Timeless Wisdom
The legendary Solon from the 6th century BC travelled long and far from his hometown and landed at the capital of Ledia, where he met king Croesus. Little could they have known that their encounter would have produced a historical (or mythological) lesson of relevance which grips to our time, and no doubt beyond. Croesus was renowned for his wealth, hence the English expression "rich as Croesus". He had considered himself to be the happiest man alive and Solon had advised him, "Count no man happy until he be dead," because at any minute, fortune might turn on even the happiest man and make his life miserable. It was not till after his kingdom had been taken from him by the Persian, while he lugubriously waited to be burnt alive on a pyre, that Croesus acknowledged the wisdom of Solon's advice.
This may be a real story or a myth. Regardless of which, Solon's wisdom is shockingly resonant for many people who are painfully experiencing a reversal in fortune nowadays - not only the once bullish bankers from Wall Street, but many ordinary citizens who see the elusive value dissipating from their stocks or houses. Indeed even those politicians or economists who blatantly and triumphantly proclaimed that we have now entered an age of low inflation and sustainable growth as recent as just two years ago should stand humbled.
While historical lessons of relevance and resonance to any contemporary debacle can be readily traced, evolution of knowledge does not always seem to help mankind to avoid pitfalls of recurring nature. Is it because of human weaknesses or is it some force of nature which dictates that people simply can never break away from the vicious cycle of booms and busts, however sensible we may be and however intelligent our systems of living may become? Indeed another wise man from another ancient time, Horace, purportedly wrote in a poet: "Many shall be restored that now are fallen, and many shall fall that now are in honour."
Or is it just all about fate and randomness at play?
This may be a real story or a myth. Regardless of which, Solon's wisdom is shockingly resonant for many people who are painfully experiencing a reversal in fortune nowadays - not only the once bullish bankers from Wall Street, but many ordinary citizens who see the elusive value dissipating from their stocks or houses. Indeed even those politicians or economists who blatantly and triumphantly proclaimed that we have now entered an age of low inflation and sustainable growth as recent as just two years ago should stand humbled.
While historical lessons of relevance and resonance to any contemporary debacle can be readily traced, evolution of knowledge does not always seem to help mankind to avoid pitfalls of recurring nature. Is it because of human weaknesses or is it some force of nature which dictates that people simply can never break away from the vicious cycle of booms and busts, however sensible we may be and however intelligent our systems of living may become? Indeed another wise man from another ancient time, Horace, purportedly wrote in a poet: "Many shall be restored that now are fallen, and many shall fall that now are in honour."
Or is it just all about fate and randomness at play?
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