Week 14 Story Lab: Crash Course Videos

(Zeus and Indra; this picture was taken from an article comparing Greek and Indian mythology. Image can be sourced here.)

I thought the CrashCourse videos might be fun even though it is aimed more towards the other class because I enjoy mythology.

The first video explains how myths are not based on truth, but interpretations. When reading mythology, we should be looking at how the stories define/shape one's culture rather than focusing on "truth".If we focus on the "truth", we miss the cultural discussion potential. Also, many myths date back to thousands of years ago, when technology was limited so it is easy to critique in retrospect. Years from now, there will surely be things future generations will be surprised about what we believe in. The different version of stories is cool because we can see similarities horizontally and vertically between and within cultures.

The second video draws a connection to how myths have helped with psychology. It makes sense because a lot of these myths were created to explain the unknown. They made sense so it is hard to let go of these myths when constructing new ideas. I don't know why the video mentions Freud because though he was a pioneer, he has no real credibility (as a psychology major). It makes sense why older psychology utilized mythology but a lot of modern psychology is based on science-based research.  I couldn't not comment on this given my experience with the field because I feel these outdated ideas and pioneers give a false indication of what the field is.

The last video talks about heroes and the part that resonated the most with me is that heroes are trying to find their place in society. I think this is why they are so relatable to so many. The story is also set around this person so naturally we want them to succeed. I liked these videos because they explain the complexities behind myths and ancient stories. A lot of people discredit this genre because of the whimsical and imaginary characters but they are wise stories of depth that include fear, happiness, sadness, anger, revenge, and so many more emotions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Title: All 3 of the CrashCourse myth videos can be sourced here