Another thought-provoking piece, many thanks Chris.
Yes, the cut from our primitive, murderous hominid ancestors to the techno-utopia of routine interplanetary travel (in the avuncular company of Leonard Rossiter, no less) is offered as clear proof of our societal progress – a concept that I find deeply problematic. The ‘primitive ancestor’ narrative is a product of C19th religious insistence that modern humans are made in the likeness of God.
Cú Chulainn’s tragic story has many elements in common with the Epic of Gilgamesh (circa 2500BC) denoting the deep history of these cautionary tales.
Thanks Andrew- I freely admit I was hugely impressed with 2001 as a youth. It was only after seeing it several decades later, on TV, on an 11" black and white screen when, stripped of its visual spectacle the flaws became all too obvious. I'd forgotten about Gilgamesh. Typical of the current mindset to present the hero tales of today without any of the cautionary aspects and to tell them at any time of day, rather than the the traditional time of the winter solstice. Hwyl! Chris.
Another thought-provoking piece, many thanks Chris.
Yes, the cut from our primitive, murderous hominid ancestors to the techno-utopia of routine interplanetary travel (in the avuncular company of Leonard Rossiter, no less) is offered as clear proof of our societal progress – a concept that I find deeply problematic. The ‘primitive ancestor’ narrative is a product of C19th religious insistence that modern humans are made in the likeness of God.
Cú Chulainn’s tragic story has many elements in common with the Epic of Gilgamesh (circa 2500BC) denoting the deep history of these cautionary tales.
Thanks Andrew- I freely admit I was hugely impressed with 2001 as a youth. It was only after seeing it several decades later, on TV, on an 11" black and white screen when, stripped of its visual spectacle the flaws became all too obvious. I'd forgotten about Gilgamesh. Typical of the current mindset to present the hero tales of today without any of the cautionary aspects and to tell them at any time of day, rather than the the traditional time of the winter solstice. Hwyl! Chris.