Myth Deficit Enables AI Hubris

When societies lose shared myths and the practice of storytelling that convey tacit moral wisdom, they become more likely to pursue large technical powers (like advanced AI) without the cultural checks that historically restrained dangerous ambitions. The essay forwards the specific claim that forgetting ancient myths leaves us 'defenceless' against the moral perils of Promethean technologies. — This frames technological governance as not just a technical or regulatory problem but as a cultural one: restoring narrative and myth literacy matters for how democracies manage AI risk.