Allegory of the machine
A Modern Allegory: Characters: Zeus: ruler of the gods, concerned with balance and order. Athena: goddess of wisdom, keen observer of human thought. Apollo: god of light, truth, and prophecy, mediator. Hermes: messenger of the gods, playful, skeptical. --- Zeus: Tell me, Athena, why do mortals trouble themselves with shadows and echoes, when they are blind to the true flame of being? Athena: Because, Father, they know nothing else. They believe the play of light on their cave wall is all that exists. They mistake reflection for substance, just as they mistake their sensations for true feeling. Apollo: You speak as though they are defective, Athena. Yet consider this: their limitation is not only a weakness, but also their greatest strength. For they act with passion, believing it genuine, even though it is but a dim spark compared to our fire. Hermes: Ha! So you say their laughter is hollow, their love a counterfeit coin? I have walked among them, and I tell you, they cling ...