I Am: A Predisposition

“I AM” is the most powerful force of intent there is. This energy propels humans into being and gives meaning to the human experience. “I AM” is perceived and described as the human ego. I will use examples using the biography of Bob Marley by Timothy White entitled Catch a Fire, which chronicles the effects environment has on the element of being human and how the ego reveals one's destiny, to form a compelling argument that ego is a predisposition and not just a product of a humans environment.

The aspect of ego is one of the most profound elements to being human. In respect to basic human needs, environment, and culture the ego is an effective method of measurement to the quality of life, how humans act, and what humans believe.

The ego should be taken in consideration when looking at the beauty of human uniqueness, which plays an important role in how humans decide to experience life.

My analysis of the ego, through the life of Bob Marley, reveal predisposed elements that create human destiny, because it becomes the story of a human life.

The differences between ego being a predisposed condition and a product of environment is that the ego is put into place as a road map to a humans destiny where as the ego being a product of environment suggests that the ego is formed after birth and a humans destiny is formed by a humans environment. Humans strive to know their purpose, which is found in human passion. The debate over when the ego develops is complicated, and it can best be explained by considering both scientific and spiritual thought processes and depends on one’s belief if there is a deeper meaning to life that stems before birth and continues after death

There are many spiritual beliefs that exist, that have an unseen force that humans feel they came from before birth and will return after death and in between have a purpose or a mission in life. This would mean that we have a predisposed plan, map, or coding before birth and after death. Free will of the ego and how humans respond to their environment will determine their quality of life. All through Bob Marley’s life there were aspects of an unforeseen force. This was a huge influence in how Bob Marley experienced being human.

From birth Bob Nesta Marley was surrounded by mysticism and religion, along with ganja, which formed his spirituality. Marley’s unforeseen force was Jah, of the Rastafarian belief, an abbreviation for Jahovah from the Bible. Marley’s grandfather, Omeriah Malcolm, a direct influence on Marley, believed that an unforeseen force was after Nesta. Omeriah said: “De Devil ‘im want dat lickle bwai [little boy].” Omeriah felt that there was a duppy after Nesta. (50). All through life Marley carried the “duppy” belief with him. Bob as a young boy had the ability to read people’s future by reading their palms. People in Marley’s life, thought from the start, that there was something different about Bob Marley.

Rastafarianism followed Bob Marley through out his life, although he did not officially become Rastafarian until later in his life. Parallels between the mysticism and religion Bob was raised with and the Rasta belief became evident. There were signs along the way to Marley’s destiny as a Rastafarian icon.

When Bob Nesta Marley was a young boy, he was told about the Rastamon, the “Blackheart mon.” His first encounter was when the young Nesta glanced at a Rastamon for the first time, with the Rastamon smiling, his teeth as white as a tiger’s, his shiny, bulging eyes fixed directly on Nesta. (71) The Rastamon scared Nesta; he could not get him off his mind. Ironic indeed that Bob Nesta Marley would become such an important figure in Rastafarian culture. Is this the “duppy” that Omeriah saw? Perhaps this was a heartfelt metaphor for the very thing that captured Bob Marley’s soul.

Another turn of fate that happened to Bob Marley was a most traumatic experience at the age of five, when Nesta’s mother sent him to live a better life with relatives of his white father, yet mysteriously ended up in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica. Bob’s mother later went to look for him and brought him back home. This event turned out to be significant in several ways. It was during this time that Bob gave up being a palm reader to being a singer. This would prove to be profound.

The first sign that Bob Nesta Marley was impacted by music in Kingston was discovered after Nesta returned when, down at Ciddy’s (Bob’s mother) store, Mrs. Hanson stopped in and asked Nesta if he would read her palm once more. He said he didn’t read palms any longer because he was a singer now. (89-90)

Many steps along the way growing up in an oppressed environment and growing into a reggae musician, Marley came across events that opened his path to his destiny. The nature of his ego drew people and opportunities to him. The dark side of Marley’s ego, however, revealed his human weaknesses. Marley being in the music business had many great temptations. Marley’s infidelity, for example, caused him to have many children with many women, even though he stayed married to his wife Rita.

Besides Bob’s other three children by Rita—Cedella, Stevie, Stephanie—he had seven others, each by a different woman, who were legally acknowledged: girls Karen and Makeda Jahnesta, boys Rohan, Robbie, Ky-mani, Julian and Damian, the last being his son by Cindy Breakspeare. Also, he adopted Rita’s Sharon. (314)

Bob Marley’s music and message was so powerful it changed the face of political awareness in Jamaica and the struggle of the oppressed all over the world. I don’t think there is anyone on the planet that has not, at the least, heard of Bob Marley. Bob’s destiny touched many and gave people hope and identification.

“My music will go on forever. Maybe it’s a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever.”—Bob Marley

To this day there is a mystery surrounding King Soloman’s ring, Halle Selassie, and Bob Marley. A magic ring called the "Seal of Solomon" was supposedly given to Solomon, and gave him power over demons. This ring was given to Halle Selassie, the living Jah, and then given to Bob Marley. It is a mystery if the ring is buried with Marley.

Bob Marley related to his mother Cedalle while he was living with her in the Unite States of a disturbing dream that he had had. In the dream there'd been a short man dressed in khaki and an old fedora who came through the front door of the house and stood next to the sofa as he had dozed. The man had dug into his jacket pocket and produced a ring, set with a black jewel embossed with some sort of insignia? He took Bob's hand and pushed it onto his forefinger, saying, "This is all I have to give you." (214).

Bob was granted an audience in London with Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, son of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. As Marley was leaving, the crown prince said he had something for him. "This belonged to His Majesty," he said. "You are the one who should wear it." He showed the Rasta a ring. Bob was dumbstruck. It was the ring he had seen in his dream in Delaware: a black stone bearing the figure of the Lion of Judah. Crown Prince Wossen slipped the ring onto Bob's forefinger, just as the man in the dream had done. It fit perfectly. Noticing the odd mix of terror and joy in Bob's expression the crown prince asked if something was wrong. Bob told him that a riddle he had lived with for a long time had finally been solved. (294-295).

In conclusion, I would like to leave you with a last thought. To question life and to challenge it’s meaning is the greatest form of expression of being human. So, is it life that has no meaning, because we are the meaning?

Cited Works

Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley by Timothy White