Mythology: What We Should Know
In essays on mythology like this an author writes about the nature and definition of this term. So mythology refers to a collection of myths, the study and interpretation of sacred tales or fables of a culture which have been passed down for generations. It is a constant reminder of who we are, where we are from and that we all are a part of something greater. It gives meaning and form to our life, giving hope to cling on to even in the darkest of times, giving a positive outlook towards life, a reminder that we are not alone.
Myths are stories based on tradition, some may have factual origins, while others are completely fiction. Myths are more than just mere stories, they are the answer to our whole existence, they are more than narratives and fables passed on, they are sacred tales explaining the world as well as the man's experience. Every religion has its own cultures, myths, legends, and traditions that they believe in and practice. People who believe in greek mythology regard that there are 12 deities that resided at Mount Olympus. People who follow Hindu mythology tend to believe that there are in total 33 million gods such as lord shiva and lord Ganesha. There are several different types of mythologies that we believe in and follow, which unknowingly and knowingly influence our daily life in considerable ways.
Mythology makes up a major part of a person's heritage and culture, giving that person their identity and who they refer to themselves as. Mythology plays a very important role in our daily lives because it becomes a foundation for a lot of religions that are practiced. Mythology consists of tons of myths, some telling us about the battles between good and evil, which all have a moral that we learn from. Mythology was important to the ancients and is important now and will remain in the future.
People who ensue Hindu mythology tend not to eat non-vegetarian on Tuesday to pay honor to the Hindu symbol of strength i.e. the god hanuman. A contemporary example of mythology influencing our lives is comic books, shows, fantasy fiction, etc. the harry potter series is rife with allusions of greek, medieval, and biblical literature, as well as other folklore. Many shows include Norse mythology counting a trickster character known as Loki. These are just some of the ways mythology affects our daily life.
Mythology's influence is catastrophically the most empowering influence, used to manipulate or annihilate human reason. The reason why mythology is considered important is that it is pure storytelling which might include some real facts while the rest being fiction. Everyone loves a good story and there's no doubt in that.
Despite our social differences, myths influence us, why is that so? A large number of people can cooperate successfully just by believing in myths. Any two lawyers, even of the opposite sex will defend a complete stranger because they both believe and live by the principles of law, justice, and human rights. This is the basic example we all live by, if two people agree on the same topic it is likely that they both will get along together, despite their social differences. If two people from the same religion with social differences believe and follow the same tradition, it is most likely that they both won't have a problem with each other.
The subject of myths reflect the universal concerns of mankind, even if these myths which go around, proving man's existence or its origin may just be fake or made up. As stories are passed down, generation by generation, they tend to mix up to form a completely new story with new details thus giving false facts. We imagine a sense of who we are based on these myths along with our pre-knowledge. We see God as who we are, like humans, animals, birds, forms of existence that we know of and that the world has seen. We look up to these mythology tales because they give us a sense of rules that we need to follow in order to live a grateful life and this is who we are, upon whom our characteristics are based.
Often when we strongly believe in something the line between myths and reality tends to become blurry. Religion is one such example that can divide us as well as unite us in several ways. While it is the human characteristic that binds us together there have been instances where religion leads to conflict. Myths are incorporated into our lives on a day-to-day basis as discussed before. It has a prominent effect on the value system and ideology of a community. Some myths believed by people of one mythology might lead to clash and conflict with people who believe in something that is the exact opposite of the fact. For example, stigma against feminism, patriarchy, even the simple fact that some people eat meat and others don't. Many of the myths which cannot be proven can only be felt, for instance, we don't have any proof that Mahabharata is actually true however since stories like these have been passed down for generations we do tend to believe them and the morals that are included in them. Myths sometimes do make us forget the importance of what is real and what is not. The myths of lost paradise, for instance, give hope to a person that by living an honest and virtuous life, they can earn a better life afterward. However, we don't even know if one such magical place like this does exist; although we still believe it and gravitate towards it because it gives us aspiration.
Overall if myths are essentially considered to be unreal would it matter if we do away with them entirely? Yes, it would definitely have a great impact on us. It is believed that people who follow or believe mythology have a lesser chance of getting depression or anxiety. Even though these fables are considered to be false, mythology gives a sense of gratefulness and hope which is essentially unreal in its own way. Therefore, mythology has an impact on humans in its own way which cannot be truly described.
