Greek Tragedy

Found this link and was surprised that there was nothing behind it...

Clearly nothing to do with computer programming, or does it? I profess a complete ignorance of the subject (EngLit? teacher failed to light my fire, merely filled the bucket) but start to come across references to Pride (Hubris?) which seems to link up to EgolessProgramming, HeroicProgramming (mentioned in ThePsychologyOfComputerProgramming somewhere too). Is there anyone schooled in the tragedies who can comment: are there learnings in the tragedies described thousands of years similar to the same patterns we see in our modern workplace?

Greek tragedies were moral tales admonishing people to obey the gods. At least, OedipusRex? and TheOdyssey? follow this pattern. What do you have in mind by way of workplace patterns?

I don't think that really describes Greek tragedies. We have for instance Orestes, who follows Apollo's commands to kill his mother and is driven mad because of it, while Oedipus is consigned to his fate before any actions take place. The Odyssey matches the description but unfortunately this is an earlier epic and has a happy ending. The Greeks weren't naive enough to suppose that obeying the gods guarantees a happy life, and the tragedies reflect this.

It is my understanding of Greek Tragedy that they involved a hero of noble family, who fell because of a character flaw. Hubris was the most common flaw. Often leading to quite spectacular falls. The lesson to take is even the nobility has its failings. Which was a great comfort to the "little people," as well as the nobles who were somewhat less than heroic. Besides, who wants to hear about the suffering of a peasant? Everyone knows a peasant's life is hard.

By the way, I think it was Oedipus's grandfather who had the flaw (hubris), his family was cursed for generations.