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the importance and value of myth and mythology
New
definitions for myth, sometimes used derisively, have sprung up in some
corners of modern society. For example, by differing reckonings, a myth is:
- Any invented story, idea, or concept.
- An imaginary or fictitious thing or person.
- A story, theme, object, or character regarded as embodying an aspect
of a culture, as a movie star who became a myth.
- An unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a
social institution.
The last new definition cited above—an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a
social institution—shows just how negative the
public's reaction to myth has become. For example, one "myth" that
fits this definition is the Nazi myth of Aryan superiority.
In spite of the negative perceptions people tend to have about myth, many
of the same people who scoff at myth in some situations admire it in others. They read comic books, see films about superheroes, or follow science fiction
stories on television. There must be something about myth that continues to
intrigue and attract.
the Not-So-Ugly truth about myth
The new definitions of myth cited above do not agree with the more
neutral one offered by The Muse. Yet even myths that fit The Muse's
definition have proved hard for some people to swallow. Why?
Certainly, the public is more sophisticated, better educated, and better
informed than its counterparts in previous centuries; compared with the
ancients, perhaps it's harder for us to take the old superheroes and their
unlikely feats seriously. Their stories may even appear a bit silly to
modern eyes. For some reason, in our culture,
something that is not true tends to be discounted. It may be easy to poke fun at these older tales today because the common perception of myth
is of something that's not
based on truth, and because the old tales are based on alien value systems
and mores that originated in other times and places.
Where myth is concerned, this view
is summed up in the statement, Myth is myth.
Yet, the truth is that myth is truth, truth as modern today as it
was long ago. Where mythology is concerned, myth is not mythical in the
pejorative sense; nothing could be further from the truth.
(For more on this, visit
Welcome To Understanding Myth And Mythology.)
Our apparent cultural need to see, hear, or read a story as literal truth
may account for recent television specials that attempt to rationalize the
super-fantastic science that is the basis for movies like Star Trek, Star
Wars, Superman, and Spiderman, various comic books, and
other contemporary fictional stories.
For some reason, fantasy epics like these, which at the core are myths in
their own right, are adored by their
vast audiences even though they are as separated from actual science as
ancient mythic stories are separated from actual science. These modern
audiences seem to be unable to accept myth unless it is presented
in a patently factual manner. The admiring public
responds to these blockbusters without realizing that they are just as much
mythical epics as the trials of Hercules or the adventures of Jason and the
Argonauts.
the value of myth
As
we shall see in these pages, contrary to popular opinion, in the broad sense myth and mythology are not
discredited; and the making of myth is not a defunct activity. There is nothing old fashioned about
myths;
they are as alive as ever, exerting as much impact on society and the
individual as in past millennia. New myths are spawned
continually, and there is every indication that myths will continue to alter the
course of human events as long as mankind inhabits this planet.
Perhaps myth's importance is underrated because mythology is not easy to understand; it raises all kinds of fascinating, puzzling,
tough questions. Yet much that is worthwhile can be learned from unearthing
answers to the knotty and profound questions it raises. For example:
Why does myth:
- Exert a strange, wonderful, and inexplicable power over the affairs
of men, a power that compels, motivates, and directs?
- Seem to perform a vital, essential function in individuals,
societies, cultures, religions, philosophies, and nations?
How can a myth:
- Be taken as literal truth by its adherents even when it contains
irrational or implausible elements?
How and why does myth:
- Project an aura of mystery and awe?
- Stimulate strong emotions, excite, and draw in the believer rather
than promote calm, detachment, or indifference?
How and why does man make myth:
- Does myth serve a vital purpose or is it an
incidental or casual phenomenon?
- Is mythmaking fundamental to human nature? Why are mythmaking
processes active in all individuals, societies, cultures, and nations?
- Does the mythic process function the same way in
everyone, everywhere?
- Is myth active in the psyche at both a conscious
and an unconscious level?
- How does the mind produce myth and what is the source of the mythical experience?
- Is there a "myth center" in the brain?
- Is the capacity for making or experiencing a myth genetically
conveyed between the generations? Is it fundamental to human nature or
is it culturally induced?
What is the historicity of a myth and how can we unlock its historical
messages? When and under what conditions should we take a myth to be
serious history?
Myths are stories. How do myths differ from kinds of stories that
resemble them, such as fairy tales, legends, and fables?
Specific mythical stories differ from one culture to the next or one
nation to the next, yet all myths seem to share common elements. Oddly,
many
specific myths, mythic characters, and mythic themes closely resemble
each other even when they arise in cultures apparently isolated from
each another by expanses of geography or time:
- Can we identify elements common to all or most myths?
- Can we discern patterns in these elements?
- Can we
identify specific elements in specific myths that are different from
each other or that are the same?
- Can we discern patterns in these differences and similarities?
- Can we find reasons that might explain how these anomalies came to
be?
What's going on today in the science and study of myth? What is being
discovered and what are the prospects for future developments?