XPost: alt.usage.english   
   From: nospam@de-ster.demon.nl   
      
   occam  wrote:   
      
   > On 05/11/2025 04:50, Steve Hayes wrote:   
   > > On Tue, 4 Nov 2025 13:10:46 +0100, occam  wrote:   
   > >   
   > >> On 29/10/2025 17:02, Tony Cooper wrote:   
   > >>   
   > >>> For something to be a "myth", it has to be something that is somewhat   
   > >>> widely stated, but can be shown to be in error.   
   > >>   
   > >> What?   
   > >>   
   > >> Greek myths (and mythology) are widely recounted. Yet they are not 'in   
   > >> error', mainly because they are made-up stories.   
   > >   
   > >   Myth is a reality immeasurably greater than concept. It is   
   > > high time that we stopped identifying myth with invention,   
   > > with the illusions of primitive mentality, and with anything,   
   > > in fact, which is essentially opposed to reality... The   
   > > creation of myths among peoples denotes a real spiritual life,   
   > > more real indeed than that of abstract concepts and rational   
   > > thought. Myth is always concrete and expresses life better   
   > > than abstract thought can do; its nature is bound up with that   
   > > of symbol. Myth is the concrete recital of events and original   
   > > phenomena of the spiritual life symbolized in the natural   
   > > world, which has engraved itself on the language memory and   
   > > creative energy of the people... it brings two worlds together   
   > > symbolically.   
   > >   
   > > (Source: Nicolas Berdyaev, "Freedom and the Spirit", Goeffrey Bles,   
   > > London, 1948).   
   > >   
   > >> Perhaps you are thinking of 'urban myths'?   
   > >   
   > > What's the difference between an urban myth and an urban legend?   
   > >   
   >   
   > It's an urban myth that I'm an urban legend.   
      
   Those myths saying that you have passed into legend   
   have been greatly exaggerated,   
      
   Jan   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)