By Michael W. Hoskins
You never know the lessons that can spring up unexpectedly to tie together thoughts on insects, Greek philosophy and being a fraternity man and better human to those around us.
That happened recently for me when reading a book about the culture politics of disease and healthcare. One passage struck a chord, grabbing hold of my mind and rekindling memories of college courses, classical literature, and general life lessons that started with Sigma Pi decades before.
The book author illustrates an experience he had in 2004, walking on a college campus himself and hearing the orchestra of cicada song springing from every tree up above. He noted that to ancient Greek philosophers, these vocal insects represented spiritual ecstasy, rebirth, immortality. Plato, for example, invokes the images of cicadas in Phaedrus to symbolize both restraint and honor, narratively crafting a link between personal control and dignity. Essentially, Plato’s protagonist in the book, Socrates, talks about resisting the cicada song and not succumbing to laziness but instead practicing restraint. A disciplining of the passions, taming temptation and exercising self-control.
Greek philosophy aside, cicadas are remarkable on their own as they only live a short time to sing and mate before hatching eggs and going underground for another stretch of nearly two decades. They pretty much live in the moment, doing their duty while also living out their passions in short order. It only happens once every 17 years, at least for some of the more particular types of cicada, making 2021 the next time this 17-year brood is to return in full force.
Of course, I couldn’t help being fascinated that the book author here notes this all transpired in 2004 — coincidentally the same year that I moved to Indiana for my first daily newspaper job and covered that very same cicada emergence. In another twist, any Sigma Pi man knows our fraternity history that we began way back in 1897 at a small college in the southern-most corner of Indiana. The Hoosier State for the win, once again.
This all came full circle when reading that book passage, flashing back to my college days and all that’s come in the many years following that period of my life. Much has changed in the world. Personally, I am grateful to have grown up in a time before social media. When the Internet (see World Wide Web) was in its infancy and just starting to come into its own by the time I graduated as an Omega from Oakland University. Our lives weren’t chronicled online for everyone to see, but more importantly our collective brains hadn’t yet been rewired by this technology.
For all the good that technology and social media can bring, there are side effects that have taken years to recognize in culture and society.
These days, our attention spans are shorter. We don’t read anything the same way we once did. So much of our interaction happens with the click of a keyboard, text messaging or even online video. How much of this is evident when going out for an evening, and seeing those around us not fully engaged with each other but drawn into the technological screens at our fingertips? Or those who resort to Google and Internet searches for quick answers, rather than drawing from information they’ve learned and retained from long ago?
For too many people, the ability to think critically and engage in reasonable, rational conversation has been trampled by polarization, instant-gratification and confirmation bias.
Often, I feel too many of us fall into that trap of being entranced by the song of the cicada and not exercising necessary restraint or self-control in how we live our lives.
You can always trust Greek philosophers to bring it home, with Plato and Pythagoras and Socrates and Aristotle all expounding on themes that are very in line with cicadas and life itself – and are key parts of how we’re supposed to live as Sigma Pi men in this world.
I look back to the cicadas and my Sigma Pi teachings, as lessons in self-restraint and being a better person, when contemplating how quickly one must respond on social media or (gasp!) in-person discussion. The need to be right, to persuade others forcefully that they’re viewpoints aren’t correct, pervades our life to the extent that it often feels too exhausting or pointless to engage with others for a greater good.
You also may think back on the cicadas when reflecting fondly on those we’ve lost over the years, whether it be a Brother or family or friend. Sometimes, special people in our lives are suddenly gone unexpectedly, while others live full lives before they come to a close. Everything can change in an instant, and it comes back to balancing everything in how we carry ourselves through today and tomorrow.
All of this shapes how I interact with people. Sometimes, I succeed. More often, I fail.
Is this one of the four pillars of brotherhood that Pythagoras has written about, the Application of Divine Wisdom being brought into daily life? Who knows. I certainly don’t. I’m not that wise.
But I am trying. I’m a continuing work in progress, which is man and woman’s distinctive mark alone.
For that, I appreciate what I have learned and continue to learn from Sigma Pi.
And the cicadas, of course.
