What For, Metamorphosis Metaphor?

People love the metamorphosis of the butterfly for the same reason that they fail their new years resolutions, time and time again. They believe that an instantaneous change in their nature is possible – that they might some day transform from the desperate, dirty, ground dwelling beast that they are, into the metaphorical butterfly. They wish to abandon all their flaws and then float proudly above the rest, sporting beautiful ornamented wings. This idealization is profoundly flawed on two accounts.

The first flaw is that this sort of change of one's form is impossible. Aspiring a difference in form or character is something probably wanted by humans since the start of when they began wanting things at all. I suppose everyone would, and should want to improve themselves. The butterfly metamorphosis misrepresents personal improvement by illustrating the possibility of a dramatic change in oneself within a short span of time. Self improvement requires incremental progress; the human mind simply will not accept a proposal to radically change its lifestyle in a single day. To deny this is to deny both the findings of modern psychology, and the conclusions of hundreds of thinkers and philosophers from antiquity. Not only is it wrong, the butterfly metamorphosis as a conception for human change is harmful. Upon attempting such a metamorphosis, and of course failing miserably, a person may believe that they are to blame, and that they are simply not capable of improvement. In fact however, everyone is capable of improvement, but no one is capable of making huge positive changes instantly. The key to ‘becoming the butterfly’ is to ignore how the butterfly accomplished its goal. Taking small steps one at a time is the only way to enact positive change in oneself. This is the first flaw of the idealization of the metamorphosis of the butterfly.

The second flaw of this mythos is that it illustrates a false improvement. The desire to improve oneself is understandable, but to idolize the butterfly over the caterpillar is either a mistake of zoology or a mistake of character. The caterpillar is a much more noble and respectable animal than the butterfly. In terms of analogy to human character, I see this metamorphosis as a degeneration.

The caterpillar is an animal of unashamed ugliness, an animal of desperation, and consequently, an animal of impressive grit and capability. The caterpillar is not afraid of the mud and dirt as it surges through the underbrush, seeking nutrition wherever it may be found, fleeing from or fending off predators all the while. The butterfly on the other hand appears a delicate creature who would not dare to touch the dirt. The butterfly is superficially beautiful, but weak of will and purpose. It periodically sips on nectar, and otherwise spends time flaunting its beauty, so that other butterflies may recognize it and the creatures on the ground may envy it.

What is more despicable than to be fragile, beautiful, and vain, as in the character of the butterfly, looking down upon others writhing in the dirt, with an attitude of superiority and arrogance? Only one thing is more despicable than this. That is, initially, to be among the caterpillars, and to know directly what it is like to writhe in the dirt while those arrogant purveyors of beauty watch on. The despicable thing is to have known this experience, but regardless, through a massive failure of empathy, desire only to leave behind one's peers in the dirt to join those watchers. To want to be a butterfly is to want to switch sides so to speak, in a single day, to join the exclusive club of the prideful and beautiful – to join those who have only ever offered you and your brethren scorn, and then immediately follow suit, traitorously scorning those who were so recently brethren.