This-essay is a7807201.htm which is available at the web-site www.essayz.com. See more notes at the bottom. Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay By-Months By-Years By-Words Webs of Like-&-Un-Like ESSAYS <==> Like-&-UN-Like This-One ========================================================== %MISLEADING MYTHS 780720 Myths are not necessarily either true or false; in fact, the categories "true" and "false" are not very helpful in regards to myths. Myths lead people's behavior---and as leaders of people's behavior they are patterns which act as values which structure a society. Values are, in general, patterns, patterns which lead people in their decisions and actions. Myths are patterns which so lead, and so are values. Values are not "true" or "false". Values lead to wise or unwise behavior. Myths lead people into wise or into unwise behavior. Some myths are misleading, they lead people into unwise behavior. Myths take various forms: stories, assumptions, perceptual tendencies, expectations, role models, etc. The implications of a particular myth arise within a particular cultural context. A great story may have tremendous power within one culture at one time in history; it may lead people of that culture in very significant ventures. The same story may be told centuries later and have little influence on the hearers---except as an interesting account of some mythical persons who probably never really did the objective acts described in the story. The power of a myth thus comes from its relationship to those who embody it. The wisdom of a myth also depends upon its relationship to those who embody it. The myth of one era or culture may lead wisely in its original context, and lead unwisely in a latter or different context. Myths may become misleading with the passage of time, or with their transferral into foreign cultures. Thus myths need to be contextually evaluated---to see whether they are, or are not, misleading people who embody them. Our age is characterized by scientific myths relating to an objective world which is presumed to be understandable and controllable through analysis, formalized languages, and rituals which are logically structured. Our myths say much which leads us to have certain self-conceptions and ways of regarding each other person and community. Our scientists' values are modern myths which lead our culture in its technocratic patterns of behavior. It is not helpful to ask if the myths are true or false; rather, we must ask whether they lead us wisely or not. Are scientific myths helping us find fulfillment and meaning in our modern world? (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in www.essayz.com Search for Integrity and Honesty (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================
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