View source for Myth (disambiguation)

'''Myth''' may refer to:

*[[Mythology]], [[mythography]], or [[folkloristics]]. In these academic fields, a myth (''[[mythos]]'') is a sacred story concerning the origins of the world or how the world and the creatures in it came to have their present form. The active beings in myths are generally gods and heroes. Myths often are said to take place before recorded history begins. In saying that a myth is a sacred narrative, what is meant is that a myth is believed to be true by people who attach religious or spiritual significance to it. Use of the term by scholars does not imply that the narrative is either true or false. See also [[legend]] and [[narrative|tale]].
*Secular Myth. A [[story]], either factually true or false, which powerfully illustrates an aspect of the originating [[culture]]; its [[history]], values, aspirations, or heroics. For example, the [[culture]] of the [[United States]] has developed myths of the '[[superhero]],' most notably: [[Superman]].  We have also developed a myth of the infallability of the founding fathers, and the nation having been founded on Christian principles.
*A myth, in popular use, is something that is widely believed but false. This usage, which is often pejorative, arose from the recognition that many myths from antiquity were not historically factual, therefore false knowlege. This usage is frequently confused with [[fiction]], [[legend]], [[fairy tale]], [[folklore]], [[fable]], and [[urban legend]], each of which has a distinct meaning in academia. 
*Something that is mythic is thought to contain story elements similar to mythology. Something mythical is, however, typically considered false.
*''Urban myth'' is an alternate (not academic) term for [[urban legend]]
*[[Myth (computer game)|''Myth'' (computer game)]], a series of real-time tactical computer games.
*''[[The Myth]]'', a 2005 Chinese film starring Jackie Chan.
* [[The Myth]], the sobriquet of bodybuilder [[Sergio Oliva]]
* [[The Myth (rock band)]], a Maltese rock band
* [[Myth (warez)]], an underground PC game cracking group
* [[MythTV]], an open source software project
* [[Mythical Records]], a record label

==See also==
*[[Mythos]]

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