HERE'S LOOKING AT ZEUS

Several years ago I dated this European woman. I liked her because she was different and the quintessential European. As an example, I would have my desk cluttered with papers and this would drive her crazy. So much so that she would file every paper when my back was turned. I told her that I didn't need that because I knew where everything was and in my mind everything had its proper place. There was no chaos in my view.

At the time I had no idea her actions were the result of not seeing the world as I did. I thought she was, as we call them, a neat freak. However, as I became more "enlightened" by studying European thought and behavior, I found that this wasn't necessarily so. I was mistaken because I didn't understand the influence of being "raised"in a culture and picking up the ideas and values of that culture.

If you've ever studied Greek mythology, I'm sure you've come across their Creation myth. I can imagine elders of the Doric tribe sitting by the fire building on their ideas of creation giving it a flavor that fits their cultural spirit. First in the myth was chaos and the gods continuing struggle to bring order to their world. The strife begins with the castration of father Uranus, (heaven) by his son Cronos. Later Cronos was overthrown by his son, Zeus. One of the gods, Prometheus, deserted the other Titans to side with Zeus. After warring with the Titans and Zeus was victorious, he allowed Prometheus to create Man out of mud and Athena to breath life into the clay creation. Prometheus loved Man more than the gods and to preserve Man's place tricked Zeus. Zeus became angry and punished both Man and Prometheus. He punished Man by having the first woman created, Pandora, who had a deceptive heart and lying tongue (poor Eve). Pandora was given a jar by Zeus and was told not to open it. She disobeyed and out came all the plagues of man, suffering, evil, sorrow, misfortune, but at the bottom of the jar there was one good thing, "hope"(faith). Zeus punished Prometheus by chaining him to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains where he was tormented day and night.

Although this story was derived from another culture's creation myth which showed the opposite, from order came chaos, this one is unique because it lays the foundation of what is happening today in the Western world. In the United States there are people who view the world in chaos. Typical of their ancient creation myths, there must be war to end strife and bring order to the world. In fact, if you look at the history of the West, you'll see Zeus' pattern of fighting or warring to bring order. (Or more poignantly, a different way of seeing the world, similar to my experience with my aforementioned girlfriend). A look at the history of Western cultures, the Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Spanish, English, French, Italians, Germans, and now the United States all acted out the myth. They felt they were ordained by Zeus, or whatever the god of the day, to shape the world into their idea of order. They had a mandate to finally defeat chaos and bring democracy and/or freedom (order) by making the world "safe" albeit using bigger swords, cannons, and bombs.

This idea of bringing order to chaos can also affect a society. Those followers of the ancient myth can use Zeusian or godly beliefs to oppress a society that they feel is in chaos, like achieving an Orwellian 1984, instead of using bombs, they use the thought police. Those of us who understand that you can't bring order through violence, only more chaos, are silenced. But what can you do when those who developed the major weapons and resources for the purpose of "righting" the world, can't see it any other way? Their world view from ancient times can't be wrong.

The only solution I can see is that those people who believe in the ancient myth, take a long hard look at their behavior. For those who can understand what this essay is saying, I would suggest they use their resources to let chaos exist for those culture's that can function in what the West sees as chaos. I hope they will understand that you don't need to own the resources of the world so you can be more powerful to change the world in your image.

This is not an impossible task, but it will take a dramatic departure from what Greek mythology has taught the people of "Western" cultures. For those who can make the transition, I say let those that can't stay on "Mount Olympus" and dictate the affairs of those who still believe in war as a solution to force their ideas of order on the world. For the rest of us, I say we should get started with the business of humanity. We should use the many resources we have to do business with each other and the rest of the world. There are many in the world who understands that the road we are on is insanity and will gladly do business with corporations and individuals outside of those on Mount Olympus. People who want to trade goods, services and ideas. People whose chaos is their own and don't wish to impose their idea of order. By the way, my lady-friend finally got the idea and let my chaos be.