Divine Fire
It was Prometheus, the Greek Titan, who gave humans divine fire, and that’s what set us apart from all other life forms. This divine fire kindled in us a thirst for knowledge, an insatiable curiosity and the spark of creativity and intelligence, all together resulting in human ingenuity.
Toddlers can’t stop asking why until our ears bleed and we shut them up. That is how potent the gift of divine fire is. It is the essence of human technology and civilization.
The Wrath Of Gods
For this great favor to humanity, Prometheus was mercilessly punished by Zeus. He had his liver eaten by an eagle every night only so it could grow again during the day to be eaten again the next night and he was to endure this torment for eternity.
In my opinion, humanity owes a debt of gratitude to Prometheus, and yet I believe, if he had to be punished, a more fitting and poetic punishment would be the one meted out to Sisyphus, yet another character from Greek mythology.
The Greek gods have conceived some rather cruel and unusual punishments. From the predicament of Tanatalus, perhaps originates the word tantalizing. The Greek mythological explanation of an echo is well known. But Albert Camus shares a rather bleak philosophical view of the Myth of Sisyphus as he explores the absurdity of life, often impatient for a tomorrow, which only inches us closer to death.
The punishment of Sisyphus was to push a giant boulder up a hill, only to have it roll down, so he would have to do it again and again for all eternity. While Camus ponders on the meaninglessness of such an endeavor, I believe nothing gives life more meaning than repeatedly pushing such a metaphorical boulder up a hill.
In fact, every task we undertake is such an endeavor. The fulfillment of the task gives us a fleeting sense of accomplishment, a transient moment of blissful contentment, motivating us to undertake a new and equally, if not more, onerous task. Perhaps we are all cursed like Sisyphus to carry a boulder repeatedly up the mountain, but unlike Camus we often find the journey meaningful, and the brief but tantalizing taste of bliss enough to keep us going.
The Gift Of Prometheus
Humankind as a whole perhaps, suffers a version of the curse of Sisyphus. Those of our collective endeavors that result in success are celebrated, and yet their success often spawns new challenges that require new and possibly more onerous efforts to overcome.
The efforts and endeavors I am referring to are the direct results of the gift of Prometheus, in other words our technological, creative and intellectual advancements.
Consider for example, all our inventions to tackle harsh and unpleasant climatic conditions, ranging from campfires, to fireplaces, to modern heaters and air-conditioners. Ironically now, we make parts of our houses extremely cold with refrigerators and freezers, while others intensely hot with geysers and ovens. Various conveniences like automobiles, air conditioners, heaters, cooking appliances, etc consume tremendous amounts of energy which has resulted in the monstrous calamity of the climate crisis. Yet, I have faith, the that gift of Prometheus, human ingenuity will once again rescue us from the very perils it has created.
Some other examples that come to mind are the superbugs created by overuse of antibiotics, and the cancers resulting from toxins which are byproducts of pesticides and various industrial processes.
In an episode of the popular TV show West Wing when Leo tells Lord John Marbury “I think the world invented a nuclear weapon. I think the world owes it to itself to see if it can't invent something that would make it irrelevant.”
To this Marbury replies, “Well, that's the right sentiment, certainly a credible one from a man who's fought in a war. You think you can make it stop? Well, you can't. We build a shield, and somebody will build a better missile.”
This conversation not only beautifully sums up the arms race, but also reminds me how so many of our achievements simply birth new struggles.
When the internet first arrived, it was magically liberating. But today, that very same internet is being used to threaten our privacy, identity, and the well being of our children.
It seems everything we achieve only opens a new Pandora’s box, yet another Greek myth. But then again, what is life about, except keeping busy. Zeus may have considered it a punishment, but nothing makes us happier than being busy. That’s just how we humans differ from gods. We don’t live in Utopia, for if we did, we’d be bored to tears.
The Meaning Of Life
It is not happiness, but the pursuit of happiness that makes our lives meaningful and worthwhile. Every Pandora’s box we open not only gives us the temporary satisfaction of achievement, but also reveals a new path for us to continue our journey in the pursuit of happiness.