But that one is about how myths and legends in the world seem to follow the same pattern. And then we saw Tolkien and George Lucas following it consciously with LOTR and Star Wars, and then Harry Potter, The Matrix etc. was modelled on those works. Cambell did figure out an ancient pattern for truly immersive entertainment, that one is for sure.
But did Campbell really come up with the idea that Average Guy could also use myths about legendary heroes to reflect upon and improve his own rather petty life? I don’t think in the past people were taking self-help advice from Heracles and Achilles or in the modern world from Neo and Luke Skywalker… it must have been obvious that you as Mr. Average Guy are not made of the same mold as them besides they are fiction anyway, right?
I don’t think in the past people were taking self-help advice from Heracles and Achilles or in the modern world from Neo and Luke Skywalker
I don’t know how the ancient Greeks related to their legends (although I’m sure that historians of the period do, and it would be worth knowing what they say), but The Matrix and Star Wars are certainly used in that way. Just google “red pill”, or “Do or do not. There is no try.” And these things aren’t just made up by the storytellers. The ideas have long histories.
Literature is full of such practical morality. That is one of its primary functions, from children’s fairy tales (“The Ugly Duckling”, “The Little Red Hen”, “Stone Soup”) to high literature (e.g. Dostoevsky, Dickens, “1984″). Peter Watts (“Blindsight”) isn’t just writing an entertaining story, he’s presenting ideas about the nature of mind and consciousness. Golden age sensuwunda SF is saying “we can and will make the world and ourselves vastly better”, and has indeed been an inspiration to some of those who went out and did that.
Whenever you think you’re just being entertained, look again.
But did Campbell really come up with the idea that Average Guy could also use myths about legendary heroes to reflect upon and improve his own rather petty life?
I’m not sure to what extend Campbell personally advocated the Hero’s journey to be used by “Mr. Average Guy” but various NLP folks I know refer to the Hero’s journey in that regard.
Steven Gilligan and Roberts Dilts wrote http://www.amazon.com/The-Heros-Journey-Voyage-Discovery/dp/1845902866
Of course then the average guy stops being the average guy. In Eliezers words, he starts taking heroic responsibility.
It’s for real.
If you want to dig deeper into the idea of seeing your life as a story read the Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell and associated literature.
But that one is about how myths and legends in the world seem to follow the same pattern. And then we saw Tolkien and George Lucas following it consciously with LOTR and Star Wars, and then Harry Potter, The Matrix etc. was modelled on those works. Cambell did figure out an ancient pattern for truly immersive entertainment, that one is for sure.
But did Campbell really come up with the idea that Average Guy could also use myths about legendary heroes to reflect upon and improve his own rather petty life? I don’t think in the past people were taking self-help advice from Heracles and Achilles or in the modern world from Neo and Luke Skywalker… it must have been obvious that you as Mr. Average Guy are not made of the same mold as them besides they are fiction anyway, right?
I don’t know how the ancient Greeks related to their legends (although I’m sure that historians of the period do, and it would be worth knowing what they say), but The Matrix and Star Wars are certainly used in that way. Just google “red pill”, or “Do or do not. There is no try.” And these things aren’t just made up by the storytellers. The ideas have long histories.
Literature is full of such practical morality. That is one of its primary functions, from children’s fairy tales (“The Ugly Duckling”, “The Little Red Hen”, “Stone Soup”) to high literature (e.g. Dostoevsky, Dickens, “1984″). Peter Watts (“Blindsight”) isn’t just writing an entertaining story, he’s presenting ideas about the nature of mind and consciousness. Golden age sensuwunda SF is saying “we can and will make the world and ourselves vastly better”, and has indeed been an inspiration to some of those who went out and did that.
Whenever you think you’re just being entertained, look again.
I’m not sure to what extend Campbell personally advocated the Hero’s journey to be used by “Mr. Average Guy” but various NLP folks I know refer to the Hero’s journey in that regard. Steven Gilligan and Roberts Dilts wrote http://www.amazon.com/The-Heros-Journey-Voyage-Discovery/dp/1845902866 Of course then the average guy stops being the average guy. In Eliezers words, he starts taking heroic responsibility.