[an ancient sumerian woman, covered in jewelry, smiles at us]
You will never find the eternal life that you seek.
Humans are born, they live, then they die, this is the order that the gods have decreed. But until the end comes, enjoy your life, spend it in happiness, not despair. Savor your food, make each of your days a delight, bathe and anoint yourself, wear bright closes that are sparkling clean, let music and dancing fill your house, love the child who holds you by the hand, and give your wife pleasure in your embrace.
That is the best way for a man to live.
- Siduri, to Gilgamesh, 4000 years ago
but now capitalism has ruined half of that.
Well, in a way, the epic of Gilgamesh can be seen as a critique of what would eventually be capitalism, but not in the usual way, as its criticism of power dynamics is addressed to the ruling class (represented by the protagonist Gilgamesh).
This quote is spoken by Siduri, a regular barista, to a man who is 2/3 god and 1/3 human, the king of the biggest city in the land, rich beyond riches, famous and accomplished, has rapey tendencies, killed people, deforested the land, seeking immortality to cure his depression after having lost his totally-not-lover the beastman Enkidu (really the Epic is just omegaverse doomed yaoi).
She’s telling him that by lusting for impossible powers, he has forgotten to live his life. The wealthiest can try all they want to become gods, they will always be human and die like the rest of us. Only they can decide whether they will spend their lifespan enjoying a good simple life, or dedicating it to exploiting, colonizing, ruining others lives. One outcome tends to bring satisfaction, whereas the other will only leave them thirsting for more in their quest for an unattainable goal.
Alas, capitalism rewards those who follow the doomed path.
Especially when you account for how he acts with Ishtar.
But man, Siduri at least gets to throw shade in a way that gets through to Gilgamesh, and by extension the reader/listener. Better than all the Utnapishtem I-told-ya-so’s.
99% of the population can’t escape the crushing despair of having been born on the losing side of capitalism.
Don’t you think everyone would do that if they could?
House? 🤣 Capitalism makes most people eternal slaves to landlords, or homeless.
If capitalism is inside your home youre doing something wrong
Find pleasure in life, is all. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Ah yes, that explains the dropping quality of life ever since the bronze age.