Myths Support Our Meaning
The importance of mythology to the justification of war is a recurring theme in the online and broadcast media I am exposed to, as well as in the readings we’ve looked at the past few weeks. War may be a force that gives us meaning, but mythologies that we create and utilize are the force that gives us the need for meaning. Where mythologies were once created over the passage of 100s or 1000s of years times, as a story with flaws but an honorable and important ending was eventually worn over by its passage through so many mouths in a more polished version of its original self, as with all contemporary media the process has been accelerated to the point of simultaneity.
In a hero’s journey, as the basis for all mythology gravitates towards, there must be a clear and defeatable antagonist over which to triumph by the end of the story. When the story is the evening news, and the ending is very much in sight if not already completed, our media perpetuates islamaphobic and orientalist stereotypes in order to quickly isolate “the bad guys” for viewers craving the simplicity of a mythological narrative.
And the level of myth is great.
Although those who question myth have become not naysayers by hypocrites and conspiracy theorists, even the 911 Myths webpage states clearly that it takes itself only as seriously as their faith in the ability to find clear and truthful information from any number of media outlets, which is to say, with no full extent of trust.
Eruditio Formidonis 