Myth – this term is usually associated with the heroes of Greek mythology rather than with today’s political strategies. Although we might not be aware of myths, it is a fact that they are fundamental elements of our society. The French literary critic Roland Barthes defines myths as half- or untruths which are established by political or other authorities in order to make people believe in the correctness of their actions. If these ‘myths’ are conveyed in a convincing way, they are very likely to influence people and their set of beliefs. If then a broad majority accepts these half- or untruths and acknowledges them as ‘facts’, they become ‘pillars’ of the society and thus may trigger a mass movement. However, those who do not adapt to this common belief system or even criticize it, are branded as ‘rebellious minorities’ and excluded from social acceptance. Myths …show more content…
One defines myth as “a well-known story which was made up in the past to explain natural events or to justify religious beliefs or social customs;” the other, of more recent usage, suggests a belief or explanation that many people believe but which is actually untrue. So, myths are, to a certain extent, popularly believed inventions and presumptions that have nothing to do with truth, although many people might consider them to be facts. A perfect example of such a purely invented belief is the slavery system as it was practiced in the U.S. before the Civil War. In order to justify the oppression of a whole ‘race’, Africans were declared to be naturally inferior and ignorant and therefore to need the white men to tell them what to do. The fact that the black population in the U.S. is still struggling to receive overall equal treatment shows how enduring such myths usually