Class of 1968

The Holiday Story  
 
Anybody, who knows even a little bit about Greek mythology (and, because art, literature, music and science of Western culture have utilized it intensively within last three millennia, it should be, practically, everybody), should know the story of the Titan Prometheus, who, in spite of Gods’ prohibition, had brought the fire to people, making their life much easier, and had been heavily punished for that, having for the eternity his liver every day to be tormented by the giant eagle.  
Does anybody think that our life has significantly changed since that mythological time when the story had been created? If so, then think again, as I am about to tell you the real story of the real contemporary Prometheus.  
 
Could anybody now imagine his/her life without microprocessors? I do not think so. They are everywhere: in house utensils, phones, TV’s remotes, cars, and, of course, in computers. However, someone had come up at first with this concept. The name of this boy was Wayne D. Pickette, and at the age of seventeen, he, already familiar by that age with electronics through self-education, had come up with this idea of computer-on-a-chip. Nobody had wanted to listen to the boy, but finally one scientist and engineer-Dr Robert Noyce had listened to him, had hired him, and let him transform his concept into working device. This is, in short, the story of the appearance of microchip-4004, and this is the most valued part of the history of American technology. However, when the device had started to bring the glory and the profit it-worth, the boy, already the young man by then, had gotten the created for him car accident, which he had survived, but had gotten his neck broken, his body paralyzed for thankfully only a short while of time, and his spirit seriously contaminated. Anyhow, in spite of the overwhelming evidence of his pioneership, he had not gotten what had been, and is now due to him, especially after the death of Dr. Robert Noyce.  
 
The poverty and the terrible non-deserved offence could torment someone’s liver on daily basis even more efficiently that this mythological giant eagles. And that is the part of our story, which is so similar to the original Prometheus myth.  
 
The boy was born, however, with the thirst for all kind of inquiries, and creativity, and his love to his buddies - people, as to other inhabitants of this planet, had been also embedded in his heart from the birthday. So, he came up with the real concept of how to substitute all current cars, jets, and other vehicles, which are now people’s tools of the destruction of this planet, and, subsequently, self-destruction, with light vehicles, utilizing all kinds of energy and fuel and non producing any pollution whatsoever. But, once again, he was either allowed to give up his authorship, or to move very, very slowly with the implementation of his concept, as his financial circumstances did not allow the better speed. This time he chose the second alternative. So, if our current Gods-people with money, like venture capitalists, and/or politicians, had in reality a bit more of compassion and less cruel nature than Greek Gods on the Olympus, not mentioning even their hypocrisy, as Greek Gods are not known to possess this winning quality of our modern politicians, we-the people of this poor planet have been already able to have light, efficient vehicles, producing no pollution. But, unfortunately, our contemporary Gods are only concerned with their money, and, in the best scenario, with their trinkets, like Nobel Prizes or Oscars, but choosing to do nothing towards their, so named, warning, for which they have received these trinkets.  
So, you see, Prometheus had come up only with one idea, and, therefore, has had only one eagle, tormenting his liver on daily basis. But what would have happened, if he had been able to do any more wonderful things for people, the mythology doesn’t tell, but the contemporary life does: He would obtain then another terrible eagle or other beast, tormenting on daily basis his heart or lungs, for example, in addition to the first one.  
So, let us celebrate, Ladies and Gentlemen, during this holiday season the successful evolution of our society over the road of the conservative compassion, shall we?  
 
Anna V. Epelbaum