this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2024
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Asklemmy
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Sisyphus is the only Greek figure I can think of that's not cringe to ascribe to yourself. And that's only because nobody remembers the shit he did to get punished. The other tragic ones are either a humblebrag or concerning. Romulus and Remus are concerning. Enkidu is both, Gilgamesh is a straight up brag, as are the non-tragic Greek figures. All biblical prophets are (humble)brags. Norse gods are all brags, and saga heroes are mostly too obscure for me to know in detail.
I guess you could say Zacchaeus if you're short, or Goliath if you're really big. Oh wait, I guess going with physical things you could self-own with any monster.
Cassandra might be kinda pitiful to ascribe to ones self, but I feel parts of her story are relatedable regardless of gender. Many people have been in a situation where they are not being believed. At work, with family, whatever it is.
I think it's hard because the characters are designed to represent an attribute, or symbolize a specific problem. They aren't really good for representing a person's whole existence.
Honestly it was my first thought. If you're on Lemmy in a world of Facebooks, pay-to-use seat heaters and dopamine-dispensing tracking devices, you're probably in the same boat, at least to some degree.
It's ascribing to yourself the ability to predict the future far (or similar) better than everyone else, though, which is cringe. Besides making people feel personally attacked, "iamverysmart" is just a thought pattern dangerous to your own objectivity.
Edit: I guess I just said "weareverysmart", and frankly, I'll stand by that. ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ
The people I meet IRL don't seem like they're really tracking the big picture much at all. More because they don't feel like it than they can't.
Not sure what I did, but man it is getting tiring pushing this boulder up this hill.
Note: Holy damn, never much for myth etc, all I ever knew of Sisyphus was the endlessly pushing a rock up hill. Now, after reading a very concise sentence, he DID deserve what he got. TIL
I read someone's further analysis in which they describe how his punishment fits his crime. Because he outwitted death he has such supreme self confidence that THIS time he will get the boulder to the top. The only thing he has to do to break his curse is to stop.
That is beautiful and concise. Funny how our hubris blinds us
Although the whole random guest murdering thing is worse IMO. Tricking the manifestation of death into restraining himself probably counts as self defence, in my books.
The story where he seduces his niece in order to father children that were destined to kill his brother (her father) also isn't great.
Oh, he's definitely a class A scumbag. It's unfortunate that most people just know the boulder part when there's so much more of a lesson in morality to be gleaned from the full story.