Building a mythology is a way that we can make sense of the world around us. What does a modern mythology look like?
The ancient Greeks used mythology to explain everyday life. The sun, for example, was actually the fiery wheel of a great chariot that Apollo rode across the sky each day.
Any number of gods, demi-gods, and heroes made up this mythology, much of which can still be found today. The labors of Hercules, the infighting of the Greek pantheon of gods, or the story of the Trojan horse live on in today’s society. There are translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey from Homer that are still in print, for instance, or the hugely popular Percy Jackson stories from author Rick Riordon, recently adapted to a Disney TV series.
And it is not just the Greeks, of course. The Romans, which borrowed heavily from the Greeks for their own mythology, were also influential. The names of the planets and satellites in our solar system largely come from these mythological sources. Jupiter, the leader of the Roman gods, is the name given to the largest planet. The red planet is named Mars, after the fiery Roman god of war.
Each culture has their own mythology. Other notable ones from history include the Norse, Egyptians, Japanese, and so on.
So then what makes up our modern mythology? What are the stories that we tell ourselves that allow us to make sense of our current world and the challenges and victories we experience? What in our society will future historians point to as the equivalent to the mythologies of yesteryear?
Related questions: What are the benefits of fiction? What role do sports play in our society? History or current events? What is art? How do you adopt new ideas?
The American Dream has been part of modern American mythology for quite some time, but its meaning has changed significantly since it was first named during the early years of the Great Depression. Initially rooted in ideals of liberty and equality, today, it is more commonly defined by the belief that each generation will be materially better off than the one before it. This version of the Dream has become closely tied to homeownership, upward mobility, and expanded consumerism.
In recent years, the American Dream has been called into question. Although income inequality has only more recently become central to its critique, doubts about its sustainability have persisted for at least the last two and a half decades. Many middle-income Americans now face longer delays in accumulating enough wealth to buy a home, start a family, or achieve financial stability.
At the same time, the mythology of the Dream has long obscured the reality that many low-income households have never had full access to the Dream. BIPOC communities in particular have faced systemic barriers to homeownership and wealth accumulation. While expanded access to credit has allowed some participation in consumer culture, it has often come at a high long-term financial cost.
In its current form, the American Dream feels increasingly unsustainable. It relies on the assumption of continuous economic growth—growth that depends on rising household debt for middle- and lower-income families while disproportionately benefiting the wealthiest individuals in their financing of this debt. Moreover, endless material expansion carries environmental consequences. Economic and ecological limits challenge the idea that this type of prosperity should continue.
Whether the American Dream should be revised or abandoned altogether remains an open question. If the Dream is to continue, it should return to its earlier emphasis on liberty and equality while expanding to include equity and inclusion. And a renewed vision would recognize that a thriving nation depends on broad participation in civic and economic life while protecting the environment from continued harm.