The True Measure of Wisdom

[DISCLAIMER]

*Frankenstein (2025) spoilers contained herein.

Property of Netflix, fair use

Today’s daily practice example of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) regards unconditional acceptance (UA)—stemming from Frankenstein (2025), a gothic drama film based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

For context, UA relieves suffering through use of unconditional self-acceptance (USA), unconditional other-acceptance (UOA), and unconditional life-acceptance (ULA). Specifically, UA counteracts self-disturbance (how people upset themselves when using irrational beliefs).

With my approach to REBT, I incorporate author Stephen Covey’s concepts regarding the circles of control, influence, and concern, as well as an area of no concern. UA maps onto the circle of control (USA), circle of influence (UOA), and circle of concern and area of no concern (ULA).

The circle of control encompasses only oneself, the circle of influence encapsulates elements which may be subject to one’s sway, the circle of concern engrosses most matters one can imagine, and the area of no concern relates to all content which isn’t yet imagined.

Regarding Frankenstein (2025), there’s a scene in which an elderly blind man befriends Victor Frankenstein’s creation—a reanimated composite of previously deceased individuals. Conceptualized as a monster, the creation receives the following UA script from the elderly man:

Elderly man: Paradise Lost, Milton. Man has questions for God. Even God has questions. I think He wanted answers. That is why He sent us His Son. Death probably intrigued Him. Suffering.

Created being: I want to know who I am. Where do I come from?

Elderly man: God took your memory, just as I wish He would take mine away. Many years ago, I took a man’s life—a good man—and I’ve been atoning for it since. Forgive, forget—the true measure of wisdom—to know you have been harmed, by whom you have been harmed, and choose to let it all fade.

According to one source, “Wisdom, also known as sapience, is the ability to apply knowledge, experience, and good judgment to navigate life’s complexities. It is often associated with insight, discernment, and ethics in decision-making.” In Frankenstein (2025), UA wisdom is illustrated.

At the end of the film, the created being discovers who he is, how he’s been harmed, by whom he was harmed, and he chose to forgive the wrongdoer—the man who created him. Regarding this matter, I stated in a blogpost entitled Forgiveness vs. Acceptance:

Forgiveness is defined as the act of forgiving. To forgive is to give up resentment of or claim to requital. Colloquially, forgiving people means that you stop holding resentment against other individuals.

Acceptance is defined as the act of accepting something or someone. To accept is to receive (something offered) willingly. Colloquially, accepting people means that you endure (without protest or reaction) other individuals, their words, or their actions.

Forgiveness is about letting go of unhelpful negative emotional responses (i.e., anger, resentment, etc.), while acceptance involves acknowledging and allowing something or someone for who or what it is. Although these terms seem similar, they are slightly different in use. […]

Acceptance of the unconditional variety is about enduring hardship, displeasure, stress, or otherwise while not using conditional narratives during the process (e.g., I’ll accept that you stood me up a decade ago only if you show me that you’re sufficiently regretful).

In Frankenstein (2025), the created being—who once considered himself as a monster—attained his humanity by forgiving his creator who perceivably harmed him. As such, the reanimated composite of previously deceased individuals acknowledged his inherent fallibility (USA).

Rather than using an irrational belief regarding a global evaluation (e.g., I’m a monster), which serves as a form of unfavorable self-downing, he unconditionally accepted himself as an imperfect being. Thus, in the interest of un-disturbing himself, the created being used USA.

In recognizing his intrinsically flawed natured, the created being was also able to accept the fallible nature of his creator (UOA). Thus, instead of globally evaluating through use of an other-downing narrative (e.g., he’s a monster), the created being used forgiveness of wrongdoing.

Moreover, the reanimated composite of previously deceased individuals admitted the impermanent and uncertain nature of human life, even though this aspect of living beings didn’t apply to him as an immortal creature, as he accepted the imperfection of life in general (ULA).

Although he could’ve used an unproductive global evaluation pertaining to life-downing (e.g., life is monstrous), the created being accepted his undesirable plight of apparent immortality—by which all beings he could ever love would die before him—without rigid conditions (ULA).

The true measure of wisdom—the most accurate or genuine standard for evaluating wisdom, which is often not the most obvious metric for use—is pragmatic utilization of UA. Now, I invite you to practice this REBT technique on a daily basis so that you may find peace in a flawed life.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

References:

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