2014/05/08

Myths

Are they important in your life? Why?

40 comments:

  1. To begin with, I think that myths are an universal lesson that everybody should learn. They aren't there to bored us but to teach us some essential points in a funny way that we will remember. That's why in my opinion myths are as important in my life as in the other's lifes

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    1. I don't agree with your first sentence. Even if in most of those myths there is a moral, you're not supposed to always agree with it. Thousand years ago, in a different society, with a different culture, a religion explained, by a story, why an aspect of the world was what it is, and added a morale to the story in order to make people behave properly. But, does that mean that the moral is always true? Remember what Karl Marx said? “Religion ist das Opium des Volkes” (okay, I admit that I'd be surprised that you'd knew it, but… well, I guess you now do and this sentence is probably full of mistakes, but that's not the point). So, we're not here to discuss about politic or religion, but it's true that you should always question that kind of behavior rules instead of just accepting them.
      Still not convinced? How about an example (2nd weird quotation, go!)? Well here's the interpretation of the myth of Icarus given by the physicist Sir Arthur Eddington in his book Stars and Atoms (it's long but, trust me, it's worth the time you'll spend reading it):
      “In ancient days two aviators procured to themselves wings. Daedalus flew safely through the middle air and was duly honoured on his landing. Icarus soared upwards to the sun till the wax melted which bound his wings and his flight ended in fiasco. In weighing their achievements, there is something to be said for Icarus. The classical authorities tell us that he was only “doing a stunt”, but I prefer to think of him as the man who brought to light a serious constructional defect in the flying-machines of his day.”
      Got it? Numerous myths tell you not to try to break the limits by desire (Phaeton, the tower of Babel, the Original Sin…), but I think that we have to attempt the so-said impossible, and look: Icarus failed, but Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, owww yeah!

      So, three messages:
      - questioning is the key to progressing
      - “people have the power” as Patti Smith sung; “yes we can”, as Barack Obama said
      - I definitely love quotations

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  2. First of all myths can be qualified in manifold way.
    The legend is a myth for example and it could be interesting to listen some old stories , especially when we were young it usually makes us dream and developes our imaginaion.
    there are also other myths dating of the mythology like the myth of Aeneas , it is a moralistic myth.
    To my mind they do not have a real importance in my life, but they have their place because who has never believed in Santa close ? Or who never came out a sentence of a moralistic tale in a concrete situation ?

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    1. Interesting comment ! But I guess it's Santa Claus (and not Close...)

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    2. yes sorry , I saw just after publishing , but thank's :)

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  3. I think historical myths can be important for understanding culture and history. Also, they can sometimes teach morals and lessons and in that context they give an interesting twist on history. Myths are important as aids for study. I don't find them specifically important to my life, but I think they can be interesting and useful to others.

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  4. I think myths are just ways of people expressing, or explaining things that are not necessarily easy to explain. For example, the twelve greek gods were all created to explain natural phenomenon such as thunder, love, and sadness.

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  5. I do not really believe in myths because they really don't mean anything to me. I respect people who do believe in myths though. I do like reading about myths, but I just don't believe in myths.

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  6. Personally I enjoy learning about myths and reading the stories because I think that they are interesting to learn about. I like fantastical elements in my readings and the clever concepts that are present in most myths are perfect for me. I don't truly believe in them but I think it is fun to pretend to. To imagine that these myths are real adds some excitement into life even if it's just pretend.

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  7. I enjoy the stories but I don't read them as factual material because myths are basically unvalidated stories. A myth can be made up by anyone so it is not a reliable source for information.

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  8. Myths are not very important in my day to life. In the US there are lots of myths that come up during the holidays like Santa, the Easter Bunny, leprechauns, or the tooth fairy. These myths are important for children though and allow them to have fun. Other myths like Bigfoot are also often talked about here and there are several tv shows about them. Many people enjoy myths because they add something exciting to their lives.

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  9. I think myths are very important ! Especially for children because their imagination is growing. Myths are amazing stories that excite people and make them interested to read. I like myths even though I don't believe in most, I think they are fun to read.

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  10. Myths have their meaning for everyone and exists since ages. But, are they important in my life?

    First, as a matter of fact, i've never believed in any sort of legends such as Santa Claus or Easter Bunny when i was younger. Nevertheless, for some kids it could be useful and it could expand their imagination.
    Myths aren't very important in my life but I'm quite interested in Greek and Roman Mythology. Moreover, myths were, in Ancient Greece especially, a considerable way of teaching people how they had to behave. But, every myth doesn't have a correct moral in my opinion.

    Finally, I think that myths aren't really important in my life yet it is interesting to know how a myth can change somebody's point of view and influence his behavior.

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  11. To begin with, a myth is a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event. They are often present in our lifes, especially in children's lifes ! So, are myths important in my life ? Why ?

    Myths are important in my life. I've know myths since I was a child. My grand parents and my parents told me fantastic and legendary stories : the Egyptian, Greek, Roman or Maya myths. Myths passed the knowledge and the tradition from generation to generation.
    Moreover, all children know myths. They are useful at school. So, myths establish a link between children. They create a common culture and a shared memory.
    Myths also help to grow up. With mythic stories, children discover feelings like the hapiness and the sadness, the courage and the fear, the strenghts and the weaknesses. Myths are fantastic : they permit us to escape, to dream . Myths develop our imagination.

    Now, I am « older » but I still like myths. Just, I appreciate them for different reasons. With mythical stories, I discover other days and other spaces. Myths are all very different : persons and creatures vary a lot depending on the period and on the culture. There are old and modern myths, naturalist and moralistic myths.
    Furthermore, myths permits me to learn history in an entertaining manner. I discover the Babylonian civilization with The creation of the world who describes the legends of their history, their religions, their stories of how the world was created, their heroes. Althought myths are often considered to be stories of events that have not happened, they have an important historical significance. Myths learn us the way people think and feel. History is not only events and facts. At least, we can think some parts of myths may be true.
    Finally, I also like myths because they have a great symbolic power. That's why they survive as long as they do !

    In conclusion, myths are important in my life . I like traditionnal and legendary stories because number of readings are available : candid and fantastic, symbolic and moralist, scientific and historic.

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    1. Ah, finally, a definition of what is a myth! I couldn't find any! But the one you gave is maybe too vague? Well, as I said I could'nt find one myself so I would understand if you couln't, but if you could give us a more precise version I'd be interested.

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    2. I have maybe a more precise definition : a myth is a fabulous story, often with popular origins. It sets up beings embodying forces of nature and aspects of human conditions with symbolic representations. Representations of facts and characters can be distorted or increased by imagination (especially by children).
      A myth could also be a legend, a tale or a fable.

      I wish my definition is better than the other one but I can't be sure.

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    3. Thanks a lot! I thought it had to have (uhuh, had-to-have, it souds funny [insert mad laugh]) a religious origin. I guess I was wrong : (
      Well, anyway, well done and thanks again for this definition. I just hope people will read it before posting something wrong (which I did, *sob*).

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  12. I think myths are important in our lives and here's why. Myths can teach us many great life lessons like not giving up and trying our best. Also, myths can teach us a great deal about the history of the Greeks, Romans, and other ancient cultures and their beliefs. I think they are especially important in our childhoods as they help to expand our imagination and our ability to think. That is why myths are important to me

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  13. J'aime les mythes parce que ils sont tres amusants pour les enfants. J'aime Santa Clause et le lapin de Pâques. Les mythes sont importantes pour la culture. Quels sont les mythes français?

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    1. "Santa Claus" = "le Père Noël" or "Saint Nicolas" in french

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    2. Oh, and also, thanks for writing in french : )
      About specific french myths, nothing comes to my mind right now, but if I find something I'll tell you.

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  14. Parfois, les mythes sont bon histoires et sont amusants et unique. Je ne pense pas que les mythes sont important toutes jours. Par example, ils sont important pendant fetes comme Santa Clause pour Noel ou le lapin de Paques. J'aime Santa Clause!

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    1. Hello, your comment is really interesting and your french is good !
      I'd just like to point out few mistakes :
      " de bonnes histoires, il sont amusants et uniques"; " dans la vie de tout les
      jours ", " exemple","les fêtes comme le Père Noël ( french name for Santa Clause) pour Noël"
      Hope it will be useful. :)

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  15. Myths can be a fun and interesting source of entertainment! They keep ancient cultures close together as they are passed down from generation to generation. I personally don't involve them in my everyday life but, they are still pretty cool :D

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  16. Je n'aime pas les myths parceque ils est trés pénible et trompeur pour les jeunes.

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    1. Hello Laura :) It's very good to practice French, I know that our language is very difficult. So I'm going to correct you :
      - ' mythes '
      - ' parce qu'ils sont ' ( it's a plurial ! )
      - ' pénibles ' and ' trompeurs '( don't forget to accord) Good job !

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  17. Mythes sont importants pour les gens. C'est important parce-que vous enseigne des leçons. par exemple, bébé le boeuf bleu est un mythe. Il enseigne détermination peut vous aider à réussir.

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    1. ??? What is "bébé le bœuf bleu" ??? I've never heard of such a thing, and neither did Google... What is his name in English?
      Well, anyway, congratulation for writing in French. Few american people on this blog do, so that's really brave of you : )

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  18. Myths are important because it keeps people interested & it keeps there imagination alive. Also myths are important because they keep things like Greek culture alive and it educates people about things like that.

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  19. I remember in the fifth grade when we did Greek myths and Greek Gods. I loved reading the myths and when I read the Percy Jackson series, I was very intrigued by the stories behind the Gods. I used to love reading them so much and it was my favorite unit in that class. I liked it so much that I read a Greek myth book outside of class. I also read a little bit of Roman myths too. I don't read them factually but I still think they are very interesting and great stories. :D

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  20. Mythes sont amusant mais ils ne sont pas important. Ils ne sont pas vrais. Mais ils garde la culture aller.

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  21. Myths don't really affect my life too much, but I do enjoy listening to them. Myths can be very entertaining and you can learn morals and truths from them. Some of my best memories from my childhood was on Christmas and getting gifts from Santa, who I guess is considered to be a myth.

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  22. I love myths! They're great stories which can provide insightful life lessons. Greek mythology is very interesting to me, and I would like to learn more about them. They have not affected me much, but I enjoy them very much!

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  23. I think the most beautifuless people is the myths are the angels
    I The word "angel" first of all comes from grecangelos, meaning "messenger". It also comes from the Persian angaros "courier" and the Sanskrit Angirasa "a divine spirit" .The popular belief is that the angel is a supernatural being intermediate between God and the most common is homme.L'idée the angels for only functions to guide mortals, and bring them the words of the Almighty. However, other theories claim that they are an independent people who do not always need a sign from God to act, even with their own army with the Archangel Michael to his two dear têteces archangels are often locks and act in concert. Very rarely see one without the other. And do under any circumstances rely on both where they work individually because, in general, the other is not very loin.Par example, in the rabbinic texts, there is a passage recounting the only times Michael was in disagreement with God, about the creation of man. And Gabriel obviously preferred to err on the side of Michael, rather than at the Créateur.Dans the Talmud, Sarah realizes that the three people that her husband Abraham welcomed home, are in fact God is Michael and Gabriel.Dans Cologne Bible when God buried Moses, he has not only assisted by Metatron, but Gabriel and Michael; after the latter is once again fought against the Devil to retrieve the corps.Dans Legends of the Madonna, of course, is that Gabriel announces to Mary the birth of Christ; but it is Michael who is responsible to reveal the date on which it mourra.De more, whether in painting, literature, or on the screen, Michael and Gabriel remain the two most represented angels and set avant.Toutefois, what is surprising is that they are so inseparable, is that they oppose literally. Indeed, many angéologues recognize them as angels of the sun and moon, day and night, fire and water, war and peace, as the right hand and the left hand of God, ect ... One can truly say that Michael and Gabriel are opposed while filling as well. Moreover, some adapters like to play with the traditions and did not hesitate for a second to get the deal, as in Gabriel and Legion films in which they kill each other shamelessly. However, Angel Sanctuary, Kaori Yuki is even stronger. There, they not only do not agree but in addition, three quarters of the time they ignore the point that they totally forget their existence.

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    1. Hello !

      First of all, I thank you very much for all those informations I didn't know about angels (actually, the only things I read about them were in the books "A.N.G.E." … by Anne Robillard. And I don't think it was based on any serious knowledge (as far as I know, angels aren't supposed to be aliens/secret agents). Still very entertaining books though).

      However, I'd like to give you a few words of advice.
      First, you may want to structure your text in paragraphs, I would be easier to read what you say.
      Then, I saw that you were leading a translation company … in that case, try to check the meaning of your text after you translated it: some words are still in french, as in: “the most common is homme”, “L'idée the angels”, “the other is not very loin [oh, so he is not a piece of meat? I could have guessed hat]”.
      This is probably not what you intended to do, so try to be more careful next time : )

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  25. Myths don't really affect my life because I believe in god but when somebody tells it to me a I like to listen to him.
    Ilian Tagredj

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  26. Hello !
    First of all, what is a myth ? A myth is any traditional story consisting of events that are ostensibly historical, though often supernatural, explaining the origins of a cultural practice or natural phenomenon.
    And secondly, I don't really believe in myths but I think they are important for understanding history and culture. So to answer to your question myths are not important in my life but I think they are important.

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  27. Hello !
    First of all, what is a myth ? A myth is any traditional story consisting of events that are ostensibly historical, though often supernatural, explaining the origins of a cultural practice or natural phenomenon.
    And secondly, I don't really believe in myths but I think they are important for understanding history and culture. So to answer to your question myths are not important in my life but I think they are important.

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