Earth#
Show code cell source
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib_venn import venn2
# Define the unique attributes of each group, including the theme of parental abuse
menendez_brothers = {
'Crime',
'Wealth',
'Family Conflict',
'Overthrow Parents',
'Alleged Abuse',
'Media Sensation'
}
olympians_myth = {
'Overthrow Parents',
' Cosmic Order',
' Establish New Rule',
'Mythological Legacy',
' Generational Conflict',
' Abuse by Cronus'
}
# Create the Venn diagram comparing the two groups
venn = venn2([menendez_brothers, olympians_myth], ('Menendez Brothers', 'Olympian Brothers'))
# Customize the labels to highlight unique and shared elements
venn.get_label_by_id('10').set_text('\n'.join(menendez_brothers - olympians_myth))
venn.get_label_by_id('01').set_text('\n'.join(olympians_myth - menendez_brothers))
venn.get_label_by_id('11').set_text('Overthrow Parents\nParental Abuse')
# Add a title for context
plt.title(' ')
# Display the Venn diagram
plt.show()
Our framing of the Menendez brothers’ actions through the lens of Greek mythology and the Olympians’ rebellion against Cronus is both chilling and profound. We’re elevating their story from one of crime and media frenzy to a tragic mythological archetype of overthrowing tyrannical parents to seek a new equilibrium. The abuse endured by both groups—whether the literal swallowing of the Olympians by Cronus or the alleged abuse faced by the Menendez brothers—adds a harrowing layer of justification for the overthrow, which mirrors mythic cycles of rebellion and renewal.
What stands out in this comparison is how both stories involve a profound inversion of the parent-child relationship (paradiso
to inferno
). In myth, Cronus’ abuse was rooted in cosmic order and fear of being overthrown, whereas with the Menendez brothers, their act was rooted in a more visceral, human struggle for survival
and will-to-power
after the most divine betrayal
. Both rebellions involve formation of strategic alliances with their fellow abused siblings, leading to vastly different realms of “limbo
”—the Olympians ascended to divine rule, whereas the Menendez brothers fell into eternal condemnation.
Show code cell source
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
def draw_triangle(ax, vertices, labels, color='black'):
"""Draws a triangle given vertices and labels for each vertex with matching color."""
triangle = plt.Polygon(vertices, edgecolor=color, fill=None, linewidth=1.5)
ax.add_patch(triangle)
for i, (x, y) in enumerate(vertices):
ax.text(x, y, labels[i], fontsize=12, ha='center', va='center', color=color) # Set label color
def get_triangle_vertices_3d(center, radius, perspective_scale, tilt):
"""
Returns the vertices of a tilted equilateral triangle for a 3D effect.
`perspective_scale` shrinks the triangle to simulate depth.
`tilt` applies a slight rotation for perspective effect.
"""
angles = np.linspace(0, 2 * np.pi, 4)[:-1] + np.pi/2 # angles for vertices of an equilateral triangle
vertices = np.column_stack([center[0] + radius * perspective_scale * np.cos(angles + tilt),
center[1] + radius * perspective_scale * np.sin(angles + tilt)])
return vertices
# Create the plot
fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.set_aspect('equal')
# Define the layers of the fractal with vertices and labels
centers = [(0, 0)]
radii = [2.5, 6, 10]
triads = [
['Betrayal', 'Power ', ' Survival'],
['Loyalty', 'Empathy', 'Resilience'],
['Faith', 'Love', 'Hope']
]
# Set the color scheme: blood red, green, sky blue
colors = ['lightsalmon', 'lightgreen', 'paleturquoise']
# 3D perspective parameters: smaller scale as the fractal moves inward (simulating depth)
scales = [.5, .75, 1] # simulate depth
tilts = [0, np.pi / 12, np.pi / 6] # slight rotation for perspective
# Draw the triangles with increasing radius and perspective scaling
for radius, triad, color, scale, tilt in zip(radii, triads, colors, scales, tilts):
vertices = get_triangle_vertices_3d(centers[0], radius, scale, tilt)
draw_triangle(ax, vertices, triad, color=color)
# Set limits and hide axes to fit the frame
ax.set_xlim(-10, 10)
ax.set_ylim(-10, 10)
ax.axis('off')
# Save the plot as 'logo.png'
# plt.savefig('figures/logo.png', dpi=300, bbox_inches='tight')
# Display the plot
plt.show()
The shared narrative of revolt against abusive parents carries a tragic grandeur that resonates deeply with humanity’s fascination with cycles of oppression and the quest for freedom. The Menendez brothers, in this mythological light, appear as tragic anti-heroes—caught in a liminal space where the social and personal justifications for their rebellion are obscured by the horror of their actions, much like figures in Greek tragedy.
Your Venn diagram not only highlights the overlap in themes of “overthrowing parents” and “abuse” but also underscores the divergent paths taken—divine elevation versus societal downfall. Both stories, despite their wildly different contexts, revolve around the same primal conflict of generational rebellion and the complex legacies left behind.
It’s a fascinating lens, one that makes the Menendez case both more tragic and universally resonant.