Many believe that many pursuits of contemporary society, particularly our desire to accumulate wealth and the unintended consequences of these desires are modern day inventions. The Greek myth King Midas and the Golden Touch demonstrate that these desires along with their unintended consequences have existed for many centuries.
The myth King Midas and the Golden Touch reveals that in ancient Greek culture, the wealthy were preoccupied with becoming richer. King Midas and the Golden Touch is a good lesson for today. The story shows very powerfully what happens when people loose focus on what is truly important. King Midas lived in ancient Greek culture, yet he was a reflection on our modern day society.
The Greek myth King Midas and the Golden Touch tells the story of a man who goes to great lengths to become the wealthiest person in the world. He wishes that whatever he touches shall turn to gold. His wish comes true. At first, he loves the fact that his clothes, bed, and even his rose garden become golden. But, when he can't eat his food or hug his daughter because they also turn to gold, he becomes extremely upset and wishes that he could take everything back (Hawthorne). Isn't it most people's ambition to be wealthy? Though not many people would admit to it, many people would stop at nothing to achieve such great wealth. That is until their ambition backfires and they loose what is really important to them. The myth King Midas and the Golden Touch reveals that in ancient Greek culture, many of the wealthy people were preoccupied with becoming richer and didn't consider the consequences. Much like many people in our society, who become so blinded with greed their judgement becomes clouded, and they...
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...s bankrupt. They don't seem to realize the possible negative consequences that may result. Yet, the people who do the complaining about what other rich people would do the same thing if they had the money. When looking at the big picture, it is realized that no matter if a person is wealthy or not, they are going to aim to become richer and not think twice about how to do it.
Ancient Greek culture and modern day culture are extremely similar. Both cultures will do whatever they can to fulfill their dream of becoming rich. Only positive consequences are seen through the rose-colored glasses that everyone wears. Take off those custom designed shades and look at the real world and one will wonder how their dream became their worst nightmare. King Midas learned the hardest way possible when his greed for gold covered his true treasure, the love of his daughter.
The rich tycoons of their society refused to share their money with the poor. Andrew Carnegie and Samuel Gompers both wrote their essays towards the wealthy with hopes to make a difference for the poor workers and unemployed. Rich tycoons would do anything to keep it for themselves, if it meant leaving it as inheritance
The world today is still obsessed with wealth as much as in the great Gatsby
Throughout The Hobbit, written by J. R. R. Tolkien, the role of wealth can be viewed as an element that not only motivates the story but also serves as a warning against greed. Tolkien uses wealth to expose the irrationality of the idolatrous heart. At first, the main character, Bilbo who is the newly hired thief, is motivated by peer pressure, but it becomes clear when the Tookish in him, his mother’s family, is stimulated, he is mainly motivated by adventure. On the other hand, other characters prove to be purely motivated by wealth and treasure. Thorin, a dwarf looking to avenge his family’s lost treasure, and Smaug, a dragon who robs everyone and anyone of their riches, are both portrayed as being possessed by their greed for wealth, which
“.everyone is bored, and devotes himself to cultivating habits. Our citizens work hard, but solely with the objective of getting rich. Their chief interest is in commerce, and their chief aim in life is, as they call it, ‘doing business’” (Camus 4). Citizens’ unawareness of life’s riches and pleasures shows their susceptibility to the oncoming plague.
The Great Gatsby set in the glistening and glittering world of wealth and glamour of 1920s Jazz Age in America. However, the story of the poor boy who tried to fulfill the American Dream of living a richer and fuller life ends in Gatsby’s demise. One of the reasons for the tragedy is the corrupting influence of greed on Gatsby. As soon as Gatsby starts to see money as means of transforming his fantasy of winning Daisy’s love into reality, his dream turns into illusion. However, other characters of the novel are also affected by greed. On closer inspection it turns out that almost every individual in the novel is covetous of something other people have. In this view, the meaning of greed in the novel may be varied The greed is universally seen as desire for material things. However, in recent studies the definition of “greed” has come to include sexual greed and greed as idolatry, understood as fascination with a deity or a certain image (Rosner 2007, p. 7). The extended definition of greed provides valuable framework for research on The Great Gatsby because the objects of characters’ desires can be material, such as money and possessions, or less tangible, such as love or relationship.
The stronger will do anything in their power to make a profit, leaving the weak with nothing. Kuyper says, “…the more powerful exploited the weaker by means of a weapon against which there was no defense” (Kuyper, Abraham, and James W. Skillen 26). Additionally, he states that “…the idolization of money killed the nobility in the human heart” (Kuyper, Abraham, and James W. Skillen 31). Kuyper talks about how Jesus felt bad for the rich and sided with the poor (Kuyper, Abraham, and James W. Skillen 32). Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Earthly materials mean nothing because the real treasure awaits in
This deviation occurs due to a loss of purpose and state of bewilderment. In contrast, Elder envisioned monetary possessions to sate people’s desires, but after earning the yearned goal of money, people want to flaunt their new status and adjust their lifestyle. In “America and Americans” by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck describes the many paradoxes that are associated with that change of status. In the process of pretentiously displaying their wealth, people might donate their money to charity or squander their money through other practices, contrasting their initial motive to earn money. Money essentially becomes just another material possession and happiness is found through other actions. The American Dream is not only limited to the money and success but the actions associated with attaining true happiness. As more and more realize this, they become paragons of the numerous possibilities of the American Dream, one that recalls to the original principles of the American Dream of perseverance and hard work. Instructing others about a topic or helping kids in a third world country cannot simply occur by chance but by pure motives. The Gold Rush not only increased the number of people who became rich but also promoted other definitions of the American
...are extraordinarily wealthy. Even though the wealthy are trying to do good by donating money, in reality, the wealthy are simply giving away their money to people who do not necessarily need it, according to Thoreau.
“Myths continue to fascinate us” (Kromholz and McCarter 1). In every new generation, many children are intrigued when they read Greek Mythology, which makes it valuable teaching tool in high school literature. This beneficial teaching device should have the priority in the on-going debate about the implementation of Greek Mythology. Implementing fundamental morals of life, providing interpretations to unexplained phenomena of the world, and stimulating the minds of students to extrapolate the content, the analysis of Greek Mythology should remain as part of high school standards, despite possible contrariety with a student's religion, or set of beliefs.
Myths have been a great example of the hero’s journey. Many heroes have journeys and trials to face throughout their life. Most of their journeys start out with their origin and end with the return. However, the hero’s role remains identical to every other hero. Most heroes like Gilgamesh has heroic traits because of the stages in the hero's journey. Gilgamesh is a man who can turn into a hero by changing himself, even when he has unusual circumstances surrounding his birth. Gilgamesh is viewed as a hero due to the stages of the hero's journey.
... many times I wanted to knock a rich kid’s teeth into his brains.....((Ahem...)) They think that since they are rich, they are better that the entire world. When they think this, I wish nothing more than to strangle them with a garden hose and beat them with a wet towel....((Ahem, ahem...)) Everyone it this world should know...that even though they live life on a silver platter, they should remember one thing; when silver is not taken care of properly, it can and will tarnish over time. They may think that they are better than the world, but they will mess their lives up with that arrogant attitude. They can lose friends, family ties, relationships with other loved ones, jobs, schools, and other things of importance. No one is better than the world...no matter how much money they may have, they are only human.
King Midas and the Golden Touch, is one of the most famous myths in western lore. It details the story of one man’s greed and lust for wealth leading to his ultimate downfall. Initially written by Ovid, in his Metamorphoses published in 8 A.D, it has been adapted and analyzed even in modern times. Written in Dactylic Hexameter, as customary of great mythological works of the time period, the poem effectively served as a part of a guide to life for the ancient Romans. The morals the story teaches are still applicable in this day and age. As the story is intertwined with the rest of the epic, it is important to evaluate the myth in an educated and modified light. In King Midas and the Golden Touch, Ovid deftly illustrates the importance of restraint by detailing King Midas’ suffering from his greed.
Throughout the history of the Greek civilization, the Greek people have endured many hardships, as well as peace and triumphs. However, one Greek time period stands out the most for being both peaceful and aggressive, the Golden Age. During the Golden Age, Greece and its surrounding colonies flourished with wealth and power, was influenced by several key players, and participated in wars and battles, as well. The Greek Golden Age was one of the highest points of Greek society, and impacted it years later.
Rich people are the selfish people that only care about their wealth and about their
Almost everybody hopes to be rich. Society believes that only the social status can define the kind of person you are. Majority of