Ken Hurley
The latest incarnation of Oedipus, the continued romance of Beauty and the Beast, stands this afternoon on the corner of 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue waiting for the traffic light to change. - Joseph Campbell
This is what fools people: a man is always a teller of tales, he lives surrounded by his stories and the stories of others, he sees everything that happens to him through them; and he tries to live his life as if he were recounting it. - Jean Paul Sartre, Nausea
She fell off her mood swing but got back on and asked me for a push. - personal observation
Sometimes I question my sanity and sometimes it replies. - personal observation
My imaginary friends asked me to join them for a drink. - personal observation
This above all: to thine own self be true. - From Act 1, Scene 3, of Hamlet, spoken by Polonius to his son
AND SO IT CAME TO PASS that Chit and Chat (one of those is me) were asked to consider personal myths — stories that may have informed our personal perspective but never were — yet may speak to our essence as a human. For example, I was adopted and then raised by Goldwater Republicans (true). During my "formative years" I created a story (myth) that said I was raised by a herd of caped Corgis. I like capes. I like Corgis too. I created another myth that was less yappy and more grandiose where I saw myself somewhere between Hercules and Zeus — a small version of Superman! Reality saw me more like Jimmy Olsen, the bumbling cub reporter at The Daily Planet. I saw myself with the ability to fly faster than a speeding bullet with superhuman strength who could crush coal into diamonds with my bare hands. I especially enjoyed X-ray vision, which I used to torment my younger, late sister, Lisa, pretending I could see through her clothes. After a few months of wearing a cape and jumping from the ground two feet into the air, I grew weary of each stumbling crash landing. And so, the myth was dispelled.
After my formative years, I became formed. More like a bundt cake than a man of steel. I eventually moved on to another equally magnificent myth. Like, simply by championing civic learning, I could change the educational perspective of Americans from lethargic, ignorant, apathetic skepticism, into a robust engagement of socio-political enlightenment. It is possible that this effort was more delusional than myth. Didn't stop me from trying; achieving some small success too.
I'm reminded of that weepy, ancient, pre-Socratic, philosopher's critic, Heraclitus, who was fond of repeating, “Character is destiny.” Which turns out to be a good playwriting trick. Start with your characters and they will write your play. They work for free, too. Such as it is with life, the myths or stories we tell ourselves help shape and inform our lives. Our hopes, dreams, aspirations, and worldview are essential in creating one's values, traits, and principles which influence the choices we make and therefore help manifest our destiny.
Is my Superman myth just a childhood fantasy? If I thought like that as an adult it would be considered a false narrative, a delusion, or a crazy fairy tale. Perhaps confirmation bias‽ Certainly not legendary.
The human mind is a complex web of beliefs, values, and assumptions that shape our perceptions and influence our decisions. Humans are prone to forming personal myths and incorrect assumptions, which likely contribute to the development of cognitive biases. These biases are rooted in our learning processes. And, equally important, what we do not learn. Our biases have a profound impact on our understanding of the world and the way we interact with others.
Cognitive biases are patterns of deviation from rationality, affecting our judgments and behaviors without our awareness. These biases can arise from lazy mental shortcuts, social influences, emotional factors, and individual experiences, which fuel our predispositions and color our perceptions of the world.
Healthy brains are wired to process information rapidly and efficiently, often relying on cognizable shortcuts to make swift judgments and decisions. While mental shortcuts can serve as practical tools for navigating complex environments, they also contribute to the formation of cognitive biases, which can lead us to make errors in judgment.
One common cognitive bias is the confirmation bias, the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. Confirmation bias can solidify personal myths and incorrect assumptions, reinforcing our skewed perceptions of reality. For example, the character of Don Quixote in Miguel de Cervantes' novel Don Quixote, epitomizes the confirmation bias, as he persistently interprets events and encounters in ways that align with his delusional vision of chivalry and heroism. You know, tilting at windmills!
Cognitive biases can also be shaped by social and cultural influences, fueling the perpetuation of personal myths and incorrect assumptions. In-group bias, for example, reflects our tendency to favor like-minded individuals within our own social groups while exhibiting prejudice against outsiders. Look at the dreadful and bizarro Trump phenomenon. Can you believe it? A Trump confirmation bias is a good example of a personal myth of superiority or exceptionalism. Clearly, as an individual he seeks affirmation within his social circles while disregarding and disrespecting perspectives outside of his immediate community.
While personal myths are often driven by positive intentions, they can lead to inaccurate assumptions and exaggerated or embellished distortions of reality. For instance, an individual may construct a personal myth of invincibility (Superman), leading them to take unnecessary risks and dismiss potential consequences. Like jumping off a table top hoping to fly. Personal myths of victimhood can perpetuate a sense of entitlement and resentment, distorting one's interactions with others and impeding personal growth. Do you know anyone who overreacts to small missteps in a huge unpleasant way and then fabricates and blames others?
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the protagonist, Jay Gatsby, constructs a complex personal myth centered around his idealized vision of the past and his pursuit of wealth and status. Gatsby's concocted narrative about his origins and his unwavering belief in the possibility of recapturing lost love reflect his erroneous assumptions and the personal myth he has constructed to cope with his reality. The Great Gatsby focused on Fitzgerald's disillusionment with the American Dream in the hedonistic Jazz Age. Then there's George Carlin, who said of the American dream, “You have to be asleep to believe it.”
There is a myth with several astounding, colossal, impressive storylines that have been perpetuated throughout the ages — religion. Oh my God. Notice the phrase is “Oh my god”. The “my” makes religion an overwhelming personal myth that reeks with self-entitlement. Yet religion is also a good example of erroneous groupthink. Incorrect assumptions can lead people to do terrible things to other people. Want proof? Take a peek at the world.
It is essential to recognize and confront our personal myths and incorrect assumptions, as well as the cognitive biases stemming from them. By cultivating mindfulness, critical thinking, and empathy, we can challenge the narratives that drive our biases and strive to embrace a more rational, compassionate, and inclusive worldview. When we take the time to examine our human experience and the complexities of the human mind, we can dispel myths that do not serve us well and shed light on the intricate interplay between personal myths, cognitive biases, and the human condition.
But why should we? That takes effort. It's easier and often more comforting to retain personal myths, especially if they provide a sense of identity, purpose, and motivation. However, personal myths can hinder self-examination and mental health. As it is with many aspects of life, it's good to critically reevaluate beliefs, hopes, dreams, and aspirations in the effort to seek clarity and a decent ratio between personal myths and objective truths. Meanwhile, look up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. Yes, it's Superman! Strange visitor from another planet, who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Or, is it just lil’ ol’ me, lovable goofball, living within the hazy penumbra of my shadowy personal myths?
