Myth & Understanding

I have been reading about mythology written by Joseph Campbell. In his attempt to make it possibly for the reader to comprehend how myth works he speaks about the human ability to ‘make-believe’.

He speaks of the universality of childhood make-believe and of how this same characteristic is exhibited in human rituals. For example he uses the Catholic Church practice of mass when the priest changes the wine and bread into the body and blood of Christ. In other words it seems to be inherent in humans to make-believe and in the process to truly believe and in truly believing experiences a form of ecstasy.

Such is probably our experience of understanding. In the process of trying to understand I create a model and then somewhere in this process of creating and modifying my model I pass to the point of believing the truth of my model thus the feeling of ecstasy.

In an attempt to explain to the novice the meaning of myth Campbell says that the “grave and constant” in human suffering may, and sometimes does, lead to an experience that is the apogee of our life. This apogee experience is ineffable (not capable of expression). Campbell considers this to be true because it is verified by individuals who have had such an experience.

“And this experience, or at least an approach to it, is the ultimate aim of religion, the ultimate reference of all myth and rite.”

“The paramount theme of mythology is not the agony of quest but the rapture of a revelation.”

Religion is a creation of the human mind seeking to reach out to god, gods
or what ever captures the heart. It is the sister of political power and both
seek to controll mankind with fear or force. But true Christianity is a
relationship with God in Spirit and Truth through Christ. It is not a religion
but a walk in faith through the wilderness of life, that Gods Shepherd loves His sheep the way they are and knows each by name.

Could you accept a reality in which you were ‘omnipotent’, and everything was absolutely within understanding?

Could you accept a reality in which you were ‘omnipotent’, and everything was absolutely within understanding?

I would find it easier to accept that reality, than to understand everything and be powerless to change anything.

For me, I find it a greater fear and anxiety to see aspects of reality that seem not only within congruency, but also within influence. I would find more solitude in obscurity.

myth and understanding. all in your point of view. like whether bush and congress are a bunch of greedy moronic idiots deserving of dangling from the end of a rope by their necks.

It seems to me, that when man moved from hunter-gatherer to a more social environment that he lost need for the "gut feelings" that he had to rely upon for his survival. During the hunter-gatherer period starvation and death, from dangerous situations, weeded out those that were not efficient at reading their own inner feelings. Therefore, it would have grown stronger, genetically, in those that survived.

Village living lessened the necessity to live upon these "gut feelings" and possibly myths and imagination filled the mind with a replacement feeling, a type of inner satisfaction.

hunter gatherers aren't social? jesus man, you have to be even more social with contant co-operation to survive. although it has been shown that hunter gatherer society spends roughly 4 hours per day each person for food. leaving an incredible amount of time to socialize, create, and think. sounds fulfilling to me.


also hunter gatherter society isn't more warlike as some would think. war was more of a ritualized thing instead of an organized smash em bash em for territory, and all out conquest.

Could you accept a reality in which you were ‘omnipotent’, and everything was absolutely within understanding?
Yes, as long as there was absolute understanding of all for I do not believe that power corrupts...it is ignorance combined with twisted desire.

I would find it easier to accept that reality, than to understand everything and be powerless to change anything.
Agreed!

For me, I find it a greater fear and anxiety to see aspects of reality that seem not only within congruency, but also within influence. I would find more solitude in obscurity.

Somewhere in here you totally lost me. Can you explain a little more of what you mean.

It seems to me, that when man moved from hunter-gatherer to a more social environment that he lost need for the "gut feelings" that he had to rely upon for his survival. During the hunter-gatherer period starvation and death, from dangerous situations, weeded out those that were not efficient at reading their own inner feelings. Therefore, it would have grown stronger, genetically, in those that survived..
I can see that.

Village living lessened the necessity to live upon these "gut feelings" and possibly myths and imagination filled the mind with a replacement feeling, a type of inner satisfaction.
Village living may have lessened the necessity to "live" upon these gut feelings to a degree but those gut feelings are based on solid data taken from the environment and then processed and responed to or ignored. It is still alive and well in those people who chose to use it and they are still the more successful in society I believe. They have adapted best.

Somewhere in here you totally lost me. Can you explain a little more of what you mean.


It’s simple, knowing that you actually have even the slightest significance to reality is an extremely heavy burden to bear. A far simpler existence would be one of scenery. I’m also talking outside of the frame work of the ego centric animal, which always places itself at the center of the universe.

I can see that.


Village living may have lessened the necessity to "live" upon these gut feelings to a degree but those gut feelings are based on solid data taken from the environment and then processed and responed to or ignored. It is still alive and well in those people who chose to use it and they are still the more successful in society I believe. They have adapted best.

I must commend you Sal; you can see much further than your nose.
Your "people who choose to use it" statement explains those in our society that are able to accomplish things that others think extraordinary.

My hat is off to you for picking up the hidden meaning in my post.

It’s simple, knowing that you actually have even the slightest significance to reality is an extremely heavy burden to bear. A far simpler existence would be one of scenery. I’m also talking outside of the frame work of the ego centric animal, which always places itself at the center of the universe.
Every particle of everything in existence affects reality. To exist means to affect...the only alternative is to never have existed at all. Everything is at the center of universe and everything exists everywhere at the same time.