The Doomed Races of Achilles and Inflation
The famous Zeno aporia about Achilles and the tortoise is still relevant today. Except, now it involves your money.
The famous aporia by the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno states that Achilles will never catch up with a tortoise in a race if the tortoise is in front of Achilles at the beginning.
When Achilles takes his first step, the tortoise does so as well. No matter how long or short the race, the tortoise will always stay ahead because a gap will always be between them.
Philosophers have endlessly analyzed stacks of writings and broke a thousand proverbial lances in dispute over this aporia. Poets have written a great deal of poems, both humorous and serious, on the issue. Indeed, it cannot be that fleet-footed Achilles cannot catch up with a lowly tortoise!
Today, like in ancient time proves Achilles still can’t win the race. However, Achilles isn’t a person - he is a bank account’s interest rate: it is fast, deft, confident and is pushing Hector around like a child.
Meanwhile our gluttonous tortoise is named Inflation - the tortoise won't eat Achilles like inflation does interest rates. Yet, both represent doomed races. In doing so, Zeno created a paradox linking the ancient with modern financial instruments. He was a genius, what more is there to say?
