Today's Science: Tomorrow's Mythology?
"I would say that all our sciences are the material that has to be mythologized. A mythology gives spiritual import - what one might call rather the psychological, inward import, of the world of nature round about us, as understood today. There's no real conflict between science and religion ... What is in conflict is the science of 2000 BC ... and the science of the 20th century AD." --Joseph Campbell, from an interview with Jeremy Mishlove
When I talk to people about modern mythology, many mistakenly believe I'm talking about urban legends. And while theoretical debates about alligators in the sewers of New York may be entertaining, they are certainly not as important to me as the mythic framework of human society. In fact I feel urban legends are more akin to cultural "white noise," than any kind of true mythology.
In the past, I think mythology (and today contemporary religion) served as a medium for the transmission of culture, social mores, and world views. They were narratives that help broadly define an individual's sense of reality. They were important, because they gave purpose to people's lives.
