Forget everything you thought you knew about apples—'La manzana de oro' is not your typical fruit story. Taking root from ancient mythology, 'The Golden Apple' isn't just a bedtime tale. It's the allegorical core of a narrative that highlights hard truths about human nature, meritocracy, and the perils of unchecked desires—a topic that's shockingly relevant today.
In the ancient stories from Greek mythology, a little-known undercurrent of thought emerges—a message about the ultimate battle between entitlement and worthiness, a concept that seems lost in today's participation-trophy-laden society. Originating in the chaos of the Trojan Wars, these myths tell us of resentment and its tendency to fester, inspired by the coveted golden apple thrown by Eris, the goddess of discord. Its core message is as relevant now as it was then, often overlooked in our culture's race to award everyone regardless of merit.
As the story goes, this golden apple was tossed into a wedding banquet by Eris, with the phrase "to the fairest" engraved upon it. This simple act spurred an unprecedented spiral of events resulting in the Judgment of Paris, the Trojan Wars, and countless other tragedies. But why stop there? Beyond mythology, this golden apple exemplifies core conservative values about the fatalities of vanity, the importance of hard-earned achievements, and human folly. Just like the myth's fair winds that brought forth the destruction of Troy, we too are swept along by alluring but ultimately destructive modern liberal ideologies.
Let's put this into today's terms: we see a society that not only emphasizes inclusivity but does so at the peril of excellence and competition. Remember the New York City struggle over gifted and talented programs? Dropping such programs to promote equity only serves to flatten the crème de la crème to mere mediocrity. A society that neglects to acknowledge intellectual gifts is paving a perilous path much like Paris's poor decision-making. His choice to favor beautiful Helen over the promises of power or wisdom is akin to our current preference for egalitarian platitudes over excellence and hard facts.
Then there's the role of merit. The narrative of the golden apple teaches us that there are consequences to thinking that all voices and opinions are equally valuable. It's a reminder that some choices are better than others, that some contributions matter more, and not every perspective deserves a prize at the winners' podium. We are becoming numb to the stark differences in quality, skill, or expertise by pretending that everyone should start at the same line, like the teacher that grades everyone on a curve till the top becomes indistinguishable from the mediocre. This is not justice; this is a race to the sagging bottom.
Additionally, the myth of 'La manzana de oro' aligns with a less talked about conservative viewpoint: the celebration of the individual triumphing over collective mediocrity. Those who grasp for the golden apple, who work for it, are often seen as disruptors or even villains by those who coast on communal applause. Still, they are the Paris in our story—the ones making the decisions that ripple through history. Sure, Paris's choice led to war, but it was a reminder that even decisions wrapped in beautiful allure must be made wisely, with thought and foresight.
La manzana de oro serves as a glaring warning against blind acceptance and the rebellion against the natural order of hierarchy and purpose. Those sparkling apples aren't merely for eye candy; they are objects of choice, both good and bad. And such choices have profound consequences. Eris's golden apple disrupted a human feast but allowed for a rich narrative on decision-making, on life itself.
So, consider this with a conservative lens: apples may symbolically grow on trees, but not all apples are alike! Earning your golden apple requires more than merely showing up and sharing, and when we bury value in the name of appealing to fair-mindedness, we run headfirst into catastrophe—real or mythical, the fallout is undeniable.
Perhaps the myth of Eris and her golden apple sits precisely where it needs to remain, in the backdrops of the past. As modern society sprints towards the egalitarian mirage without regard to the consequences, let's not forget our roots—lessons taught by centuries of storytellers who encoded these words of caution not just for amusement but for survival. The myth of La manzana de oro is not just a piece of lore but a powerful narrative urging us to rethink merit, importance, and the age-old quest for beauty over character, wisdom, and strength.