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Som (সোম)
Why do myths exist?
From Enlil, Marduk and Tiamat of Babylon as well as the Epic of Gilgamesh came the Abrahamic myth Adam, Eve and the Noachic floods, interwoven with the world of Egyptian legends.
There is a similarly vast array of Greek, Roman, Viking, Celtic, Slavic and Teutonic myths. India alone has so many that it defies description, as did the ancient Persians, Chinese, Native Americans and Australians, not to mention Africa, the mother of us all.
I have great interest in all myths for a very long time. No culture exists without them. The question is why do they exist and what purpose do they serve?
9 maj 2020 19:15
Comments · 17
I think some of the best thinkers and scientists in history have been the ones who tried to speak to the masses using their own language—which is to say that they used the language of religion to explain rationalist concepts. This was quite common in medieval Islamic science and philosophy.
10 maja 2020
Barbara, Rosco, John and Kai, thanks for your insightful comments. I hadn't really expected this subject to attract much attention because this isn't what one might call a run of the mill topic. In fact it tends to be seen as academic (or nerdy if you will). It essentially falls in the realm of philosophy.
Most people don't pay enough attention to it but without these, any form of large scale civilized society is impossible. Without a system of shared beliefs, one cannot have groups larger than Dunbar's number, about 150 individuals where everyone personally knows everyone else and they are in universal conflict and rivalry with every other such group.
This is the exact description of the pre civilized hunter gatherer tribes and small agricultural settlements. They had their own witch doctor but nothing more universal than that. But when city states like Sumer, Babylon, Egypt and Mohenjodaro came about, these myths naturally came with them. It was the myths that gave rise to the city states, not the other way round. It's a huge cognitive revolution we fail to appreciate.
10 maja 2020
Hi! Som . It is interesting question . . In the beginner of times , human beings always wonder about the universe . So , myths was the form to explain the world . Joseph Campbell is expert in this issue . He thought that ”Myths are clues to the spiritual potential of human life” So, In his mind , myths teach us experiences , lessons of life. I can see forward , myths are images or allegories of your unconscious .Therefore , Campbell was very worried about post modern word which the myths are powerless.
9 maja 2020
But there was a santa claus, thought by some to originate in Turkey who gave presents to children.
All was well until the 1930's when the coca cola company decided that he should be a man with a white beard and dressed in the colors of "coca cola. The rest is history thanks to the invention of radio and television at about the same time.
Dear Children: Please note there is a "santa claus" I am so sorry that the naughty adults have upset you.
10 maja 2020
Why do parents tell their children that Santa exists and that he travels around the world every year on reindeers to give them gifts? Because it makes the world more wondrous and exciting. Telling kids that you went to the mall to buy them presents that were probably made by underpaid, overworked workers with your hard-earned money doesn’t sound as joyous.
The truth is that people don’t always like to be confronted with the naked truth. It can be overwhelming.
10 maja 2020
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