mythmaking

Mythmaking is the creation and dissemination of myths—narratives that seek to explain the origins, beliefs, values, and norms of a community, often involving gods, heroes, and sacred events. Myths provide frameworks for understanding the world, establishing social roles, and justifying institutions, ritual practices, and moral codes. They arise in many contexts, including religion, politics, literature, and popular media, and they may be transmitted orally, in written form, or through visual arts.

Myths provide several functions: etiological stories explain natural phenomena or cultural practices; cosmogonies describe the origins of the world; heroic narratives dramatize values such as courage, loyalty, or sacrifice; and myths create shared identity among groups. Mythmaking is a dynamic process; myths evolve as communities encounter new realities and as writers, artists, and leaders reinterpret traditions. The term mythopoeia emphasizes the deliberate crafting of mythic worlds, often by authors or artists, as in modern literature and film.

Scholars treat myth not as a primitive error about history but as a coherent, meaningful system that encodes social meanings. Anthropologists such as Bronisław Malinowski and Claude Lévi-Strauss examined how myths organize social life, while literary theorists explore archetypes and narrative structures. In contemporary contexts, mythmaking can support national identity, religious revival, or corporate branding, but it can also distort truth, exclude dissent, or legitimize power.