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Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Karma chimera


People sometimes confuse chimera with gargoyles. They aren't the same thing. Gargoyles are downspouts on medieval buildings disquised as grotesque creatures. The term gargoyle comes from the gargling sound water makes as it passes through a downspout. Chimera are just grotesque creatures adorning buildings. They are more decorative than functional.

It's a small distinction, but I think it is an important one. It can apply to people as well. Because in all things, there are those who do and those who sit around looking like they do. Some people are gargoyles and serve an important function in life. Others are chimera and are simply decorative. For example, Hillary Clinton could be categorized as a gargoyle and Paris Hilton as a chimera.

I am not implying that either Hillary or Paris are grotesque creatures in a literal sense. I am simply conveying things in the symbolic or metophoric fashion in which I tend to perceive the world. If I was more of an entrepenuer, I would probably write self-help books called, The Gargoyle Within or The Chimera Comlex! I would hold seminars and get big fat commissions for consultanting with famous people regarding their gargoylness or chimeraic qualities.

I'd like to think I'm a gargoyle and not just the boy toy, eye candy many of you have grown to know. After all, I spout things regularly via my blog and randomly in everyday life. And as with a real gargoyle, I can't really control what comes gurgling out of my mouth. It is extremely fortunate that I do not chew tobacco.

Oh I suppose it would be okay to be a chimera and sit around looking cool all the time without actually having to do anything. But I imagine even chimera have dreams. Maybe they even aspire to be gargoyles. And maybe gargoyles envy the chimera their freedom. It can't be easy coughing up water and sludge every time it rains.

It just goes to show you. The grass is always greener as long as you water it.

4 comments:

Time said...

Lights,
Don't sell yourself short. Remember that nothing ain't nothing, but it's free.

Anonymous said...

Are we supposed to be doing something?

Hayden said...

this meaning of the word chimera caught me cold, despite having spent more hours than I care to admit staring at building adorned with things I called - without distinction - gargoyles.

so of course, I wandered out onto the net and found some ugly descriptions of chimera in genetics and medicine, and then finally found my way home to myth and legend here:
http://www3.unifi.it/surfchem/solid/bardi/chimera/

thanks for the stroll through chimera-dom!

Time said...

Mickey, Simply join the Chimera Society. Our motto is "We do nothing well."

Hayden, all that work looking up chimera proves conclusively that you are a gargoyle. But glad you enjoyed your journey to understand the chimera.