Culture · 6 pages · 12 min
How myth differs from a lie
A myth is a traditional story a community keeps, and a lie is meant to deceive.
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From the opening
A myth is a traditional narrative a community keeps and retells, often about origins, gods, or the ordering of the world. A lie is an utterance the speaker believes false and offers anyway so that someone else will take it as true. The opening covers tradition on one side, intent on the other, error and fiction are different, and myth, legend, and folktale.
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Inside
- Tradition on one side, intent on the other
- Error and fiction are different
- Myth, legend, and folktale
- A fake tradition can still be a lie
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Mythos as traditional narrative rather than mere falsehood
- Folklore distinctions among myth, legend, and folktale