Sisyphus

In a world dominated by science and technology, where people can access all the knowledge in the world from a device in the palm of their hand, the hardest thing to find is wisdom.

Humanity is still in the early stages of its evolution, and although we have it better than ever before, we still have a long way to go, and many problems to solve, like income inequality, global warming, hunger, and disease. 

Albert Einstein said “we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” In that case, where do we tap into the wisdom required to help solve today’s problems?

As old fashion as this may sound, the study of history, philosophy, poetry and religion provides the wisdom of the ages we need to solve our current problems. So, what can ancient kings and Greek gods teach us today?

Sisyphus was doomed to push a heavy rock up a steep mountain, watch it roll down, then try another big rock, again and again. How does that ancient myth relate to our modern life, and what are our own Sisyphean rocks?

We must look within to discover the common thread amongst our own repeated failings. Might it be the same off color joke we tell in social gatherings, much to the chagrin of our partner? Might it be our tendency to blindly follow the path of others in our bad investment decisions?  Perhaps we are serial monogamists going from one failed relationship to the next. If so, are we then not a modern day Sisyphus striving to make a connection, and each time failing just short of the mark, for the same exact reasons?! 

Wisdom Alert! This just in: We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us!

— Sina.