The Heart of My Work: Applied Mythology and Systems Thinking in Action

When I talk about "applied mythology" and "systems thinking" here at Mythos and Modalities, I'm not just tossing around academic terms. For me, these are living, breathing tools that I use to dissect our world and inspire the creation of the stories we desperately need. It's where the wisdom of the ancients meets the urgent demands of today.

Let me explain what this powerful fusion means to me:

My Applied Mythology

For me, studying myths goes far beyond historical or literary appreciation. It's about:

* Extracting Functional Wisdom: I see myths as incredible repositories of human experience, offering "functional blueprints" for understanding our human nature and the structures of our societies. I look for the timeless lessons on power struggles, heroism, hubris, and justice that echo through every age.

* Unveiling Cultural Operating Systems: I believe myths serve as powerful cultural “blueprints,” revealing the underlying beliefs, values, and attitudes that shape a society's very worldview and define its identity.

* Learning from Narrative Breakdown: Crucially, I examine what happens when these old stories or narratives become dysfunctional, break down, or transform. Like my dream of crumbling books, I see where pages have been ripped out, signaling that traditional narratives no longer serve our present realities. This is a key insight that guides my work.

My Applied Systems Thinking

And when I speak of systems thinking, I'm not just defining components. I'm using it as a dynamic framework to analyze the world around us:

* Illuminating Root Causes: I use this skillset to illuminate the roots of systemic problems by defining their causes. It helps me see beyond symptoms to the underlying issues.

* Identifying Interventions: I look for possible places to intervene to direct their outcomes in a desired manner within any given system.

* Understanding Interconnections: I view every aspect of life as a "set of interconnecting relationships that organizes a group of tangible and intangible elements into a coherent pattern that achieves some purpose, or function over time. Whether it's a household or a nation, understanding these flows and dynamics is critical.

* Analyzing Dynamic Behavior: I recognize that all systems are subject to change and fluctuation and can become dysfunctional when parts change or fail to adapt.

The Fusion: Where Wisdom Meets World-Building

The true power of Mythos and Modalities lies in how I fuse these two "applied" fields. My podcast aims to show how:

* Myths are Systemic Models: I contend that epic narratives are intricate models of societies grappling with systemic challenges and seeking paths toward reform. I analyze them to pinpoint the systemic problems and solutions that drive their plots, like the Tragedy of the Commons in The Odyssey or Shifting the Burden in modern tales like Damsel.

* Systems Thinking is My Dissecting Lens: This provides me with the analytical framework to meticulously dissect these mythic blueprints, allowing me to connect ancient lessons powerfully to modern society and its environment.

* From Understanding to Action: The ultimate purpose of this fusion is to move beyond mere intellectual comprehension. It's about extracting the functional wisdom from myths, through a systems lens, to address modern-day systemic problems causing social degradation and environmental decline.

* Inspiring New Creation: This applied approach empowers you, my fellow creative storytellers, to craft new epic narratives. I believe these new stories serve as vehicles for social evolution and systemic reform, helping adapt people to changing conditions by transforming outmoded beliefs and practices that harm society and the environment. They are truly a blueprint for the kinds of stories our country, and indeed our world, needs in order to move forward.

This is the heart of what I do. It's how I aim to help unlock new ways of thinking, understanding, and ultimately, building a more functional and harmonious future.