At what point does a man’s dedication turn into obsession? And at what point can this obsession turn self-destructive? What role should judgment and restraint play in our lives? We discuss these issues, and offer the example of storm chaser Tim Samaras.
Hubris
The Importance Of Knowing What Boundaries Should Not Be Crossed
One of the characteristics of the fool is his inability to comprehend the idea of boundaries. He has failed to learn what rules of conduct can, and cannot, be broken. He flaunts his whims and desires without any care as to their consequences; he rates his own judgment above that of all others, and scorns the normative guidelines of social interaction. He believes that what he wishes to be done, in fact ought to be done, and reverse-engineers whatever rationalizations are needed to vindicate his behavior.
Adrastia: The Goddess Who Punishes Hubris And Arrogance
We have observed that one of the themes of ancient literature is the concept of Fate or Fortune. We find it first expressed in the plays and heroic poems of the Greeks; the idea then seeped into the writing of history and biography. Closely associated with this concept is the idea of divine retribution for offending the gods. Those who showed contempt for divine or human law would be humbled by the harsh blows of Fate: no man could expect to thumb his nose at the laws of the universe and get away with it.