Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Andries Botha: Kieth, thanks for the question. You know, I really do believe that when we can develope a mythology around our own personal experience, to valorize our own personal experience, rather than to valorize our ability to assimilate into that collective experience, then I believe things will begin to change. It’s because our own way of life, our thoughts, are completely alienated, that we tend – we don’t have a history, certainly Western culture has very little history, that we can draw on, that is ancient, so we turn to the ever kind of changing and cascading library of contemporary knowledge. We don’t have any ancient worship systems that we believe in any more. So, the myths - the myth that has to change, or to be created, is the one where our own personal lives and our own personal experiences become valorized. The things that are very significant to us. The way we feel. The way we worship. We need to valorize those as being deeply significant to ourselves. Whether or not those myths need to become – whether the personal myths need to become collective and that the whole community is governed by that well I don’t quite know. There needs to be a deeper regard for the value of those collective myths, because I think the time has come and gone where collective people would be prepared to kind of believe in – the collective community would be prepared to believe in collective myths. I think that - that age of innocence I’m afraid is gone. So, we need to be able to transform our personal experience in a manner that makes it valuable to ourselves.

by Andries Botha

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Angaangaq Lyberth: Answertext will be available soon.

by Angaangaq Lyberth

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Anthony Arnove: I think I would prefer to answer a different question, which is what are the myths that we need to challenge and confront in order to change the world for the better? I don't think we need myths to replace the ones that we have that are obstacles to changing the world. I think we need to overturn the myths that are so prevalent in our society that say that we can’t change the world, that say that it’s impossible that human nature is inherently greedy, that human nature is inherently individualistic, that social change will only bring about worse conditions, that efforts to collectively right injustices will lead to worse injustices. Those are the myths that I think we need to confront and so many others. So, really rather than engage in a process of myth making, I think we should be focusing on a process of confronting and challenging myths that hold us back.

by Anthony Arnove

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Anuradha Koirala: The myths that to have sex with a small minor girl cures HIV/AIDS. The myth to have that a minor girl, to have a sex with a minor girl cures HIV/AIDS.

by Anuradha Koirala

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Anuradha Mittal:

by Anuradha Mittal

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Ashok Gangadean: This is an important question. Because we usually don’t realize that the myths we live by, the myths that are in our culture, shape our reality. Myth has a story, not just as mythology in the negative sense of mere fiction, but myth as a living story. We all live in world views. We are all living stories, narratives. And so in a way, that deep myth by which we live shapes our reality. And the myths that we’ve had so far that dominate our culture, the myths that objectify and bring us into this ego-based culture. I keep coming back to this because this is such a fundamental point for shaping our cultural lens. That we need a new myth, a global myth for our global age. It’s clear we will enter the global age. It’s always been there but now it’s come out in the 21st century more than even. And we don’t have common stories that bring our religions and world views and disciplines together. So we can find the common ground that can bring us together as one human family. So we very much need to shift and mature and get more deep stories. Global stories that can bring out our global natures, global citizens and that is the kind of the mythos and mythology that we now need. A shared common story of humanity evolving. And I think, that story is beginning to bubble up and emerge on the global stage. That we all are global beings and that all our religions and world views come out of a common source. And that story now, that mythos, is beginning to be born. To give us a new space, an expanded space in which to realize our true nature as global beings.

by Ashok Gangadean

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Audrey Kitagawa: First of all, we need to give up the myths that we currently have that ultimately do not serve people, and I'm thinking in particular of women, who have been given all of those fairy tales about the loss of goddesses, of their power to gods. The myths and fairy tales that have said that you, if you are beautiful and you're a woman, you are a victim, that a rich and handsome prince will come and rescue you from your state and that it will take a man to be able to do this for you, and that you will always be a victim and you need to be rescued from your state of victimhood by a man who is rich, who is of status. And I think that this has disempowered women, especially female children into thinking that this is what should happen in order for them to lead happy, fulfilled lives, that they will have to live all their lives waiting for their Prince Charming to come. So first of all, we must have a deconstruction of these myths and fairy tales, and we must create the stories of empowerment to know that women don't have to rely on others for their happiness, for their empowerment, but rather that empowerment is within themselves and happiness is within themselves and that they must never see themselves as victims, but rather as empowered individuals who can lead happy lives because they will tap into their own inner resources and find their way in life to create their own stories, stories of courage, stories of overcoming, stories of a sacred journey that speaks to the value of their lives and their ability to be able to live those lives with courage, with strength, with dignity.

by Audrey Kitagawa

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Avi Primor: A myth of unity. The myth of one world. We have to understand that the world is one. There is no First, Second or Third World. Yes, we are different and I want us to keep the differences. But I don't want that we have a different quality of life or different life standards, because we influence each other. We can't say we live this way and that the way the other lives doesn't regard us. We have the human rights in Europe and the western world and in Africa one nation can extinct another because it doesn't regard us and it's on another continent. But this isn't about continents because the world is like a tessera. And it should stay that way. Tessera means that there are different pieces. With a different origin and different colors. But put together they become an image. They stay together because the pieces have to in order to keep together. I would propose the myth of the tessera world.

by Avi Primor

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Benjamin Fahrer: The myths that we can create are ones that have a strong base in spirit, have a strong base in solutions and actions. In ways that can resolve the problems, resolve huge problems. We have myths, there are so many indigenous cultures that are still alive today that have myths, that explain the way the world became to be. We need to create myths that explain that the way the world is, and how it is going to be. We need to begin creating stories to then aid in people beliefs stories. Because this will begin to really shift peoples’ consciousness when we have something else -- people like to identify with something. It’s hard to always see everything inside oneself, even though that’s where it truly lives. And so, having something outside, some myths, some creations, some beliefs story that one can latch on to, to have some kind of explanation of why the stars are the way they are. Why climate is changing the way it is. Doing in a way that humanizes the situation that brings down into ourselves and then we can take it and move forward, in a way that is regenerative in that way, so that can be for the better. And we need to honor some of the myths that already exist, that are being lost that we can bring back into the discussion, into the story telling, and learn a lot from this type of stories and this type of myths from the Ramayana, Mahabharata from the Greek myths, Indian myths.

by Benjamin Fahrer

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Benson Venegas: In my opinion, I think we need to create a myth that lead the people to think that when the environment is properly taken into account, then people get to believes that is good for nature, and it's also good for their pockets. And even for the corporate sector. But more than myths, we need to communicate the truth more effectively, transparently, especially for the media to really have leadership and have responsibility in this aspect. Media is already effecting in creating myths. Stories bringing hope and inspiration, and respect, encouragement, a number of principle, on core values, [inaudible] you, your existing myths. So there is where we need to start creating a new sense, that is not about myths, it's about creating values. Core values, that really can help us as a person to really be more responsible and take the right and the most proper decisions in our life.

by Benson Venegas

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Bill Joy: In order to change the world for the better we need a lot of old inappropriateness to die and we need to create some new ones that give us direction. I think Americans are coming to understand that we don’t have unlimited power. That was a fantasy after the end of the Cold War and that history was dying. Even has Israel sees that it’s army isn’t always going to win every conflict. We’re not invincible. We have a false sense of superiority and a smugness about being modern about the world. Perhaps another myth that died is that we should be despairing of all these problems because in fact I think instead we can replace it with not a myth but a dream and truth and a hope for hope. Another myth is kind of the myth of consumerization that by consuming all these things we’ll make ourselves happy. And it’s clearly not working. Once certain basic needs are met having more doesn’t make people happier. It demonstrable according to psychologists makes people anxious. So what are the new kinds of myths, the guiding things we need to believe? First of all, that we can all benefit by enabling everybody to be creative, educating everybody, bringing people out of poverty because of the great beautiful things and innovations they’ll create. I think a new myth is, and it’s not a myth it’s a dream and it’s a possibility is that we can solve these problems if we put our mind to it and work hard and think new thoughts. Stop doing stupid things, do new smart things. And in important new myth is that we can educate everybody and there’s no end to the education, that we can always learn and by learning and keeping learning we’ll stay alive. And that’s the way to live. And that’s the truly exciting thing about being alive is to go and learn new things.

by Bill Joy

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Bora Cosic: To change the world we should get rid of most of the myths, especially those of nowadays. However mythology will always find a way thru, there human beings seek any formula to direct there own existence. This question is maybe leading us back to the beginning. Modern myths are brands, one more reason for me to live without myths, without some general trademark expect of the one which I can produce my self.

by Bora Cosic

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Brian J. Weller: Okay, well, the myths that we need to recreate a better world. I would like to quote actually, if I may, and read to you some Greek myth or mythos. When we think of mythos, these are the stories that convey the deep architecture and the deep architects of the stories we live by. So we think of myths, I like to think of myths in terms of stories. One of the greatest myths that’s being created right now is from a person I deeply respect called David Korten, his new book “The Great Turning.” I mentioned it in an earlier question, but he’s interested in the stories. What he’s saying is to change the future you have to change the story. So, this is a story. It’s called “The Earth Community Story of Unrealized Human Possibility.” The essence of the story is this, that we humans are a species of significantly unrealized potential for creative cooperative service to the well being of the whole. A world based on the partnership principles of Earth Community as set forth in the Earth Charter is possible and millions of people are demonstrating the possibility of living “her” into being. So, new myths in a sense; new stories. Here’s a new one, “the earth community, a local economy story.” Again, economic localization based on locally-owned human scale enterprises creates an essential foundation of a strong and healthy placed-based communities essential to true prosperity, economic security and democracy.” Thank you to David.

by Brian J. Weller

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Catherine David: Why do we have to create myths? I don't think it's the right time for mythologie and I don't understand why we should create illusions. The question is not about changing the world, thats a very cheap terminologie. It's th vocabulare of the press, of the medias. We can not create a perfect world from one moment to another. That's ridiculous and infantile. The question is about living less badly, to live more decently. And it's not the right way to give the carrot to the donkey to make it move. I think the political motivations of the people should have another quality. I we really need a tonic I would be rather apt to read again Gramdschi et Benjamin than to create a new mythologie which is rather catastrophic.

by Catherine David

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

China Keitetsi: Answertext will be available soon.

by China Keitetsi

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Dedi Baron: Answertext will be available soon.

by Dedi Baron

Sep 9, 2006 4:00:00 PM cite

Donato Bayu Bay Bumacas: For me, I think there has to be a strong spirituality that should influence the thinking and action of our global leaders and, therefore, we should promote or put leaders in a position with high spirituality. In that sense, they might have God loving or pro-people and pro-environment governance that would improve the situation of the world. So I think for me personally putting a spirituality on our leaders would definitely change the world into better because I think that is what we don’t have now at the moment. Because of too much pressures from commercialization, modernization, we tend to forget that, we tend to forget the spirituality; and because of that we tend just to, you know, do things which are destructive or like that. So for me, I think to make this world a better world is to focus or to promote the spirituality among our global leaders. And why global leaders in particular is because they are the one who is actually running the affairs of our society; and, therefore, they are the targets.

by Donato Bayu Bay Bumacas