Friday, November 7, 2008

Beware the Medusa Effect

Many people are aware of part of the Medusa story, that she was so hideous that looking at her would turn men into stone and the Greek hero Perseus used his shield and only looked at her reflection to kill her.  However, many people are not aware of the first part of the story.  

Medusa was not born ugly, in fact she was mythically beautiful with many suitors chasing her.  So great was their desire to be a part of her life, that they would sacrifice everything.  Possibly, what turned men to stone was what that life entailed, not her looks.  

What if Medusa wasn't ugly but rather so desireable that she would lead people to give up everything else?  What if the myth of her being hideous was more the reflection of what happened to the suitors who were so enraptured?  

How many people become so enraptured with ambition and work that they neglect everything else?  Friends are work friends, discussions are work discussions, thoughts are work thoughts with all that that entails.  Couldn't the internal work struggles make people inpenetrible like stone to others?  The Greek myth doesn't mention how long it takes to turn to stone.  

I have moved to twenty different cities, states and countries in pursuit of Medusa, I mean ambition.  How much of a stonifing effect has it had on me?

Have you felt the Medusa effect?

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