Urban Myths

“Greek myths are the opposite of timeless; they are timely.” Charlotte Higgins Pegasus, the beautiful horse that could fly; Odysseus’ 10-year-long return journey from Troy; Oedipus’ inability to avoid his tragic fate of killing his father and unknowingly marrying his mother; various monsters such as the Minotaur, Medusa and the Hydra; and the philosopher Socrates who had pronounced that he knew only one thing -and that is that he knew nothing! These fascinating myths are explored and considered in today’s world asking us to question, how relevant they are in the Built Environment profession and the world at large. The author asserts that there are a huge number of similarities and this is why these stories from thousands of years ago still resonate today. Greed, the pursuit of happiness, hubris, our relationship to nature, the way we work, the way we build cities, the way we conduct our lives -all these themes are eternal. Urban Myths is an intriguing and fascinating read that explores the prism of ancient Greek civilisation and myths as a reference to show how human behaviour, values and frailties are timeless.