text. un: erwin.smith.

[theomachy]

WHO: Erwin + whoever
WHERE: Network
WHEN: January 15
WHAT: Just a lil network post.
WARNINGS: N/A, will update if needed.

Hello, everyone. My name is Erwin Smith, and I'm a professor at the university. My courses focus on myths and legends both local and not so local. In light of recent goings-on, I'd like an open conversation about what's considered myth and what's considered, for lack of a better term, a "gospel" truth. Let's talk about stories.

Everyone's got a story.

Comments

un: encheneer

[dustodust]

Good day, Professor! Recently I've been interested in mythologies related to the moon. I find it fascinating how mankind's trips to space have revealed much of its secrets to us— and yet it is so inaccessible that it preserves its mystery, to the point where some would claim our research is falsified.

[theomachy]

The moon is a fascinating subject. It's easy to forget that it has so much power over the planet just from gravitational pull alone.

I've never ascribed to the idea that the moon landing was faked, though there is evidence that there are aspects of the research that have been kept from the public.

What's your favorite myth about the moon?

[dustodust]

The rabbit that pounds rice cakes on the moon. How could anyone not enjoy that kind of adorable myth?

[theomachy]

That is a charming tale. Do you tend to veer toward that kind of myth? There are plenty, though people tend to think more on the darker side of myths when they consider the subject.

un: hikari-vi

[whiteshroud]

Professor Smith? You're on here too?

[Who let all these adults on the internet??]

[theomachy]

Mister Nightroad, hello.

I am on here as well. :)

What are your favorite stories? They can be from class or not.

[whiteshroud]

Oh well. Welcome!

[This app has so many adults that know him on here. It's worse than Facebook]

I like lots of stories, but I guess I'm often drawn to unsolved mysteries. Like who is D.B. Cooper, what happened to the Mary Celeste...stuff like that.

[theomachy]

Thank you. :)

I've been considering adding courses on those subjects to differentiate them from the myths of humanity. While some of the things may seem mythological, the events are recorded in multiple ways that involve real-world acts and consequences, so it bears the same kind of investigation as any other occurance.

Wouldn't it be an amazing moment to be able to crack the cases wide open?

voice | un: lazyfox

[blindfox]

Politicians who actually care are a myth, in my opinion.

[Jun.]

oh no youve activated him

[theomachy]

In my opinion I find it's not that politicians don't care, but that they care about the wrong things. A lot of political issues stem from simple facets: secrets and misinformation.

Many politicians are so set on keeping to a certain status quo that they're willing to do almost anything to maintain it.

he's good for that sometimes

[blindfox]

Then as far as the rest of us can tell, they don't care. So, politicians who care are a myth.

[theomachy]

Politicians who claim to care are a dime a dozen, who's to say there's not at least one out there?

A diamond in the rough so to speak.

un: no

[dirtdevil]

do you really not have anything better to do than this

[theomachy]

Hello, Levi. :)

Do you not have a favorite story?

[dirtdevil]

[ fuck. ]

not really

[theomachy]

I'm sure we could find one if we really tried.

un: gibbontake

[ape]

Now here’s a good coffee break.

A truth would have to be something proven. We got our evidence and solid facts published for the research community to see, disclose and debate. I’ve sadly not seen a research paper on Bigfoot.

un: no

[dirtdevil]

your username is fucking stupid

[ape]

And yours is creatively lacking. 🙊

Not a fan of puns, Levi?

[dirtdevil]

not a fan of stupid shit

[theomachy]

Some people have inherent truths that are only true to them, which I find a fascinating phenomenon and bearing interest.

I should show you some of the research papers of my students, because I've certainly seen one on Bigfoot.

[ape]

Oh, no. This, I need to see.

Would inherent truths therefore count as opinions?

un: rschwarzer

[motiv8]

Oh? Now those courses sound interesting... maybe next semester.

As far as myths versus the "truth"... I don't think we can conclusively prove that a lot of myths aren't true. I mean, I won't say I necessarily subscribe to the idea that they're true, but I think the people who believe in them believe for a reason. It's not anyone else's place to tell them that it's wrong.

And regardless, I think every myth probably has at least a grain of truth to it somewhere. Ideas don't usually pop up out of thin air, after all.

[theomachy]

I'd be happy to see you in my courses.

This is an admirable and open-minded take on the subject. The pursuit of truth is an ongoing effort and isn't likely to end any time soon.

There are mysterious things that are very real all around us. Look as closely as the ocean. Does man know more than the smallest fraction of information about the sea and what dwells in it? No.

So who's to say that there isn't something like a true Kraken down in the depths? No one can prove definitively that they don't exist, so the lack of hard evidence doesn't say too much in light of the numerous accounts both historical and modern of similar creatures. So many people hold the belief all independent of one another so it's easy to grant that it at the very least has, as you said, a grain of truth to it.

[motiv8]

Here's hoping I can find room in my schedule!

That's a very good point, though. I think it's important to believe in scientific discoveries, but also accept that for as much as we do know, there's so much more that we don't.

The Kraken is a great example. And even things like ghosts, spirits, or aliens... sure, you could come up with some kind of "realistic" explanation for those things, just like you could say "oh, there's no Kraken, it was probably a giant octopus." But there's rarely a one-size-fits-all explanation for those sorts of things, and some of them... honestly, sometimes the "explanations" feel like more of a reach than the myths themselves.

If people's beliefs are meaningful to them and they aren't hurting anyone, why try to take that away from them? It just seems like stripping color out of the world, to me.