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Most important myth/story & why?

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    Most important myth/story & why?

    In your opinion, what is the most important myth, story, tale, folklore, ect. for us (or maybe you) humans, and why do you say that?
    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.


    #2
    Re: Most important myth/story & why?

    This will obviously vary depending on culture, but I think the various origin stories for humanity's mastery of fire, the theft of fire as it's often called, are prototypical for humanity in general. Forgive me for choose a categorical mythological motif over a specific myth. There are few things that scream humanity for me more than the use of fire. In prehistory its use kept us warm, kept away animals, cooked food, and helped us gather together. It is inarguable that the growth of civilizations of high culture owe their existence to fire. Fire opens up the creation of ceramics and metallurgy and is in many respects the gateway to the profound technology that currently defines modern humans. In it's natural state fire is unpredictable, destructive, and living in a way that is clear and obvious, but it's also fundamentally a creative thing.

    With that fire myths tend to be highly metaphorical. There is of course the elevation of humans, distinguishing them from the other animals, and going from the dark of ignorance into the light. There is also often an element of sacrifice, that the thief is in someway transgressing and harmed by that transgression. A reminder that to gain we often must also lose. These myths also tend to outline relationship between the divine and mortals. Sometimes the theft is antagonistic, a direct challenge to the powers of the gods. Other times it is a holy quest or a liberation, perhaps a gift from the divine to the mortal.
    In this context the theft of fire is instrumental to the human mortal relationship, the proper ways to honor the gods and where we engage in the hierarchy of being. It is simultaneously a metaphor for the enlightenment humans can conceive of but never quite grasp, and a reminder of our place. It is a sign of human ingenuity and our need to connect with the divine, to innovate upon the potential which was seen within us.

    Fire is inherently mystical and laden with meaning since our earliest ancestors came in contact with it. In the cultures where the theft of fire exists, it's often foundational to the mythology, occuring at the beginning or near to and nearly always has deeper implications than just mankind is warm now. It's a motif that asks "what separates man and God?"
    Circe

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      #3
      Re: Most important myth/story & why?

      The answer will probably be different for everyone, but for me personally it's the legends of King Arthur, and in particular the stories about the Holy Grail. They symbolize man's quest for Divine Knowledge and Wisdom.

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        #4
        Re: Most important myth/story & why?

        for me the idea of "original sin" the whole garden of Eden thing that includes the Lilith story line,and being cast out to face actual death not eternal life(man(woman) as punished children of "GOD"?
        MAGIC is MAGIC,black OR white or even blood RED

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          #5
          Re: Most important myth/story & why?

          For me, it's the trope of "rebirth" - the idea that one can be self-recreated as something new (Buddha touching earth, as one example, or the ancient rite of baptism, as another).

          The reason for this choice is that far, far too much emphasis is (incorrectly) placed on consistency over time.

          While there are circumstances when consistency over time is important, when it comes to persons, it is wrong. You don't want people who are consistent, you want people who will change as circumstances, conditions, information, experience, etc., etc., dictate (otherwise known as "reality based thinking").

          Rebirth gives one a chance to do that without looking like a dingaling.
          Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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