When Fire Became Knowledge
Rea,
Sharing what you know can be risky. Sometimes the people in charge want to keep knowledge for themselves, believing others aren’t ready for it. But throughout history, brave individuals have chosen to share anyway, often changing the world in unexpected ways.
In Greek mythology, humans originally lived in cold, dark caves. They ate raw meat because they couldn’t cook it. When night fell, they huddled in darkness. Winter brought freezing temperatures with no way to get warm. All because one powerful tool was kept from them: fire.
Zeus, king of the gods, believed humans weren’t ready for fire’s power. He feared they might use it to challenge the gods or destroy themselves. But Prometheus, a Titan whose name means “forethought,” saw humans shivering in the darkness. He faced a difficult choice: obey Zeus and let humans continue suffering, or risk everything to help them.
The Greek poet Hesiod recorded what happened next. Prometheus climbed Mount Olympus, took a hollow fennel stalk, and secretly carried fire down to Earth. He taught humans how to use it for cooking, warmth, and creating tools. Zeus punished him for this rebellion, but Prometheus never regretted sharing knowledge with those who needed it.
The gift of fire transformed human existence. People who once huddled in caves built villages with warm hearths. They cooked food, crafted metal tools, and created pottery. These changes led to the first human civilizations.
This same pattern of knowledge-sharing continues today. In Harry Potter, Hermione helps Harry and Ron with spells, even when it might get her in trouble. When Umbridge refuses to teach defensive magic, Harry creates “Dumbledore’s Army” to share this forbidden knowledge. Later, these skills help them survive against Voldemort.
The pattern continues in real life too. Scientists shared COVID research openly, helping develop vaccines in record time. People create YouTube tutorials teaching everything from math to guitar playing. Programmers build “open source” software that anyone can use and improve. Each example follows Prometheus’s pattern of sharing knowledge instead of hoarding it.
We live in an amazing time for learning. Just 100 years ago, libraries were only open to certain people. Universities were mostly for the wealthy. Important information was locked in expensive books. Today, you can learn almost anything online, often for free, because people chose to share what they know.
Every time someone posts a helpful video, writes a clear explanation, or teaches a skill to someone else, they’re part of this ancient pattern. They’re choosing to light other people’s candles with their own flame, making the world brighter without losing anything themselves.
Love, Abba
