How Myths Shape American Culture

A myth is a symbolic way of expressing truths and beliefs that are accepted by society. Myths, which are reading literature that is imaginative, teach truths that may not always have a basis for historical fact. Myths, which communicate ideas in story form, are creative stories that explain and teach religious truths of sin and consequence.

Myth – Is a cultural featured folklore story of some early history regarding a supernatural phenomenon or wild belief. Myths are often told by people in order to explain a particular history or the origin of a custom. This can include contexts to a story that is over exaggerated or truthful in some perspectives. For example, the folklore history of “Bloody Mary” and saying her name three times will make her appear.

ANSWER: I do not believe that myths need to be literally true to be valuable. To me myths are a valuable part of history that gives us insight or some type of explanation of times, people, and places. They are a mirror that takes past situations and reflects morals that may even still be used in present day

The culture of mythology is originated as the means of documenting what the culture thinks to be real and have many facts about the beginning of the universe around them. For example, over time and documentation the word of religion took up other meaning for different cultures. When a brand new religion dominates over the previous religion the old book or documents become myths and legends so then beings regarded past recordings as false or fantasy but with no real historical value. That’s when the word myth comes in to play.

Rereading America begins by discussing the obstacles that students will face when entering college, and how cultural myths play a significant role in the way we think, and how we react to situations in our environment. In order to be a successful, intellectually-minded college student, one must engage in critical thinking in their academic work. Critical thinking involves the examination or consideration of various perspectives, realizing that what is commonly appeared to be “normal” or “crystal clear” is not from analysis, but rather from the cultural myths unconsciously embedded in our lives. While it can be argued that cultural myths provide social order in society, they also discourage individuals from forming their own beliefs after thinking

A simple definition of a myth is a story handed down through history, often through oral tradition, that explains or gives value to the unknown. Myths are composed of stories or explanations. Myths are not always false sometimes they have some truth to them. They come to being by people making an assumption about a person based on their race.

How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, “It’s a myth” mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words.

There are different types of definitions for the word myth. Etymological definitions concentrate on the subject at head being untrue. One of these definitions states the word myth is defined as a story about the gods that is false. Another type of definition is sociological-theological definitions. In this definitions, the person telling the myth is only telling what is true to them. The story is not false in their mind. The truth is whatever the person thinks is true.

Today’s popular definition of a myth differs greatly from the original definition of a myth that existed many years ago. By today’s standard a myth is described as “an unfounded or false notion”, but this wasn’t always the case. The original or anthropological definition of a myth is described as “a sacred story central to the belief system and values of a given people, culture, or religion”. In many ways my own beliefs could be described as a myth. For example, the resurrection of Jesus Christ could be considered a myth by the original anthropological definition of the word. I myself am a Christian and believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ after being dead for three days and sealed in a tomb. Were someone to use the current definition

But there are many ways one could interpret myths, Bronislaw Malinowski, an anthropologist, believed that myths tell people about the origins of the early world and that it gives them a reality of how things are to repeat. Malinowski believed that myths weren’t kept alive because of interest, or because they are true tales, but because they give people are a reality of how mankind is to be determined. Malinowski even gives us an example of a grandmother and granddaughter that realize that although everyone still has that youth they once were, they have to come to the realization that everyone gets old and

As one may see, Mythology is all around us, and Mythology is more than just a study of myth, it is a dive into the spiritual mindset into several cultures scattered all around the world. This mindset being creation, how to make the gods happy, or even just how to ensure that you will have a fruitful crop, to feed your family.

Myths are everywhere. They are in our everyday lives. We may not realize the smaller ones. Maybe there is a mysterious closet that no one dares go in. Little did they know, there was a monster behind the door! Like this monster myth, other myths have been proven to be false. Although there are still some out there that have remained mysterious. There are also some more famous myths that you might have heard of. I love hearing about myths, some are very exciting. My favorite myths are about Mount Everest. There are several thrill-seeking myths about this mystifying mountain.

From before the dawn of civilization as we know it, humanity has formed myths and legends to explain the natural world around them. Whether it is of Zeus and Hera or Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-mikoto, every civilization and culture upon this world has its own mythos. However, the age of myth is waning as it is overshadowed in this modern era by fundamental religion and empirical science. The word myth has come to connote blatant falsehood; however, it was not always so. Our myths have reflected both the society and values of the culture they are from. We have also reflected our inner psyche, conscious and unconscious, unto the fabric of our myths.

"A myth is a collective term denoting a symbolic narrative in religion, as distinguished from symbolic behavior (cult, ritual) and symbolic places or objects (temples, icons)". (The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Vol. 24)Mythology is a collection of myths meant to explain the universe. Mythological stories were told in many different cultures and civilizations. The existence of myths is known in every society. Many different myths were conceived to explain occurrences that happened in nature.

When this word “myth” is used, the term is usually related to a fable, invention or a fiction story. Over the years, many scholars started approaching the study of myth differently. These scholars have approach myths in a way their meaning was traditionally regarded. In many traditions these myth are true stories and never refer to as false stories. ( http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/grecoromanmyth1/a/whatismyth.htm )