Mythology

An interesting question. I don't truly believe in anything mythical, though I love some of the ideas, unicorns centaurs and mermaids specifically, but I love to read and learn about mythology and see how and why other people have or do believe what they do.

 

I hate that M-word. Most of what is today called "myths" at one time had millions if not billions (over time) of ardent believers, devout followers, and life-dedicating adherents. Calling these old religions "myths" is almost like calling the followers of those religions "people" with air-quotes around it. Or, like, real quotes, like I just used. Whatever, I stated my piece.

Two sets of ancient religion and folklore I like are those from Scandinavia and West Africa. Norse legends are just so complex and full-bodied and detailed it's amazing it's so rarely contradictory (unlike Greek legends, where nobody knows who is the father, brother, uncle, or grandfather (or all of the above, perhaps?) of anybody else).

West African tales tend to just be so straightforward with their setup and lesson. I'm mostly talking about Anansi here, but it's a general statement. There's a conflict, a prospect of danger, a clever escape from that danger, and a lesson learned. There's probably a story for every occasion if you need it. Shorter and not as in-depth as Scandinavian legends, but certainly more practical.

 

I love researching and compiling folktales (and then Pokemonizing them), particularly from lesser known parts of the world and lesser known variations of tales we know

 

I don't believe in any of the mythologies or mythological creatures. I also don't look down on them because back in the day, people didn't have what we have now and couldn't explain things. Mythology is more like how people used to explain things that there were no explanations for. For these people they fit the bill, but not that the world has outgrown them I look at them as the stepping stones we took to get where we are now. Should we believe every bit of them? No but at the same time we shouldn't just cast them aside as useless either. Mythology still serves a purpose for us. Looking back through the backward lens (go Artanis) we can see how things were and we can learn about ourselves, our past, and maybe even a little bit about our future and how the changes we have made both can and have effected us. So while I don't believe in mythology I do like to read up on it and learn something (as well as use it as a bases for stuff in my writing). Heck, I once wrote a paper comparing and contrasting bugs bunny to Great Rabbit from northern native american folklore (they were someone in Canada I think?). And that's All I have to say about that....for now

 

I really love learning about Ancient Religions, Ancient Greece in particular, and I can thank Kid Icarus for that! Though nowadays there aren't (if there are, few) many people who still hold that belief, and though many of the ideas surrounding such culture seem farfetched, there is still a lesson, to everybody else that can be learnt.

I believe in dragons. Why certainly, they exist! If anyone is a bit skeptical about my belief, why not think about the Komodo dragon and Bearded Dragon? Unicorns and phoenixes may exist too, and I've heard somewhere that they vanished because people started to behave in a wrong manner, and will reappear if people become good again.