The Sisyphean Labor of the Capitalists and the Barbarians

“Do you know the only value life has is what life puts upon itself? And it is of course over-estimated since it is of necessity prejudiced in its own favor.” ~ Jack London in his novel The Sea Wolf

These words spoken by the character called Wolf Larsen ring true for civilizations as well. Every civilization is of necessity prejudiced in its own favor. Every civilization places the ultimate value upon itself and overestimates its own importance. The mentality of the modern capitalist civilizations is not different from that of the primitive barbarian tribes—both are convinced that their civilization or tribe is indispensable.

In their own mind, the capitalist and the barbarian are constantly performing the Sisyphean labor of placing the ultimate value upon their own world. However, it is the fate of every Sisyphus to consistently fail in pushing the stone to the summit of the mountain. The stone always rolls down; it always comes to rest at the foot of the mountain.