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Pandoras box

 
 
akira
15:09 / 12.05.02
Need more information. Whats the story?
 
 
Trijhaos
15:15 / 12.05.02
This for another essay?

In Greek Mythology, Pandora was the first woman on earth. She was created by Zeus. He created her from water and earth. The name Pandora is translated "all gifted". She received the gift of music from Apollo, the gift of beauty from Aphrodite and the gift of persuasion from Hermes along with other gifts from the other gods. Now there are 2 myths concerning what happened after Pandora was created

The first myth holds that Pandora was sent by Zeus to Prometheus and Epimetheus as a punishment for stealing fire from heaven and giving it to man. Zeus gave Pandora a jar and told her she dare not open it under any circumstance. Pandora's curiosity piqued, and she removed the lid allowing all manner of evil and of illness to escape and spread across the earth. Pandora quickly tried to replace the lid but to no avail. Everything had escaped with the exception of Hope, which lay at the bottom of the jar. And so it is that no matter whatever evils are abroad, Hope has not left us entirely.

The second myth holds that Zeus sent Pandora, in good faith, to be a blessing to man. Zeus sent with her a box containing the marriage presents, which were given by every god. Pandora, being curious, opened the box and all the blessings flew out, save one, Hope.

It is said that the second myth seems more logical, for how could Hope be stored in the same container as all manner of evil and illness. My own thought is that the first myth is more believable. To me, Hope is the most precious and powerful gift. The only gift which allows us to overcome and transcend all trial and hardship, illness and evil.

That's all I know.
 
 
the Fool
04:36 / 13.05.02
Perhaps hope is not the blessing we think it it. Hope is dellusion in the face of horror. Hope only promises, it does not deliver. It contains all we wish was, but is not. Like a carrot in front of a donkey, making suffering palatable.

Perhaps hope is the opium of evil. Killing the pain of truth with bright illusionary futures. Hiding our heads in the sand so we do not have to face the dread realities of the now.

All Pandora held onto was an empty bottle...
 
 
lentil
07:52 / 13.05.02
I think you're confusing hope with unquestioning optimism.
 
 
Papess
10:50 / 13.05.02
Hope is always the last to die.
 
 
Trijhaos
11:04 / 13.05.02
I just did what akira should have done originally; hit google typed in 'pandora's box myth' grabbed the text from the page and copy and pasted it all. I forgot to say that in the original message, thus none of those opinions are mine.
 
 
akira
12:31 / 13.05.02
Seems to me like if there was no hope then
there would be no evil because it seem to
hope is to aspire for something, if there was
no evil we would not wish to move away.
Yin-Yang elements involved?
 
 
cusm
18:38 / 13.05.02
Hope is faith.
 
 
Tuna Ghost: Pratt knot hero
19:02 / 13.05.02
Perhaps hope is not the blessing we think it it. Hope is dellusion in the face of horror. Hope only promises, it does not deliver. It contains all we wish was, but is not. Like a carrot in front of a donkey, making suffering palatable.

Maybe so, but it also helps get shit done. It's not completely useless.
 
 
the Fool
23:59 / 13.05.02
I think you're confusing hope with unquestioning optimism.

...and the difference is?

When you live with depression as long as I have you begin to see the merciful angel of hope in a different light. Hope is not joy, nor happiness, nor satisifaction, nor contentment. It is distant light in darkness. Maybe we need that. But I don't see hope as a purely positive thing.
 
 
lentil
10:26 / 14.05.02
the Fool, I’m sorry, my last post was excessively glib. The difference as I see it is that hope is the possibilty of things improving, of getting through a dark period, of achieving the goal, whereas optimism is the belief that, no matter what, things will turn out for the best, that the toast will land butter-side-up. Having hope does not mean blinding yourself to your situation. The fact that I hope not to have to do my current job for very long doesn’t diminish my awareness of how much I dislike it. As you said, it is not happiness or contentment. And maybe it doesn’t deliver – you could say that actualisation is when hope pays off. But without it, what’s the point? Why struggle if success isn’t an option?
 
  
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