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Pygmalion Says He Loves You
But Would Like You To Be Different.
Back in the times of Ancient Greece when the ideal of “love” was still in its infancy there was, according to myth, a sculptor by the name of Pygmalion.
The Roman poet Ovid tells us the sculptor had not only turned his back on love, but he was a bit of a misogynist too.
“Detesting the faults beyond measure which nature has given to women,”
(Ovid, “Metamorphoses,” Book 10)
our Pygmalion was not about to get lucky at any point soon, at least not with a real woman.
As many creative loners do, he set out to make a beautiful work of art: he would sculpt the perfect woman for all men to see the slovenly imperfections they had to put up with.
He worked day and night with diligence and produced an exquisite work which was much admired, until something odd happened: he fell in love with his creation.
Since she could not think, speak, move or emote, he fell into a glum funk.
He had created the perfect woman, perhaps — even if a bit on the unresponsive side. Let’s not forget: all…