaded, Robb and Catelyn were murdered at a wedding, Bran was pushed from a window and cannot do a standing ovation anymore, Sansa was kinda Littlefingered, and Arya is off to Braavos. But guess what? They’re not at all helpless even though they might never ever ever get back together as a group. The ones that are desperate prove to be the ones who can conquer anything and the ones that are seemingly crippled and broken are the ones that are sane and whole. Tyrion has been underestimated his entire life but he matches each and everyone of them like a normal person.
In real life, you do not underestimate other people. They might not have the physical gifts that you have or the intellectual capacity that you use or the financial resources that you waste but they are as much capable as you perhaps even more capable. The nerds that you are shunning and calling creeps might be the best fathers, sisters, lovers, friends or professionals than everyone you have ever had in your life, loved in your life, befriended in your life or worked with in your life. The ones that you label poor or stupid or creepy might end up turning the tables on you. Things are not always what they seem that is why NEVER ASSUME, NEVER EXPECT. 🙂
12. People can sometimes be ungrateful of the things you have done. Learn to appreciate.
Yes I can personally attest to this. People I have dealt with in my life have sometimes been ungrateful for the things I have done. They do not appreciate but instead complain of the results even if they did not even lift a single finger on the work. They did not know how I carried the burden and they have the guts to complain. But then again, let it be bygones. People can be assholes too. You just have to learn to live with it and try to avoid getting frustrated over the lack of appreciation because let’s face it, not all people are mature like you. Not all people are as great as you. And not all people can appreciate that greatness. Therefore being the greater and more mature person, it is your duty so to speak to guide them to enlightenment and make them work for it. Don’t be a martyr and try and save them all.
Tyrion saved the people of the city hoping to gain love from the people. Instead the shitheads turned on him when he was accused of murdering Joffrey (which Olena Tyrell actually did with Littlefinger’s help). Yep. They were that ungrateful.
In school, you might have experienced them through group projects but try and be patient. These monkeys don’t know what they are doing. 🙂
13. Everything is more beautiful with some wine in the belly.
Well, not always. But then again, I cannot say since I will never know the taste of alcohol ever again. Fuck you allergies. But going back, alcohol is both a good thing and a bad thing. Scientifically about 2 glasses of wine everyday is good for the health but let’s not dwell on science. Alcohol can sometimes be that push or Felix Felicis that makes you do gutsy stuff, stuff that you would otherwise hide in public (as evidenced by the countless videos I had of drunks).
It also makes you say the feelings that you wanna say, the hate that you want to release and the jokes that you have been suppressing into the inner recesses of your mind. But then again it can also be a bad thing if it is consumed too much. 🙂
14. Unrequited love is always painful. No matter how high you are.
Yes. That irrepressible feeling of love not being given back. It feels like you are trying to punch a brick wall or making two asymptotes meet. One’s a pain in the hand and the other one a pain in the brain. But nevertheless as stated in lesson number one, there is more to life than love. He or she might not like you but it’s their loss you know.
Wait until they realized they let an amazing person go for a trashy one. 🙂
15. Red heads/gingers are gorgeous.
I’ve always been predisposed with ginger girls more than others. But Game of Thrones took the term red-head/ginger to a whole new level (kissed by fire they called it in Westeros).
SANSA STARK WHY YOU GOTTA BE SO PRETTY?!?
16. Love yourself Before Anything Else (That’s what BAE really stands for)
Learn to appreciate your beautiful self whatever perks you may have. You have been created for a purpose and it’s up to you to find out what that purpose is. But always remember, you cannot do anything if you don’t take care of yourself. Accept your perks. Accept your greatness too. Don’t be narcissistic. Recognize still that there are parts of you that need some improvement and there some strong parts in you that you can use. Capacity building! Learn to live with your mistakes and pick yourself up, start anew.
Ok so that’s some of the things that I learned from this series. If you still haven’t watched the show, I encourage you to do so. You may not like medieval or fantasy stories but this one’s not your usual fantasy show. I can guarantee on that. Alright. So long! 🙂
Shots and Sentiments 