Why Do Humans Create Myths?

[Sunstone]

Why do humans create myths? What makes us create something like the myth of Gilgamesh, the Odessy, or Noah's Flood?

 

[Hema]

Why do you think all these are myths? Hinduism also has a story about a flood.

 

[Sunstone]

Why do you think all these are myths? Hinduism also has a story about a flood.

Let's assume they're myths for the purposes of this thread. That way, we won't get off topic. So, why do humans create myths? (Obviously, even if you think the Flood stories are not myths, there are some stories that are myths: Why do humans create those?)

 

[Hema]

Let's assume they're myths for the purposes of this thread. That way, we won't get off topic. So, why do humans create myths? (Obviously, even if you think the Flood stories are not myths, there are some stories that are myths: Why do humans create those?)

In Hinduism, some of the scriptures which are known as Puranic scriptures have myths in them, but they are shaped around the truth. Puranic scriptures were written by human beings as opposed to the Vedas which was divine knowledge revealed from God directly to the first sages on earth. Some of the Puranas have myths in them because in the days when the Moguls were ruling India, the Hindus changed some of the incidents in their books so it would seem as though they were sort of like stories. The Moguls thought that their books were just stories and allowed the books to pass through. The original teachings were still in the books but were sort of hidden in a story format. For eg. Hanuman was an ideal devotee. He was portrayed as a monkey but in fact, he was a Vedic scholar.

 

[CDRaider]

People create myths to explain things they cannot. Or to remember things (lessons and such) that they find important.

Things like the whole chopping down the cherry tree is to surround people with a certian feeling of desire to do something.

I really feel that myths and ledgends are created to bring people together as a group whether it be religious or spiritual, patriotic or in arm, i think that they are things that are necissary to bind people to a common belief or way of thinking.

 

[Gentoo]

People create myths to explain things they cannot. Or to remember things (lessons and such) that they find important.

Things like the whole chopping down the cherry tree is to surround people with a certian feeling of desire to do something.

I really feel that myths and ledgends are created to bring people together as a group whether it be religious or spiritual, patriotic or in arm, i think that they are things that are necissary to bind people to a common belief or way of thinking.

Exactly, they're a way to explain why things happen in the world, and remember moral lessons as well. Plus, they're fun stories to tell around the campfire

 

[koan]

I think myths are for people to believe in. However, some myths can be shown as guides and were probably never meant to be taken litteraly.

 

[standing_on_one_foot]

Because the world is untidy and we wish it were not.

 

[nutshell]

Why do humans create myths? What makes us create something like the myth of Gilgamesh, the Odessy, or Noah's Flood?

Whether events acutally happened or not is mostly irrlevant, IMO.

Myths are a culture's way of teaching some Truth to the members of the culture.

 

[Mr. Hair]

Why do humans create myths?

I suspect that in part it is myths that create humans.

 

[cardero]

Why Do Humans Create Myths?
I suspect the reason might be because there isn't anything good on TV.

 

[doppelganger]

We create myths to attempt to communicate our experiences of stepping beyond ourselves.

 

[Sunstone]

We create myths to attempt to communicate our experiences of stepping beyond ourselves.

What about as an attempt to communicate the experience of personal growth? As when a person transistions from child to adult?

 

[doppelganger]

What about as an attempt to communicate the experience of personal growth? As when a person transistions from child to adult?

Yes, I agree with that. Real growth is painful and inordinately frightening. One of the purposes of stepping beyond ourselves, I think, is to bring the struggle with such growth into a community to help the individual weather the struggle and impute some meaning or order to it. That's not necessarily a positive thing, though. Especially if the myth retards the growth process.

 

[michel]

Let's assume they're myths for the purposes of this thread. That way, we won't get off topic. So, why do humans create myths? (Obviously, even if you think the Flood stories are not myths, there are some stories that are myths: Why do humans create those?)

Because of the "Chinese Whisper Game factor". When someone tells someone else a story, it is not unusual to 'embelish' the story a little.

In the middle ages, Court Jesters did that as a living. They would hear a tale, build up on it (to make it more 'fun') and recount it............whomsoever heard it does the same......and so it goes. I suppose the modern "Gossip" is a consequence of that custom.

 

[darkpenguin]

Let's assume they're myths for the purposes of this thread. That way, we won't get off topic. So, why do humans create myths? (Obviously, even if you think the Flood stories are not myths, there are some stories that are myths: Why do humans create those?)

for the same reason we create gods, life is boring without them apparently!

 

[CDRaider]

Because of the "Chinese Whisper Game factor". When someone tells someone else a story, it is not unusual to 'embelish' the story a little.

In the middle ages, Court Jesters did that as a living. They would hear a tale, build up on it (to make it more 'fun') and recount it............whomsoever heard it does the same......and so it goes. I suppose the modern "Gossip" is a consequence of that custom.

Good point!