Mayo

Mayonnaise makes almost anything taste better.

Like, a tuna sandwich without mayonnaise is a disgusting pile of malodorous dead fish chunks heaped upon bread.

But a tuna sandwich with mayonnaise: DELICIOUS.

A pity it’s so fattening.

And in this, I think, is a metaphor for the human condition itself. We as human beings are bestowed with great gifts; intellect, will, ambition, minds capable of fashioning science and technology and medicine. Used well, this gifts uplift and ease the burdens and pains of mortal existence. But abused, they lead inevitably to madness and self-destruction, to utter ruin.

All this, contained in a jar of mayonnaise.

Though not many metaphors go so well with a roast beef sandwich.

-JM