Modern Mythology: Influence on the Society

Modern mythology is characterized as that by which are considered to be beings far from those who inhabit the earthly component of what seemed to be typical in the view of humankind.  The influence of myths in the standpoints and views of individuals had been one of the initial bases of our ancestors’ beliefs which are in a way creating a whole new dimension of their respective approaches in daily living (Bell, 1997).

The broad landscape of myths had been sought to be traditionally passed on until the contemporary society of today, and as to how recent studies have stressed, the level of influence triggering the rationality of the masses had already been declining in some sort.  Such argument raised on why myths, which used to be the towering implication of human rationality had increasingly changed and depleted had been answered in the arena of sociological innovative as well as with the transformational changes in human beings sagacity of liberalism.

Catastrophic Event

However, on the contrary of the proposition, one myth which I found to have been helpful, although factual data seem to mesmerize my stand is the Myth of the Gift of the Goddess, which caters an array of goddess-lined embodiment and correlating the goddess of fertility as that which conveys the essentiality of humanistic needs such as ‘sex’ and all the other forms of intimate relationships (Te Paske, 1982).

Suppressing the realm of mythical, religious and cultural arena has been established to be that which serves as a symbol of the skills and capabilities of woman in performing its duties coherent with certain models, or what traditionalism presumed to be the representations of the kind of person any woman in the contemporary society incorporates.

Freudian Doctrines

In further illustration of the matter, shifting the scenario to Freudian doctrines, related with one of the mythical goddesses is Artemis, who is defined as the goddess who enjoys the gift of life and fertility or childbirth.  She is also known as the goddess of wilderness, thus given with such fact, it may be taken to assumption that women are capable of extracting and involving in ‘intimate’ relationships and thus have beliefs which are taken consideration initially before they are to dwell upon it (Te Paske, 1982).

Sexual Solipcism

Freud’s belief in the art of ‘sexual solipcism’ which never fails to mystify the society of today, is a proof that the level of rationality of human beings today, compared to that of the past decades had evolved in a rather more open echelon on ‘openness’ (Bell, 1997).  Freud established this so-called numerological fantasy connected to menstrual cycle of the female species by which on the hard line feminist critique of psychoanalysis is conceived as the predictable reaction to numerous psychologically based primacy of the internal organ of the male (Bell, 1997) and in the larger and rather explicit scale of such portrays the fact that all men are rapists and oppressors and women are the victims pious in their innocence (Te Paske, 1982).  The issue is deliberatively raised on the worst and animus shadow of the whole gist of what seemed to be a fact among the perception on men, thus creating a dim image of the men’s purity in mind and deed (Te Paske, 1982).

Life Changing Event

Perceivably, the only problem established by myths is its capability to change gradually the behavior and the personality of an individual who was able to acquire it.  21st Century analogy and basis blatantly argues that myths create a negative impact on the society and thus must be given focus on to by behavioral analysts so as to fully eradicate the perception that myths are effectual ‘guiding stars’ (Wolin, 1995) and must be followed and given consideration on to by an individual.

Numerous interpretations in the arena of mythological succession had been crucially studied and determined by socio-political analysts.  With the objective to save the victims of false beliefs, they emerged in a form of research which indulges in transcendence and immanence to take a claim of the juxtaposition of modern and traditional conviction.

Power of Myth

The power of myth, according to mythologist Joseph Campbell and world renowned journalist Bill Moyers, myth is a sociological and at the same time a behavioral dynamic of individuality whereas enthusiasm of such somehow serve as a steer in decision making.  However, in his documentary show, he also stressed the negative effects of myths which denotes that the fallacious beliefs, taken from the word ‘fallacy’ itself is in a ratio of 10:90 adequate in helping people know and understand their inner self (Nicholson, 1999).

Abandoning Mythological Skepticism

Moreover, the argument on myths had been prudently expounded the EM Risse, in his article, Shape the Future.  In his article, he contended that the problem of the society on why development is dawdling in motion is because of the citizen’s counterfeit confidence on traditional notions.  Advising the community to jump out of the skin of life’s conventionalities and start exploring the rather challenging schemes of the highly regarded components of human settlement patterns (Bell, 1997).

Relic

What I have cited as an instance where the myth had been believed to be true to fact, is the dispute of a suspect in a rape case, wherein the bark of defenses of the offender laid a table of mythological explanations, which of course, had not been accepted by the court.  A perfect representation and actuality that modern world justice system and form of regulation on justifications of individuals are well studied and are not in point of fact based on that which is falling on the stream of false beliefs and other traditional saga eaten by criminals to escape from the bars of justice.

The mere fact that there were still individuals who believe in the power of myth, it had been cited that the aforementioned kind take the risk of following the potent nature of myths and thus believe that their salvation or their scheme in life is already written in a book and thus cannot be changed (Nicholson, 1999).

Reality versus Idealism

Furthermore, I would barely like to support the argument on such statement.  Basing the idea on ‘reality’ versus ‘idealism’ will unfold the life living in myths as well as the twists and turns one may divulge in it (Wolin, 1995).

Perhaps it may not be as sufficient as that if the scientific explanations rendered by critical research and studies, but for people who were not able to experience the privilege of knowledge and of literacy do not have any other outlet and sense of support to dwell on. Rather, what myths tend to offer already gives air to their living and thus making the people able to perform what is expected by the community or the culture that they inhabit, regardless the quintessence of universality or societal acceptance.

Conclusion

In the light, what used to be the ‘bible’ of the medieval individuals’ daily basis has transformed in a rather conceptual and modernized state that such myths instilled by our forefathers had been locked in the jar of the times of yore.  The advent of mythological representations was noted to be either that of which is invented, or which had freely flown into place due to gossip (Bell, 1997; Wolin, 1995).  For the reason that humans are prone to interacting with the like is quite inevitable to take to assumption that the sufficiency and factuality of myths are deliberately hanging thoughts or perspectives.

Every person has a certain point of enthusiasm in mythology in them (Wolin, 1995).  It may not be as obvious as one may seem to show the society or the people he or she is involved to, but the inevitability of the ‘vain thoughts’ within oneself is already a subconscious mythical ocean (Bell, 1997).  If one tends to believe that death will take him tomorrow, or that one will see his ‘loved one’ after an hour because a red Volkswagen passed by, those are already proofs that the existence of myth and its influence to people has not yet abandoned the modern limelight.  In conclusion, the never ending debates on how true or how sufficient myths are in explaining the phenomena occurring in this earthly place shall always be a part of every human’s query in life.  How people think and act today, may be a manifestation of what one has been before; and how they are today may affect the myth of their future (Nicholson, 1999).

References

Bell, M. (1997). Literature, Modernism and Myth: Belief and Responsibility in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge, Great Britain: New York Cambridge University Press.

Nicholson, P. Y. (1999). Who Do We Think We Are?: Race and Nation in the Modern World. Armonk: N.Y. ME Sharpe, Inc.

Te Paske, B. A. (1982). Rape and Ritual: A Psychological Study. Toronto: Canada Inner City Books

Wolin, R. (1995). Labyrinths: Explorations in the Critical History of Ideas. Amherst: Mass. University of Massachusetts Press.