It is the "known" that serves as protection from the unknown, whether this is understood or not. Ea kills Apsu, which means that he unconsciously strips hirns elf of protection. Ea might therefore be reasonably regarded as representative of that part of hurnanity eternally (and ignorantly) contemptuous of tradition and willing to undermine or destroy the past without understanding its necessity or nature. Those "unconsciously" protected from the outside world by the walls of culture may become irritated by the limitations such walls represent, and incautiously puH them down. This act of
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