How is the word myth used in popular culture? Many people view myths differently. Myths come from different cultures and religions that people live by. You can find myths in story books and tales. Many myths come from a tradition or from a different generation that are told continuously by the people of that origin. Some myths that are told are true, but many myths that are told are fictional but based on an idea.
We are surrounded by myths every day that we are alive, whether it is the myth of Don’t Step on a Crack or You’ll Break Your Mothers Back or the Voodoo Dolls down in New Orleans, Louisiana. Voodoo is a religion that originates from Africa. It is connected to nature, spirits, and the ancestors (Bray, 2019). There are many stories and tales revolving around the Voodoo lifestyle. Many of those myths have evolved throughout New Orleans along the French Quarter.
The Zodiac Signs in my opinion are a good example of a type of myth. When you look at a Zodiac Sign, there are some facts within the definitions of what each sign means, but there are also some myths behind each sign. Zodiac Signs are apart of the Greek Mythology and the myths come from the animals or the humans of that time (‘The Signs of The Greek Zodiac’, 2008-2009).
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I believe there are some facts from the signs, but I also think that you cannot always believe what you read. A myth in an academic setting is that it is a fact that has evolved overtime into something different. I think that a myth in my own words would be based on the truth, but it really is not the truth. A myth reminds me of evolution…when things change over a period. I do believe there is truth behind each myth, but I think the truth is exaggerated and pulled in every direction.
What are the most common mythological themes across different cultures? There are many different cultures throughout the universe that we live in. Every culture has some type of stories that have a myth involved. Many of the myths revolve around humans and nature (‘Myths and Heroes’, 2005). Many myths can be traced back to the beginning where the ancestry began. The myths are carried throughout the generations.
Why do myths from different cultures around the world address such similar or universal themes? Do we see these same themes in today’s myths? Myths are fairly the same throughout cultures because they are based on humans and where we come from. Myths are apart of our everyday lives. They are in readings and are apart of many legends that we know about. Myths tell us so many things about one’s culture and how certain things happen.
Myths are worth so much value as they give so much insight to what we have in common with mankind from the older days. I see the same themes in todays myths. There are so many legends that people’s families lean on every day. People carry the memories and the myths from their families. There are many traditions that people bring to each generation of their growing lives.
References
- Bray, E. (2019). How to experience voodoo culture in New Orleans. Retrieved from https://www.orbitz.com/blog/2017/05/experience-voodoo-culture-new-orleans/
- Myths and Heroes (2005). Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_what.html
- The signs of the Greek Zodiac (2008-2009). Retrieved from https://www.igreekmythology.com/greek-zodiac.html
