In 5th Century B.C., Zeuxis was a celebrated artist of good humor and unique style. His technique created volumetric illusion by manipulating shadow and light. Eventually his style influenced the artists that shaped the Italian Renaissance. His command of light and illusion continue to be legendary to this day, and yet there was one contest in which, even he was bested.
Chronicled by Pliny the Elder in his book, "Natural History" described an ultimate contest of artistic illusion that was staged to determine the greatest artist. Rivals; Timanthes, Eupompus, Parrhasius, Androcydes, and Zeuxis all produced illustrations that showed great skill.
According to Pliny the Elder, "Zeuxis produced a picture of grapes so dexterously represented that birds began to fly down to eat from the painted vine. Whereupon Parrhasius designed so lifelike a picture of a curtain that Zeuxis, proud of the verdict of the birds, requested that the curtain should now be drawn back and the picture displayed. When he realized his mistake, with a modesty that did him honor, he yielded up the palm, saying that whereas he had managed to deceive only birds, Parrhasius had deceived an artist."
It wasn't that long ago that President Obama was able to paint a picture of America in ways that didn't reflect her true beauty or nature, and that the masses would believe. People began to see with their mind's eye, while forgetting past greatness, and ignoring future potential that was promised as part of the pact of being an American. Instead, we were told oceans would stop rising and we could stop working, and all the wrongs of yesterday would be resolved. We were told not to dream, because in this world grapes grow everywhere and everyone is entitled.
Like birds flocking to Zeuxis' painting, the masses truly believed a master illusionist could wipe away the hunt for happiness and inner satisfaction, with free stuff and flowery language. It made for such a wonderful picture until it failed to sate our hunger...because it was never real. Now, Americans are like those fooled by Parrhasuis trying to pull back a curtain to see what's behind the facade. However, we keep finding out that it's all a facade. None of it has been real, except the disappointment, the frustration, and the lingering doubt about everything.
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Words (and actions) to live by in 2014:
It looks like the word for 2014, will be turbulence closely followed by defiance.
The stock market set the stage stumbling out of the starting blocks, and tripping over a myriad of concerns as a reminder of the laws of gravity. Oddly, an early intervention might be coming from an unlikely source. A central bank that went against natural instincts and a dictator-like strongman might put the burgeoning emerging nation's currency crisis to rest-for the moment. Turkey's central bank hiked short-term lending rates to 12% from 7.75%, which is shocking - in a good way - the world, while agitating Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Our central bank would never be so bold at the start of a crisis, and many don't think the new chairman of the Federal Reserve would make any significant decision without the counsel of the White House. This is why deflation could be a problem near term, and inflation will be a problem down the road. In the meantime, the Federal Reserve wraps up a two-day meeting today and there will not be any changes to policy, even as it looks like maybe they pulled the trigger too soon with respect to tapering. That is, if they thought we'd all live happily ever after. The fact is all accommodation should be pulled and the Federal Reserve should fold its tent.
Of course, that will never happen.
In the meantime, President Obama promises more executive orders and end-runs around Congress, and around the Constitution. I listened to the State of the Union address, hoping for at least a single moment that like Zeuxis, there would be the realization of a single mistake with modesty that would do us all honor. In the end, the biggest news last night came from the old Ottoman Empire that wants to be a real player in the modern world, that we will protect our currency, sending the right message to the world, and to its most powerful politician.
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