Positive narratives may be
our best hope for fostering desperately needed environmental action.
Decades of ecological
warnings have failed to produce the necessary societal changes. The
enthralling realities and fascinating mysteries of the natural world offer
endless inspiration for an alternative message that is both factually accurate
and emotionally appealing. One of the most universally attractive messages we
can communicate is the idea that we are part of the web of life that surrounds
us.
Biodiversity is no longer the exclusive domain of academics. As revealed by the plethora of
science oriented subject matter in popular media, Americans
are increasingly fascinated with accessible portrayals of the natural
world.
Movies,
documentaries and books have succeeded in rendering nature’s diversity in a
manner that is both informative and entertaining. Programs like “Fearless
Planet” on the Discovery Channel or the documentary series “Planet Earth”
demonstrate the popularity of the natural world. We have also seen important
environmental messages in popular films like Avatar and in works of fiction
like Faulkner’s “The Bear.”
If environmental advocates really
want to change people’s attitude towards the environment, they must tap into
this popular interest. The natural sciences need to be rendered in a way that
is engaging, but to achieve the paradigm shift we are seeking, we must go
beyond traditional pedagogy and scientifically derived facts.
As Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden, “I too would fain set
down something beside facts. Facts should only be as the frame to my pictures —
they should be material to the mythology which I am writing.”
The planet’s ecosystems must
be appreciated as more than a collection of facts. We must endeavor to ignite
interest in the natural world by portraying the Earth at the center of a
hopeful narrative. For millennia before our modern age the environment was
esteemed and revered. Countless creation myths describe our origins and speak
to a harmonious relationship to the Earth. Many of the great myths of antiquity
contain environmental themes including Antaeus, Gaia, Prometheus,
and Pandora. The mythologies of aboriginal people are also commonly rooted
in environmental stewardship.
Modern society dismisses myth as
obsolete, but this view eschews profound truths that reconcile
us to the realities of our world. Regardless of our particular
orientation, we are all influenced by mythology. Whether or not we consciously
identify with it, mythology informs our thoughts and influences our behavior.
This notion is reflected in a recently published book titled “The Immanence of Myth,”
“We may use myths to explore why
something is the way it is, or what we are to do with it, but a given myth
remains just an interface. It is through us, through embodiment and direct
interaction, that it is made immanent…The myth is living because we are
ever-changing and transitory. In other words, we are living, and myth too is
living. It is a part of us, our mirror. It is like the moon in relation to the
sun — without the sun, the moon would cast no light, but in the presence of the
sun, it appears to have a light of its own…coming world conflicts will be
driven by ideological forces along cultural fault lines. In other words, by our
ideas about ourselves, others, and the nature of the world we live in. Ideas
are not just ideas, when they take hold of us.”
Although mythology is often
viewed as synonymous with falsehood, it is actually a narrative that we live by
to this day. Sadly, the prevailing mythologies lack depth and
fail to relate us to our world. What we need is a new narrative
that binds us to the reality of our times. To achieve this ambitious
goal, we need to craft a mythology that addresses the psychological functions
of mythology.
Throughout the course of his life,
Carl Jung explored the relationship between mythology and human psychology. For
Jung, mythology is a fundamental component of the human experience; in his
writings he sketched out archetypes which are universal motifs found across
cultures. Jung set out to illustrate how these archetypes are deeply
embedded in the human psyche. He saw mythology as an indispensable part
of becoming more conscious. According to Jung, consciousness is the
ultimate goal of human development, a process which he referred to
as individuation.
Joseph Campbell elaborated on
Jung’s work by exploring the basic elements that
all mythologies share in common. In his book Creative Mythology Campbell reviewed the
four major functions of mythology:
Mystical/Metaphysical: According ot Campbell, the “living
mythology” will “waken and maintain in the individual an experience of awe,
humility, and respect” (p. 609). This mythological aspect drives the revelation
of unity between one’s self and all things.
Cosmological: “The second function of a mythology,” Campbell writes, “is to
render a cosmology, an image of the universe.” (p. 611). The natural world is
at the center of this and it includes how the world and its creatures came
to be. Most modern people, Campbell
writes, turn, “of course, not to archaic religious texts but to science” (p.
611) for this information. A scientific understanding of the natural
world reveals awe inspiring wonder which is entirely compatible with
the mystical function of myth.
Social: This function of mythology helps to
determine what we deem to be right and what we consider to be wrong. As Campbell explains, it
is ”the validation and maintenance of an established order” (p. 621). In
the context of this discussion, it involves morality that teaches us ways in
which we can live in harmony with the Earth and how to avoid doing harm.
Psychological: This is the aspect of mythology which
emphasizes important points in an individual’s life. The goal of this
element of myth is “the centering and harmonization of the individual” (p.
623). This can translate to action which puts us as individuals in harmony with
our environment.
Incorporating these four elements
into an environmental narrative can augur change on a grand scale and
this new understanding can shift the way we relate to the Earth. Ultimately,
the goal is to craft a mythology which weaves us into the fabric of the natural
world. If we understand that we are one with the environment, we are far more
likely to act to improve it. Fundamentally, we must come to the realization
that what we do to the Earth, we do to ourselves.
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