The Center of the World
Whole cultures orbit round one or another mythical idea or story. The ancient legends tell of great heroes, gods, teachers, avatars, holy objects, events and places . . . but what myth lies at the center of our world today? Actually, there is a way we can tell . . .
As if we were instructed to do so, human beings have always built the tallest building in their towns or cities as a symbol of the dominant theme or myth of their culture. In ancient times, the tallest building was always a temple, church, mosque or cathedral; glorifying a supreme, intelligent and dominant principle or what we today call – ‘God.’
Over time in the west, as religion became less and less important, political buildings became the tallest structures in town, embodying ideals of social organization and the rights of man and woman; but now, in 21st century cities all around our planet, the buildings that rise above all the others are technological wonders, owned and named after corporations and dedicated to one or another business or financial enterprise.17 These ‘tallest buildings’ embody the idea or ‘myth’ of fulfillment through technology and business that touches every aspect of our lives; we spin round the ideas they embody like planets round the sun.
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