It took us centuries, nay millennia, to encapsulate our problems in myth and then in psychology and eventually in neuroscience, but here we are, the latter two mechanisms for self-understanding rooted ofttimes in those mythical origins like the story of Pandora’s opening the pithos (storage jar, not pyxis, “casket” translated as “box”), for example. Today, one of those ancient Greek myths seems to be as good an explanation as any for the widespread contention fostered by mainstream and social media.
The goddess Nemesis (the Distributor) symbolizes indignation and/or retribution. Her role as a distributor was to oversee a balance between happiness and misery, keeping both check when either tended to dominate human affairs. Like other mythical characters, Nemesis has undergone change, but also like others she represents one or two underlying themes or sets of themes. In the instance of Nemesis, one persistent theme is proportion or equilibrium: One can’t be too happy for long or too sad for long. Nemesis as a distributor of both keeps both in check. Biblical Job is an example. He was up, way up, rich and happy before he was down, way down, destitute and unhappy. And then he was up again.
Nemesis also represents indignation. And as such, she seems especially germane to our times because all around us we see indignation based on an unequal distribution of happiness. Nowhere is this more apparent than in politics and political commentary. Everyone is indignant. Everyone is unhappy with the happiness of others. Nemesis is busy keeping happiness and misery in balance, or she is busy distributing indignation. Maybe it was an easier task when the world had fewer people in ancient times; today’s billions under the influence of propaganda or advocacy from one side or the other are difficult to control.
In American politics (probably in every country’s politics) indignation prevails, and neither side of any political divide seems to understand the indignation on the other side. You can find numerous examples deeply rooted in certain issues: Climate, abortion, crime, sanctuary, health care, taxes, intrusive government, justice, gender, education, and war. The happiness on one side engenders indignation on the other: Biological males using female facilities pleasing some and threatening others; gender propaganda in the classroom pleasing some and threatening others; socialism pleasing some and threatening others. Every issue listed above is a focus for similar indignation. The happiness born of the successes on one side engenders unhappiness on the other. The unhappiness manifests itself in a common complaint: Hypocrisy—that is, the ostensible hypocrisy of the “other side.”
Finding Nemesis in her role as an equalizer is an ongoing task. She always seems to be missing for one group or another. But finding her in her role as a distributor of indignation is easy. She’s right there in front of us, all around us, and definitely on mainstream and social media.
The goddess Nemesis (the Distributor) symbolizes indignation and/or retribution. Her role as a distributor was to oversee a balance between happiness and misery, keeping both check when either tended to dominate human affairs. Like other mythical characters, Nemesis has undergone change, but also like others she represents one or two underlying themes or sets of themes. In the instance of Nemesis, one persistent theme is proportion or equilibrium: One can’t be too happy for long or too sad for long. Nemesis as a distributor of both keeps both in check. Biblical Job is an example. He was up, way up, rich and happy before he was down, way down, destitute and unhappy. And then he was up again.
Nemesis also represents indignation. And as such, she seems especially germane to our times because all around us we see indignation based on an unequal distribution of happiness. Nowhere is this more apparent than in politics and political commentary. Everyone is indignant. Everyone is unhappy with the happiness of others. Nemesis is busy keeping happiness and misery in balance, or she is busy distributing indignation. Maybe it was an easier task when the world had fewer people in ancient times; today’s billions under the influence of propaganda or advocacy from one side or the other are difficult to control.
In American politics (probably in every country’s politics) indignation prevails, and neither side of any political divide seems to understand the indignation on the other side. You can find numerous examples deeply rooted in certain issues: Climate, abortion, crime, sanctuary, health care, taxes, intrusive government, justice, gender, education, and war. The happiness on one side engenders indignation on the other: Biological males using female facilities pleasing some and threatening others; gender propaganda in the classroom pleasing some and threatening others; socialism pleasing some and threatening others. Every issue listed above is a focus for similar indignation. The happiness born of the successes on one side engenders unhappiness on the other. The unhappiness manifests itself in a common complaint: Hypocrisy—that is, the ostensible hypocrisy of the “other side.”
Finding Nemesis in her role as an equalizer is an ongoing task. She always seems to be missing for one group or another. But finding her in her role as a distributor of indignation is easy. She’s right there in front of us, all around us, and definitely on mainstream and social media.
RSS Feed