Mythology Theory

I thought that I might share this essay which I wrote for an assignment in a Mythology course I took in my first year back to school. I hope it opens some good dialogue in our community here.

Enjoy!

As a high school student, I was introduced to mythology in my English class like most students in the United States. Greek mythology would be the genre that I am most familiar with. However, it has been quite some time since I have studied or read any mythology. I do remember a good deal about the Gods themselves, as well as Hercules, especially since Disney Studios made the animated version at the time my two sons were of an age to appreciate the tale.

My definition of mythology would be: a belief of a civilization. It can be a religious or cultural belief. Many civilizations have had what are now called myths that they considered truth. This is also true of our own civilization. Atheists would likely call Christianity a myth since people are unable to prove scientifically that there is a God. Christians would probably say the same about Buddhism or Taoism.

In my life, I have come to debunk a few of our own civilizations myths. One would be the myth that when a girl grows up, she will marry a prince charming and that he will take you away to live happily ever after. This may sound a little archaic in today's time, but there are still little girls out there that idolize princesses. I believe that this particular myth stems from the need for little girls to envision themselves away from Mother and Father and the rules of the household.

Another myth that has had a large impact on my life is that alcoholics are the bums on the street, the homeless, jobless people who drank themselves into the situation. My own parents were alcoholics, even though to this day they would deny this fact. I married two alcoholics in my life, having separated from the second a little over a year ago. I practice abstinence in my own life now, but worry about my own children following the public view that alcoholics are the homeless bums on the street. I read a book over the summer called Drinking: A Love Story. I related very well with the author's account of how insidious alcoholism truly is. In addition to the lengths one will go to in order to keep denying that there is a problem.

I have noticed in my professional career that all people hold onto various sorts of myths that enter into decisions made at the workplace. Ethnic or racial myths have long been a problem for some workers to attain the promotions that they deserve. Over the last decade or two, legal strides have somewhat eased this tension, however, some managers simply try to be more subtle in their implementation of long held beliefs.

Overall, I try to keep my mind open to all things new, and not judge a book by it's cover. This way, I am able to learn new things, appreciate new people, and widen my perspective of the world.