Thursday, March 5, 2009

Prometheus

Everyone knows the story of Prometheus.
But is it really the story of Pandora?
But why is he punished for bringing forbidden knowledge to mankind?
Is it because he did not know that he would suffer - and that was seen as acting in an insolent manner?
Did he seek to better mankind solely to elevate himself?
Was his pride his crime (and not the act of bettering Man).

But this seemingly endless suffering is seen in those who seek to better mankind; Mother Theresa, Martin Luther, etc. .
But the gift of death is given quickly to others MLK, JFK or some would even say Christ.
Is the knowing of ones end seen as humble and gracious - and thus good.


But being prideful and thinking that one could just get away with it (like the snake in the Garden) is seen as a sin - to be atoned for, for all eternity.

I'm still not all that convinced of the "experts". Not that knowing a lot about a lot is bad - but thinking that one knows everything about everything (all the time) is. Every major problem in the history of mankind was caused by "experts". But many failed to plan far enough ahead to see the problems that their answers would cause.

I have no idea of the answers. If "This" is the answer.....................................I'm way over here.

But I admire Prometheus. He was just trying to make the "magical" something common. But those on the hill thought that this knowledge only belonged to them. They believed that those who were below had no reason for such knowledge. Those who were below would only make things worse (Pandora story).

But Christianity teaches a different story. In Christianity, the "little" guy has the answer. David was the smallest of brothers, Jesus came from the 'hood ("Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"), Joseph was the favored younger brother sold into bondage, and so on. Those who are dismissed by the "experts" solve the problems these "experts" create.

I know how to get all of the things most people regard as having value (and it's usually a combination of things done at the right time and in the right place - race has little value in the final outcome). When one's whole clique has popularity, looks, money, intelligence, the ability to have influence in the outcome of one's will and a certain social status - it all just becomes incidental. Someone in the group loses interest. They come to believe that there has to be more. That "more" becomes translating that knowledge or those skills to others - even if the cost is being hated on by those you're trying to help. Even if those who you've left behind view your actions as foolish. But the hard problem is making something complex into something simple (like fire) - especially when the answer was simple to begin with. It was only obfuscated by the "experts".

Of the Titans, Prometheus is the man.

2 comments:

RunningMom said...

I had to do a little reading...

his endless suffering was being tied to a rock and having his liver eaten out daily by an eagle - ouch.

Leaders often endure suffering for the many. The self-sacrifice that comes with speaking out, being different, taking a stand, breaking barriers and demanding more always comes with a price.

Unknown said...

"...those dismissed by the experts solve the problems the experts create"...Beautiful and so so true. Great post!!!