I have been reading Joseph Campbell’s "Myths to Live By", an old book which is a collection of some essays that he wrote and, quite predictably, the reading is slow, and the ideas, as well as the writing, takes time to absorb and appreciate. Yet, as a reader, when I make the effort (and it almost always is quite an effort) to really slow down and understand what points he is trying to make, more often than not with furrowed brow and a look of deep concentration on the black and white print before me, there comes a startling moment that can feel like an epiphany ("Wow! That's a great point! I never thought of it like that before, but it makes sense!"). I usually would wait until I read the whole book to review something, but the first essay in the book, entitled "The Impact of Science on Myth", first published in 1961, just knocked my socks off!
Joseph Campbell tended to argue that humanity needs myths, and not in some kind of vague manner, either. He would posit that society needs appropriate myths to guide it, to get a sense of direction in general. When the myths do not work any longer, or when they have become outdated (which he argued that the traditional Western religions in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions were), then that society will tend to break down and not function properly. He did not shy away from controversy in this regard, but he always gave an honest assessment of his thoughts.
He mentions that, in more olden times, the arts (music, and paintings and such), were part of a distinct order in the world, and perfectly had their place, perhaps even being the closest we, as human beings, could come to viewing God, and expressing and creating God-like sentiments. Campbell describes the general thinking of this era further, and then mentions that, in his opinion, this era ended in 1492, with Columbus coming to America. From that time onwards, the world as a whole began to be systematically explored, and obviously, old boundaries were pushed back, and human knowledge advanced, shedding light on where before, there had only been the long shadow of ignorance.
Nor should we feel threatened by this, he argues. Rather, we should take heart, and stand even more in "awe before the wonder of the universe that is being developed for us by our scientists", because this "surely is a far more marvelous, mind-blowing revelation than anything the prescientific world could ever have imagined."
He goes on to say that the increasing knowledge that we have gained of this world leaves little room for literal interpretations of the Bible anymore. “The little toy-room picture of the Bible is,” he says “in comparison, for children –or, in fact, not even for them anymore.”
“For not only have all the old mythic notions of the nature of the cosmos gone to pieces,” Campbell continues, “but also those of the origins and history of mankind.”
Campbell goes on to site some very specific examples of how people came to realize that a literal reading of specific aspects of the Bible could not possibly be true.
“The long and short of it”, he says, “is simply that the Hebrew texts from which all these popular Jewish legends of Creation, Exodus, Forty Years in the Desert, and Conquest of Canaan are derived are not composed by “God” or even by anyone named Moses, but are of various dates and authors, all much later than was formerly supposed.”
“Comparative cultural studies” he goes on to say, “have now demonstrated beyond question similar mythic tales are to be found in every corner of this earth.”
He then addresses the traditional notion, much treasured amongst all of the West’s (and I am including the different sects of Islam here) monotheistic religions tend to view themselves as holding a privileged place, and holding a monopoly on the truth.
This he counters by pointing out that many other cultures have felt the same way. He argues, “Comparative cultural studies have now demonstrated beyond question similar mythic tales are to be found in every corner of this earth.”
Joseph Campbell goes on to say that members of “all the great civilizations everywhere have been prone to interpret their own symbolic figures literally, and so to regard themselves as favored in a special way, in direct contact with the Absolute.”
He mentions how the clash of civilizations between whites and natives in Americas killed off the natives civilization, in effect, and argues that we are very much going through the same thing presently in large part because our outdated religions, and the values that they imposed on society, are constantly being put into question, and at every turn seemingly doing everything possible just to keep up with the dizzying pace of scientific discoveries and technological improvements that have changed our world around completely. Society is going through a period of flux as a result, and the result is that our culture is going through much of the same destruction that it itself once imposed upon native cultures: “With their old taboos discredited, they immediately go to pieces, disintegrate, and become resorts of vice and disease.”
The response is an intense resistance and disbelief in the power of science and technology to provide truth and guidance, and Campbell says that “most guardians of society have a tendency in that direction, asserting their authority not for, but against the search for disturbing truths.”
Changes occur, but rarely ever peaceably. “Every little group” Campbell explains, “is fixed in its own long-established, petrified mythology, changes having occurred only as a consequence of collision” Change then comes with the “inevitable exchange of ideas”, but it is hardly a pain-free process.
So where do we go from here? What are the answers? Perhaps uncertainty, perhaps more questions than answers. In the end, Campbell explains that there really can “be only a continuing search for more as of a mind eager to grow.”
Joseph Campbell tended to argue that humanity needs myths, and not in some kind of vague manner, either. He would posit that society needs appropriate myths to guide it, to get a sense of direction in general. When the myths do not work any longer, or when they have become outdated (which he argued that the traditional Western religions in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions were), then that society will tend to break down and not function properly. He did not shy away from controversy in this regard, but he always gave an honest assessment of his thoughts.
He mentions that, in more olden times, the arts (music, and paintings and such), were part of a distinct order in the world, and perfectly had their place, perhaps even being the closest we, as human beings, could come to viewing God, and expressing and creating God-like sentiments. Campbell describes the general thinking of this era further, and then mentions that, in his opinion, this era ended in 1492, with Columbus coming to America. From that time onwards, the world as a whole began to be systematically explored, and obviously, old boundaries were pushed back, and human knowledge advanced, shedding light on where before, there had only been the long shadow of ignorance.
Nor should we feel threatened by this, he argues. Rather, we should take heart, and stand even more in "awe before the wonder of the universe that is being developed for us by our scientists", because this "surely is a far more marvelous, mind-blowing revelation than anything the prescientific world could ever have imagined."
He goes on to say that the increasing knowledge that we have gained of this world leaves little room for literal interpretations of the Bible anymore. “The little toy-room picture of the Bible is,” he says “in comparison, for children –or, in fact, not even for them anymore.”
“For not only have all the old mythic notions of the nature of the cosmos gone to pieces,” Campbell continues, “but also those of the origins and history of mankind.”
Campbell goes on to site some very specific examples of how people came to realize that a literal reading of specific aspects of the Bible could not possibly be true.
“The long and short of it”, he says, “is simply that the Hebrew texts from which all these popular Jewish legends of Creation, Exodus, Forty Years in the Desert, and Conquest of Canaan are derived are not composed by “God” or even by anyone named Moses, but are of various dates and authors, all much later than was formerly supposed.”
“Comparative cultural studies” he goes on to say, “have now demonstrated beyond question similar mythic tales are to be found in every corner of this earth.”
He then addresses the traditional notion, much treasured amongst all of the West’s (and I am including the different sects of Islam here) monotheistic religions tend to view themselves as holding a privileged place, and holding a monopoly on the truth.
This he counters by pointing out that many other cultures have felt the same way. He argues, “Comparative cultural studies have now demonstrated beyond question similar mythic tales are to be found in every corner of this earth.”
Joseph Campbell goes on to say that members of “all the great civilizations everywhere have been prone to interpret their own symbolic figures literally, and so to regard themselves as favored in a special way, in direct contact with the Absolute.”
He mentions how the clash of civilizations between whites and natives in Americas killed off the natives civilization, in effect, and argues that we are very much going through the same thing presently in large part because our outdated religions, and the values that they imposed on society, are constantly being put into question, and at every turn seemingly doing everything possible just to keep up with the dizzying pace of scientific discoveries and technological improvements that have changed our world around completely. Society is going through a period of flux as a result, and the result is that our culture is going through much of the same destruction that it itself once imposed upon native cultures: “With their old taboos discredited, they immediately go to pieces, disintegrate, and become resorts of vice and disease.”
The response is an intense resistance and disbelief in the power of science and technology to provide truth and guidance, and Campbell says that “most guardians of society have a tendency in that direction, asserting their authority not for, but against the search for disturbing truths.”
Changes occur, but rarely ever peaceably. “Every little group” Campbell explains, “is fixed in its own long-established, petrified mythology, changes having occurred only as a consequence of collision” Change then comes with the “inevitable exchange of ideas”, but it is hardly a pain-free process.
So where do we go from here? What are the answers? Perhaps uncertainty, perhaps more questions than answers. In the end, Campbell explains that there really can “be only a continuing search for more as of a mind eager to grow.”
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