It is one thing to experience mythology, it is another to create it. Now that I read that last sentence, it sounds incredibly self-important and melodramatic, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't true. When we are learning how to do anything, read, write, drive, do our taxes, the process is two steps. What do people always say? Watch and learn. But there is an implicit third part to that statement: watch, learn, then do. The "doing" is an incredibly important part to the learning process. We first observe, taking in all the information we can on technique, then we apply it. Creating my silly little myth about brain rot with silly little characters with silly little names was the "doing."
Through the act of creating my own myth, I feel like a I got a much better grasp of the basic elements that make a myth work. When reading old mythology, often characters or plot points seem absurd. What do you mean Cronos ate his children? What do you mean Izanagi created the islands with a spear? The events themselves are nonsensical, but it is intentionally done so to create a fictional reality. This fictional reality is one of godhood, where a sneeze can be an act of creation. For mere mortals like us, we could never imagine creating life by simply having a thought, but for deities, that's just another Tuesday. So in creating my myth, I tried to tap into this alternate reality where grand acts of creation or as simple as a wave of the hand.
In doing so, I began to understand mythology a lot more, and perhaps, glimpsed its purpose. When I was a young kid, my family would all drive to Las Vegas together. I'd see the mountains in the desert and say, "They look like sleeping giants!" We would make up silly stories about who these giants might be, why they're sleepy, what might wake them up. We'd give them names and backstories; we would create a mythology. It didn't matter whether or not the story was real, it created a sense of shared experience while connecting us to the natural world. Humans create myths all the time. We tell silly stories about that squirrel in the park, or why that billboard has been there so long, or how Jared Leto keeps getting work. We tell these stories to connect to each other and invite an opportunity for shared experience. It's almost like a cultural inside joke. But of course, that's just how it feels to me. Perhaps you feel differently.
Hi Jeremy, nice reflection on the process and work that goes in to creating a myth. The "doing" stage of learning is definitely a necessary component to teaching; it can't just be intake and listening. The idea of a fictional reality where the impossible becomes possible is expressed well and is absolutely needed for any kind of creative thinking. These questions of Gods doing insane things that end up being the origin of various aspects of earth and humanity just shows how creative and strange humans can be. The way you put it really sees myth-making a communal process where people can share in joy and creativity together. The idea of myths being an "inside joke" is quite funny and accurate in some ways, but I think myths are much more easily explained. When you explain an inside joke it stops being funny! Still, I understand the idea when I read your story about seeing the "sleeping giants" in Vegas. Thanks for sharing your wholesome childhood story; I definitely have a few experiences just like that as a kid. In fact, maybe kids are the best myth-makers?
ReplyDeleteHi Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteYou introduction is very attention grabbing and reeled me in to want to hear the rest of what you have to say! I agree that in order to master anything we must first learn and then we perform that action. However, most importantly is to “watch, learn, then do” which creates for a much more stronger understanding of the topic. Moreover, you mentioned how through the act of creating myths we gain a deeper knowledge of all the elements that contribute to the production of a myth. While at first glance, myths may seem whimsical and a little silly, they are often purposefully done in order to grab the attentions of their audiences, while also creating fictional stereotypes to be applicable to the universal questions that humans pose.
You also made a great point how we as humans create myths all the time, which is something I didn’t realize. Now that you pointed it out, we do often create little fantastical or imaginary stories in which we explain why something occurs, but in a way to share and connect with each other.
-Viktoria Baklan
Hi Jeremy!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, your myth was so great for me to look at. I loved the way that you incorporated images with your text-- it really drew me in.
I think your connection to "watch, learn, do" is really important when we take into understanding the pedagogy process for children, and by undertaking that learning process ourselves, we're more directly understanding the beliefs of others who engage with things like religion-- not to say that I don't do that, but I believe it definitely helps those who don't.
My favorite thing about mythmaking in general is how it makes people question things. They don't necessarily KNOW it to be true, because it can't be disproven, and the fear factor of proving the myth often proves to be too high to directly engage with. So, for that reason, I think that myths are such an interesting subject to go over in a class focused on pedagogy.
I relate with the sentiment of "It's almost like an inside joke."
Thank you for sharing and blessing us with your myth?