duty is heavier than a mountain, death lighter than a feather

[Southpaw89]

what does this quote actually mean? My first read through the series I of course read it but never stopped to really work through what it really meant. What is the deeper meaning to it?

[Leyrann]

The meaning is that you must not run away, and do what you should do. Even if doing that is heavier than a mountain, and fleeing lighter than a feather.

[Finnssss22]

It means it's easier to die than to work for something.

It takes no effort to die.

[Mandro]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

[MasterAblar]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

 

No offence, but why particularly in the US?

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

not particularly anywhere, more than anywhere else, imo. more of a where you are in your life and what you're facing type of thing.

 

death can come as a relief, a surcease from suffering and... the weight of responsibility. the duty which is heavier than a mountain.

 

this is, to me, one of the most straightforward things RJ ever said. kind of hard to explain it better than the quote itself does.

[spoke]

It is also quite metaphorical. Lews Therin Killed himself while escaping his duty, thus creating a mountain. Now that he is reborn as Rand, he has his duty to perform, and if he doesn't perform his duty creation and rebirth will cease to exist. So not only is it saying described as those others who have mentioned, but it ties in quite literally to Rand's Character.

 

Duty is heavier than a mountain, death is light as a feather.

 

The culmination came in the chapter "Veins of Gold"

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

interesting. hadn't made that connection before.

[LeeM.Erickson]

I always figured it meant death is easy (in that anyone can die, it takes no talent on anyone's part), while doing what's right is difficult.

[Mandro]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

 

No offence, but why particularly in the US?

 

Non-conscript, higher rate of activity, and the fact we are the best. :)

[TheDragon]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

 

No offence, but why particularly in the US?

 

Non-conscript, higher rate of activity, and the fact we are the best. :)

Of course you are...

[bsmnt23]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

 

No offence, but why particularly in the US?

 

Non-conscript, higher rate of activity, and the fact we are the best. :)

 

Hell yeah, we are.

 

Dying is easy; hats something you are going to do eventualy anyway. It's how you choose to live that is what makes you what you are.

[Kahsm]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

 

No offence, but why particularly in the US?

 

Non-conscript, higher rate of activity, and the fact we are the best. :)

Of course you are...

 

Deadliest Warrior on Spike TV claims otherwise ;)

Clearly indisputable science there.

[MasterAblar]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

 

No offence, but why particularly in the US?

 

Non-conscript, higher rate of activity, and the fact we are the best. :)

 

Well, I'm half American so I don't really mind being the best.

[RAbbott85]

Anyone who has been in the service, particularly the US, knows the answer.

 

In service everyday you know what you MIGHT have to do, and all potentials pile onto your shoulders, and if you can take it you an march forward and do things that you never expected. Death is easy, because only wuss bags bag out and kill themselves but those who serve, they find one more step to march forward and make a difference, because that is their duty, and their priveledge.

 

No offence, but why particularly in the US?

 

Non-conscript, higher rate of activity, and the fact we are the best. :)

 

Yep. The best. Hands down.

[rageofwar1978]

It has always meant to me that in doing the things that you are meant to do... aka the right things in life it can be very hard. Dying is simpler sometimes than facing our pasts and our future. Anyone that has gone through a divorce for instance can take very particular meaning from the saying i think.

[yoniy0]

Well, @Mandro, I actually do take offense to that. Jokes aside, a great many people give their lives for their countries; Americans have no special standing in regard to doing their duty or suffering hardship (an enlisted man in the US army, navy or air force hardly sees the most action, anyway). Also, kindly pay more respect to the dead; dying (and suicide in particular) is not something you should make levity of.

[Mandro]

Sacrifice isn't suicide. I'm American, and I was a Marine, one of the things that builds skill in the case of war is faith in service. I had it then, and I still do. I was joking about the Best thing, but based on an actual reality. I take pride, I believe in my nation, and in my service. Everyone who has those things, no matter the nation will believe the same. I'm not going to apologize Yoniy0, It is how I feel, and part of what got me through crappy times. As I'm sure it does a great many of other servicemembers of other nations.

 

What I did was not insulting, it was the common ribbing that comes within that world, just look at how different people in the same nation, or even the same service interact, you rib eachother, but it's like those things that brothers do without cruelty, just out of a mean sort of fun.

[yoniy0]

I'm not looking for an apology (nor did I say suicide was the same as sacrifice). In fact, I take no issue with your assertion that the US is 'teh best'. That's just what everyone believes of themselves -- and there's no harm in saying so aloud, especially when said with humor.

 

It's the other part of your comment that I dislike. The part about actually believing that Americans know more of the rest of us about duty and sacrifice. You may believe as you wish, but in this case saying so is offensive, because it devalues the hardships endured by many people worldwide that happen not to be Americans.

 

All that is fine, and my taking offense doesn't mean that you should apologize (it does mean you might think about not repeating those statements in the future, but that's a separate issue). What I actually do think would be decent of you to retract is the part about calling people who died names. Be it by catching a stray bullet or actually taking their own lives in the service, they don't deserve your ridicule.

[Jon Paul]

Strange. I always took it to mean get you arse in gear, you can rest when you're dead. That is to say death is a release you should not fear, but you'be got a job to do until then.

[Mandro]

I'm not looking for an apology (nor did I say suicide was the same as sacrifice). In fact, I take no issue with your assertion that the US is 'teh best'. That's just what everyone believes of themselves -- and there's no harm in saying so aloud, especially when said with humor.

 

It's the other part of your comment that I dislike. The part about actually believing that Americans know more of the rest of us about duty and sacrifice. You may believe as you wish, but in this case saying so is offensive, because it devalues the hardships endured by many people worldwide that happen not to be Americans.

 

All that is fine, and my taking offense doesn't mean that you should apologize (it does mean you might think about not repeating those statements in the future, but that's a separate issue). What I actually do think would be decent of you to retract is the part about calling people who died names. Be it by catching a stray bullet or actually taking their own lives in the service, they don't deserve your ridicule.

 

I did not ridicule, I defined a difference. I got stabbed by a murderer. Not in any real way, but because I kept him from stabbing me in a real way (don't care to share more of the story) Dying by accidental situation, is completely different from dying by willful action. In the former, it's a tragedy, in the latter, it's heroism.

[yoniy0]

On this, finally, we can agree (though apparently we don't see eye to eye on the definition of 'wuss bags' )

[lionroars]

What's the origin of this quote? The earliest reference I can find to this are the code of ethics to Japanese soldiers pre-ww2.

[Guest Bobwhite]

          The point of this saying is in book 4 when Rand practices the sword with Lan in front of the Aiel <who despise him for training with a sword> .. in the heat of the desert he is worn out when Ruric <may get names spelled wrong>  comes up and tosses him a spear and tells him to train the spear with him..when Rand looks at Lan exaustedly and asks Lan metaphorically "do u ever get to put that mountain down"  he is implying to the saying Lan taught him..Duty is as heavy as a mountain, death as light as a feather.  Lan of course responsed plainly as is the nature of his character.  "Yes,  when u die."  meaning that Rand can give up the burdon anytime he wants to;  that of always doing the right thing regaurdless of what it costs him personally,  of saving the world, of dealing with people who openly use him,  manipulate him, and hate him.  All he has to do is lay down and die.....

 

    A perfect example of this mentality is what a parent relises the moment u hold ur first child in ur arms.  That u are now responsible for them, and thier child , and thiers, until the day u die.  It is what makes us human, and gives us hope,  that we can aspire to dream such tenacity of spirit, if only in a book.  That should we be "choosen" in this world that we would accept the "mountain" with humble shoulders, and do that, which must be done.

 

      but the mountain can be so heavy for such mortal souls as ours,  and so for now, in this world, I can only hopefully wish a farewell of "peace":

 

Hoping that one day it will be more then a dream.   

 

 

[Guest Action Sauce]

Rand's duty is to fight the Dark One in the Last Battle. If you put yourself in his shoes, you'd know that that would be a difficult thing to do. Men would fight for you, and die for you. You'd have to take the weight of all their deaths, and still perform your duty so that their effort is not in vain. You'd also have to kill people who stand in your way. To bear the knowledge that if you ever fail, ever show a sign of weakness in the Last Battle, tens of thousands will have died in vain, is really what it means by carrying a mountain on your shoulders. To kill yourself would be the easy way, to free your own soul, but to doom everyone else around you. So suicide is not an option.

Rand tried to avoid the pain by making himself hard, so that he wouldn't have his emotions to slow him down in the Last Battle. In that mindset, he was too focused on winning, rather than thinking about what his new personality must be doing to those close to him. He would be able to do things he would never have done before, sacrificing part of his humanity in exchange for efficiency in the war. In a way, Rand chose the easy way. He finally righted himself afterwards, but that required him to pick up the mountain of pain he had left behind in reshaping himself.

That's my interpretation of the saying.