I once wrote about myths - of what their purpose is. Why do we have myths?

And then, I spent a day pondering about death. You can see the grand structures of comfort recurring. (Go checkout, you’ll get to see some nice pictures at least!)

So what are the ingredients of a powerful myth?

The grand structures we are talking about - the colossal sizes to which trees grow, oceans flow and rivers swell - has a purpose to serve. So is the supernatural powers that the protagonists accrue. Whether it be Lord Ram who builds a bridge with the help of monkeys or a prophet who makes impossible journeys over near-infinite distances, we see this pattern recur.

So these giants sport enormous bellies and lifespans; the protagonists get many births and lives to complement it. These sizes also extend to many lifetimes - so the average joe who consumes this myth is developing a perceptive. These are the ways through which our limited lifespans could be extended - by making them meaningful.

So the larger the size of objects, length of timelines, more concrete is the effect they leave on us. This is how powerful myths are manufactured.

Also, there should be images that help us relate. Images that signify the people we have to meet - friends or enemies. So the symbolism of the wall and the like is all the more important. There is a reason why the myth of Gog and Magog which recurs in semitic religions merged with the Alexander romances of the wall (Checkout the wikipedia link attached). This wall, recurs in the Chinese concept of great wall protecting Tianxia to the Wall that Trump wants to build. The symbolism, its size, and the part of imagination it appeals to is hard to miss.

It is no coincidence that these myths spilled over to architecture with far reaching implications. You can check out the divine ruler and his (unfortunately, very few hers) relationship with the Dome architecture here.

Then, once we have movies and other mediums of mass media, it is easy to see how these symbolism reek into them. The quintessential Rajnikant movie or the tollywood superstar movie should have someone who fights a hundred thousand men barehanded (Ah, the monster of KGF fame!). Then, the hero goes on to satiate a reluctant heroine by subjecting himself to all the rituals of toxic masculinity. The depredations of a defunct social order is regurgitated again and again to our society through these movies. It is everywhere to see, but only too few of us stand up and take notice. How strange.

Coming back, this is an extremely poorly written article. I am not into creating myths here. As I have written once, it is futile. Here. But we could always try bringing in more social change. I was having a conversation with Tara today, which prompted me to write all these. My apologies for the poorly thought out and an unedited article. But I am sure that the initiated reader will take something away from this.

The world is no easy place, we should keep looking around. At least till we start seeing stuff. Let’s talk about all these, just drop me a line.