From the Editor
Luis Ayala
It is Springtime in Texas and the staff at Rum Central is implementing the annual Spring Cleaning Protocol: patios are being washed, stills are being polished, laboratory equipment is being calibrated. In short, every piece of equipment -and its backup- is being prepared for what we hope will be another record-breaking year of sales and productions.
Polishing copper stills reminds me of Sisyphus, who was punished by Zeus to roll a boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down the other side, having to repeat the task for eternity. The expressions “Sisyphean struggle” or “Sisyphean task” refer to tasks that are both laborious and seemingly unending, offering no real reward or sense of accomplishment, such as polishing copper only to see it eagerly regain its lost patina.
Repairing machinery is also thought-provoking, reminding me of the Ship of Theseus (also referred to as Theseus’s Paradox). It is a philosophical thought experiment that asks: if all the parts of a ship are replaced over time, is it still the same ship? Much like the Ship of Theseus, our bodies are constantly replacing cells in our organs, bones and muscles: not one single cell in our bodies now was alive when we were born so, are we still the same person we were at birth?
The quest to find loyal consumers seems to be inspired by Greek mythology too, this time by the story of Laelaps, a dog destined to always catch its prey, and the Teumessian Fox, a creature destined to never be caught. The story culminates in a paradoxical chase that Zeus resolves by turning them into stone and later into constellations: Canis Major (Laelaps) and Canis Minor (the fox).
What is the point of doing something now when we know that the task will never be complete? What meaning is there in being part of never-ending cycles and why is it important for meaning to be there at all? My answer is that the meaning of work is in the work itself: it gives us an opportunity to express our attention to detail, our devotion to the task at hand and our commitment to quality, regardless of how many times those tasks will have to be repeated in the future. What are your thoughts?
Cheers!
Luis Ayala,
Editor and Publisher
http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant