Foundations of mythology: popular versus academic definitions

¶ … Mythology

Foundations in Mythology

Myth is a word, and a concept, which actually has many meanings. They way we use it in contemporary society does differ dramatically to the more academic origin of the word. In popular culture and use, the term tends to represent some sort of legend, story, or fable. However, the way it is seen in an academic context is much different. The myth is still a story, but its purpose has dramatically changed when they are used by modern academics. From this perspective, a myth is a view into the ancient world. It is a way to extrapolate the meanings and symbols of a society which has long passed its prime. Here, the research suggests that "myths are symbolic tales of the distant past (often primordial times) that concern cosmogony and cosmology (the origin and nature of the universe), may be connected to belief systems or rituals, and may serve to direct social action and values" (Magoulick, 2012). Myths are the stories these ancient people generated to explain and illuminate the world around them. Academics today can thus use these myths to better understand the cultural components of a society they can not observe with their own eyes.

There are obvious variations in myths from different cultures, yet many share an uncanny resemblance to certain universal themes. There are some major universal themes that seem to transcend otherwise impenetrable cultural divides. One of ht most common is the content surrounding the many creation myths that have popped up around the globe. According to the research, "every human culture has a 'creation myth;' a story that explains how the universe. World, and/or human race came to exist" (Collins, 2008). This type of myth is meant to try to answer some of the unanswerable questions mankind has had about his origins since the beginning of our societies. The creation myth aims to explain where we come from, and how we got here -- both of which are major questions that all societies seem to be obsessed in finding some reasoning for. Myths are used to explain those unknown elements that are so influential in our lives. As such, they are an early attempt at rationalizing the unknown.

Both mythology and religion are belief structures. They hold a way for men and women to reach out for a sense of knowledge in a world that is almost entirely unknown to us. They two cannot be seen as exact copies of one another, but there are major elements that they both share. Moreover, most religions incorporate their own unique myths in order to keep themselves relevant within the society it serves. Without a sense of religious elements, many myths fail to remain a staple of any particular society. Both religion and mythology share common themes, as seen in the previous example of creation myths. Thus, "myths and legends have a specialty of embellishment as well as a spiritedness which raises human feeling into a visualization of a blend of glory and power associated with the nature of human instincts as well as the finer aspirations" (Krishnananda 2010). As such, religions often use mythology as a tool to further engage their patrons into the religious doctrines they promote. These myths tend to try to explain the unknown, and often have ties to the spiritual consciousness of the community which is in need of so many answers.