High potentials and the truth of corporate stories

 

Antiquity had its high potentials, too.

Arachne was an extremely talented and creative young woman who wove beautiful tapestries, so beautiful that people thought her talents divine. She had to have received her gift and training from Athena, the goddess of wisdom and crafts. But Arachne denied that she had had any help from the goddess, she never had needed such help. That crossed the goddess and she challenged the young woman to a weaving contest. The works would be judged by an audience of mortals and lesser gods. Arachne, convinced of herself, accepted that challenge. And both wove a story.
Athena glorified the deeds of the Olympians and her own position as patron goddess of Athens. The audience of mortals and gods admired the magnificence and grandeur of the work.
Arachne, on the other hand, depicted the arbitrary abductions and rapes of the supreme god Zeus, so lifelike and convincing and so beautiful that everyone had to admit that this was the true masterpiece. The recognition was great and there was also furtive nodding of heads and smiling.
The goddess was furious, not only because she saw herself beaten, but also because her father had been exposed and ridiculed. The audience withdrew startled. Athena tore Arachne's tapestry apart, broke her loom and and cursed her. It makes quite an impression when a goddess curses you. Arachne became so depressed that she hanged herself. But then the goddess showed something that resembled compassion.
She touched the young woman and brought her back to life... as a spider. From that day we can look at her complex webs, but they mean nothing for us anymore, they do not depict anything. Arachne has no story to tell.

It is one of the less told mythological stories, but isn't it still very much alive? Apart from the villainous subtlety of Athena, it is a story that one can interpret in multiple ways. I did a suggestion in the title. What's your angle? Is it a story that you would tell to stimulate a conversation - internally or externally - on one of the possible topics?