Joseph Campbell

[Sunstone]

I've heard two views of Joseph Campbell's beliefs about myth. The first view states that Campbell, like Jung, believed that myth arose out of universal, inherent archetypes. The second view states (in contradiction to the first) that Campbell believed myths originated in unique acts of creation by poets, artists, etc. and were then culturally diffused. Help! Which view of Campbell's beliefs is correct?

Also, what do you believe: Are myths manifestations of an archetypical aspect of human nature or psychology, or are they unique acts of orignality and creation?

 

[Lightkeeper]

I've heard two views of Joseph Campbell's beliefs about myth. The first view states that Campbell, like Jung, believed that myth arose out of universal, inherent archetypes. The second view states (in contradiction to the first) that Campbell believed myths originated in unique acts of creation by poets, artists, etc. and were then culturally diffused. Help! Which view of Campbell's beliefs is correct?
Also, what do you believe: Are myths manifestations of an archetypical aspect of human nature or psychology, or are they unique acts of orignality and creation?

I have studied a lot of Joseph Campbell and I believe he thought myths were universal to all mankind. That makes a lot of sense to me and explains why ancient religions thousands of miles apart had similar themes. He described it this way. The energies that are created by our organs and glands interacting with each other are given names. If you ever watch his PBS series The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers, you will hear him say this. So, to answer your questions we creatively name our inner workings.

 

[Sunstone]

I've been reading a great deal in neurobiology recently that would support Campbell's thesis.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

I am completely ignorant of Campbell's writings. I just found a website on him, and will try to catch up. Look's like an interesting man.

TVOR

 

[Lightkeeper]

After he finished college he spent 5 years in a cabin in the woods reading mythology and related subjects. Can you imagine what his parents must have thought? He spoke from experience when he said follow your bliss. I doubt his parents thought he would be world reknown.

 

[Sunstone]

When it comes to elucidating the meaning of myths, Campbell is surpassed by none. You'd enjoy reading him, Voice. His prose is a little difficult to get into at first, but after a while, it becomes second nature to read it. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that Campbell changed how I view religion, myth, art, literature, folklore, and many other things.

 

[Lightkeeper]

He effected me in the same way. Here are a couple of quotes from him.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. (Does this remind you of "You must lose your life to save it?)
Joseph Campbell You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don't know what was in the newspapers that morning... a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. (This would be like meditation)

Joseph Campbell

 

[Sunstone]

Campbell was expert at following his bliss. No doubt that wasn't always easy, and no doubt it often required great courage on his part to do so. But what strikes me most about the statements of his that you quote, Lightkeeper, is that they show a man who spent considerable time and effort getting to know himself -- getting to know what his bliss was -- and taking precautions against loosing sight of it.

On this board, we've often discussed the concept of being true to yourself, which is at heart the same concept as following your bliss, but we seldom remark on how exactly to go about discovering what your bliss is, and how to keep sight of it. The statements you quote of Campbell's are good advice.

 

[Lightkeeper]

Campbell was expert at following his bliss. No doubt that wasn't always easy, and no doubt it often required great courage on his part to do so. But what strikes me most about the statements of his that you quote, Lightkeeper, is that they show a man who spent considerable time and effort getting to know himself -- getting to know what his bliss was -- and taking precautions against loosing sight of it.

On this board, we've often discussed the concept of being true to yourself, which is at heart the same concept as following your bliss, but we seldom remark on how exactly to go about discovering what your bliss is, and how to keep sight of it. The statements you quote of Campbell's are good advice.

From what I remember of him, he knew what his bliss was from childhood. I do agree it did take courage to follow it. Can you imagine the flack he must have received spending several years in a cabin in the woods.

 

[Sunstone]

Can you imagine the flack he must have received spending several years in a cabin in the woods.

Yes, it seems likely that a lot of people despaired of him. It just goes to show that following your bliss might not always appear to others as the sensible thing to do.

Do you know of anything in Campbell's background that helped to make him especially able to follow his bliss? Did he have supportive parents? A great role model?

 

[Adie]

Joseph Campbell is incredible. I love the way he puts so many different religions into one boat and shows us just how similar they are. I'm more familiar with his belief that myth is an inherent archetype, although I can certainly agree with the notion that myth is culturally diffused. I think it's a bit of both, actually. Although so many different peoples living such distances apart came up with the same ideals of the ultimate, I believe that the similarities between religions today are because they first of all, come from the same foundation, and second of all, become intermingled through sharing stories. An example that somewhat fits in: the Noah's Arc story is decidedly similar to the story in the Epic of Gilgamesh, and we now have scientific evidence of a great flood that took place thousands of years ago. Here we have a foundation- our scientific evidence of a great flood- and two stories from rather different mythologies that explains it. I know that my example doesn't get into the spiritual foundation of the ultimate and of what it entails, but it was the first example I thought of ( ;

Anywho, I don't have that much knowledge of Campbell as a person, but rather have focused on his words and studies. I certainly hope he had supportive parents and a great role model, otherwise the path he had chosen for himself would have been quite hard. Regardless, I'm so glad he did follow his bliss, because he's become a great role model for me!

 

[Trinity]

he thought myths were universal to all mankind. That... explains why ancient religions thousands of miles apart had similar themes. He described it this way. The energies that are created by our organs and glands interacting with each other are given names.

Campbell is excellent. I think I am a little off the topic here, and my apologies if so, but there are other widely accepted theories on myth and religion. One that makes sense to me is the idea of historical aetiology. This says, for example, no one was there to record the events of Adam and Eve, a
myth may have been devised to explain some current situation man is facing, by delving into history to explain its source. This does not mean the event did not happen, it does mean it is mans way of explaining his current condition.

 

[Lightkeeper]

Campbell is excellent. I think I am a little off the topic here, and my apologies if so, but there are other widely accepted theories on myth and religion. One that makes sense to me is the idea of historical aetiology. This says, for example, no one was there to record the events of Adam and Eve, a
myth may have been devised to explain some current situation man is facing, by delving into history to explain its source. This does not mean the event did not happen, it does mean it is mans way of explaining his current condition.

You might want to start a new thread on this.

 

[Runt]

I've read a little of Campbell's work, and would guess that the first hypothesis, that he believes (isn't he still alive?) that myth arose out of universal archetypes, is the correct one. I personally think myths arose out of human desire to understand "how things came to be"... humans, not knowing much about science, imagined all kinds of possibilities, and these myths were more or less the science of their time...

 

[Trinity]

You might want to start a new thread on this.

This will be the last one if it is off, but are we talking about conceptions of myth or campbell more specifically?

 

[Sunstone]

We're talking about Joseph Campbell and his conception of myths. But since this is in the debate section, perhaps you could introduce a non-Campbell view of myth as an opposing view. So long as you don't mind it being debated.

 

[Green Gaia]

isn't he still alive?

No, he died in 1987.

Completely off topic of the OP, but I didn't want to start a new thread....

I just finished reading Campbell's "Myths of Light", twice, back to back. I LOVE IT! Recommend it to anyone who likes his work.