Like a book without fault of grammar or spelling, or human without sin or mistake, Atlas is perfection incarnated. He has perfection of body, of mind, and of character. No blunder is found, no matter the sort, as Atlas is akin to time itself.
To look upon the body of Atlas is to look upon virtue itself, for no embodiment of, no contamination of, gluttony or genetic error can be noted. No excess of fat flows over from his midsection nor covers the articulateness of his face; ideal ratios of human form pervade his body: between shoulder and leg, between tricep and bicep, between hip and latissimus, a balanced and proportionate image resides. He has not one mistake of traditional human form.
Though Atlas, much unlike many who are of great body, is not one dimensional in his perfection; Atlas has with his body a great mind.
Doomed to carry the heavens, Atlas has within arms reach all knowledge known to mankind. No riddle, no puzzle, nor question can evade the enclosement of his hand; whenever presented with a challenge of intellect, he need only search through the celestial library, so firmly shouldered, for a solution. Beyond mere human knowing resides the mind of Atlas, a perfectly carved gem, able to provide inferences unfathomable by men.
To accompany Atlas’ supreme intellect and body, a character of highest quality. Atlas has admirable traits of character that we should all strive for, he knows not of weak mindedness nor carelessness. Atlas is a titan of discipline, perseverance, and sacrifice.
No length of time shall break Atlas’ focus from the task he has been given; like a beam holding a bridge, Atlas only suspends duty when matters beyond control force him so. Not anywhere shall there be found throughout his will, like a speck of dust in the household of someone with OCD, a sentiment of surrender or capitulation. Atlas never seeks tasks other than his duty, he never strays mentally from the work to be done. A two-sided coin finds itself to be jealous of the more ideal embodiment of two-sidedness within Atlas, for Atlas embodies the two sides of a good work ethic so perfectly.
Yet Atlas has more to offer, in terms of character, than just discipline and focus. His holding the world up, for sure, requires nothing more than discipline and focus, but he also holds the world as sacrifice.
Rather than escape the damnation bestowed to him, he defiantly performs the punishment given. For an escape would appear to others as though the punishment were too harsh to bear, that the apprehenders can therefore administer a penalty so severe as to induce fear and terror into their captives. But no says Atlas, for he has nothing to fear from his apprehenders; no punishment can be so treacherous as to require him to run or fear another, he bravely and courageously withstands any punishment administered.
Atlas is the soldier who looks heroically at an oncoming army, despite being outnumbered and outgunned, for he knows no fear, he knows no defeat, and has no knowledge of surrender. Atlas, like the single soldier who charges steadfastly into a more forceful opposition, sacrifices himself to show others the truth, to show others that he will not be broken; no punishment, no chains, nor pain shall shatter his passion; under the greatest of weights, he stands. Atlas makes the sacrifice to be imprisoned so we know nothing can be done by the enemy to break our will, no result wherein our courage is broken shall be had; Atlas sacrifices his freedom to bolster our own.
To persevere, to resist, to sacrifice, to continue dutifully and with great diligence, Atlas shall. To avoid gluttony, to correct our error in personhood, and to continuously inspire, Atlas shall. Much akin to time itself, Atlas shall not waiver, through thick and thin, he shall progress forward.
Atlas is ideal, Atlas is perfection, Atlas is the epitome of being; Atlas is the physical embodiment of platonic forms. We should all aim to be like Atlas, we should all note the lessons to be learned from Atlas, we should all heed the guidance given to us by perfection itself. We will not be perfect, as we are riddled with flaws of mind, body, and character. But we are all able of hope, and we are all able to stride intently toward something. For that alone is reason enough to admire Atlas; we cannot be him, though we can be more aligned with him. Let us follow in his image to achieve a better world, a better society, a better life.
