Discussion 1
Myths have been used over and over again to legitimize ideologies of the rule of Kings & Queens even to present day. The mythology of tracing your ancestry back to someone with a special “God given right” to rule gives you the right to rule.
Ideologies from many mythologies were behind many of Hitler’s campaigns. Including looking for the Ark to us as a weapon, believing in UFO technology in Egypt or technology from the Egyptian Gods that he could use for his war machine. He used Tarot to tell the future and consulted with psychics all the time. Both are forms of mythology.
Hitler is the best example of dangerous myth usage I can think of. His distorted views combined with his knowledge of mythology gave him a knowledge base to form a platform that people could flock too when they had no one to believe in and their country was failing. Many rulers have done this before. Rasputin did this with the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia too. Mixing mythology and the mystical to make himself seem more than he was to the royal family. Even today his name conjures up these things.
Another positive usage of mythology today can be seen in proper use of todays religions (non-fanatical in other words) that give people peace and hope in a world that sometimes seems to have none. Also as in our readings most of our main sporting events have a basis in mythology in one way or another.
A long standing negative mythology example is in the way our little girls are raised with a “Cinderella” complex (yes even today when they are given guns but are still given a Cinderella complex) and little boys are taught to be a “hero”. And in the way that fanatical cults use pieces of religious myth twisted to their own needs to work their followers into a killing frenzy that currently has half world in a war against terrorism.
More positive mythology underlying todays ideologies are the ideologies behind todays military and especially bootcamps. They use the training to create a cohesive unit the same way that the spartans and romans did hundreds of years ago by making it about brotherhood and survival of the group and their stories are very much like the myths they would have shared around the campfires. It continues because it works. Today they don’t tell them that what they are doing makes them in the favor of the gods but it is said in so many words and in the actions. When you tell a group of people that they are the greatest fighting force in the world and they cannot lose if they train your way and follow your rules, you are telling them the gods favor them for doing what the gods tell them.
Also we have the bard who sings us tales of change and stories of what could be. In our readings they talk about Jim Morrison of The Doors being the bard and using mythology to change the world. He spoke of the mythological chaos that must be before the world can change and that they hoped their music would help to bring this about. I looked up several references to this and found it to be true. As in creation and fertility mythology, the new must come from chaos. Sex & Birth are not mild and quiet things they are chaotic and wonderful and required for new life. The old must be split asunder to make room for the new. Well Jim was right but I don’t think he counted on it taking this long of a period of chaos. I am not sure we are actually through it yet.
Discussion 2
I went through the power point presentation before I read the article and the word “pragmatic” stuck in my head. I thought about it so long, I forgot the rest of the presentation so I read the paper by Robert Kohls. “Concerned with practical matters” is the definition of pragmatic. Based on Kohls’ 13 values Americans live by, I would agree with his assessment. What I find most interesting is how did these values develop and why are we so different from other cultures? (In the back of my mind, I’m also wondering if this assessment, written in 1984, is changing, since we seem to be going through a social revolution; and will American pragmatism change tremendously with the growing pains of globalization.)
I have a difficult time choosing only two of the ideals that have the greatest impact on me because I can identify with each construct. Why? To answer my question above, my immediate response is, “because I’m an American and I am entitled to independence, in my thinking and my actions.” I’m a strong supporter of the purity of the Constitution and I believe the ideology of it is based on virtue, opportunity and achievement (regardless of human nature). Kohls’ values define the ideology of “the American Dream” where hard work and ingenuity makes for a successful life.
I feel that change is an important motivator in my life. Without the flexibility to absorb change and new ideas, life can become very stagnant. A person can quickly be outpaced and obsolete if they’re not open to changes in culture. I think technology and pop culture are the biggest motivators for change and to continue to be productive in society, these changes must be evaluated and understood if not embraced. The downside is the potential loss of tradition. I am even resistant to accepting the fact that traditional values suffer with change. (see the use of the word potential) Although, rationally I understand the disconnect between stable tradition and cultural flux, so interwoven in my personality is this belief that I immediately begin to process a solution for this dilemma. I personalize it by doing a quick mental assessment of traditions that are important to me personally and I then categorize them into a folder in my mind to access and ponder the impact of change on these traditions at a later time.
This is an expression of “personal control over the environment”. “I can have my cake and eat it too.” Should I lose traditions that are sacred to me as an expense of change that I enjoy or feel is necessary, or simply come to accept, it is because I have chosen to do so. It is not some mystical intervention or devil possession. It may come down to rationalization but the objective is to control my environment by moderating the changes I allow into my life, and holding onto the traditions that are sacred to me. The task is now upon me.
Time is the enemy of all things good. While I am controlling my environment, time is pressuring me to make better use of it. I stopped wearing a watch when I retired from my first career. It was a difficult process for me and I suspect I have just replaced the habit with my cell phone always being within reach, but the break from my watch was a significant milestone for me. I am a driven person that is easily distracted. There is not enough time in a day to accomplish everything I want to do. Time has always been my enemy because I know, to be successful with experiencing new things, one must also have balance and time for rest. I read an article about Ralph Nader years and years ago that said he only slept 4 hours a night. I have never forgotten that and have always wished I was not the person who requires at least 8 hours to feel productive. (Khols’ values are deeply embedded in my personality.) Fortunately, as I’ve gotten older, I value my downtime more and because I don’t feel so tied to a rigid schedule, I find balancing my ambitions with the rest of my life more enjoyable…but time is always lurking.
I meant for the topic of time to be the least meaningful, I think I initially misread the directions. I have already confessed to being the poster child for these values so I thought the least significant for me would be informality. I realized as I tried to reason an understanding of this, that in reality, informality is very important to me because I associate it with equality, which I know is vital for cultural survival. I feel I am respectful to people but the formality of titles and entitlements are unnecessary fluff as far as I’m concerned. We are all created as equal human beings and respect for basic humanness is more important to me than formality that hinders creativity and self expression.
I’m not going through the rest of the values with everyone because I have already identified that each of these values are deeply ingrained in my personality; therefore, I cannot separate one of these ideals as least significant. In other words, they are added together, shaken up and poured out in good measure as demonstrated by my life.
