JC>  I just wrapped up a college course about "King Arthur".  I 
found
  > it interesting that an "English Lit" class would tend to promote the 
myth
  > and fantasy" taught by so many History Departments. Thereby causing
  > "incorrect" American History teaching to be perpetuated. The old "Oh, 
t's
  > O.K. that King Arthur wasn't as real or as great as all the legends make 
hi
  > out to be, it's the 'magic' and 'fantasy' that's important."
Of course, there *is* a difference between history and fantasy.  I want
my history straight and accurate.
On the other hand ... I'm OK with my myths being *very* mythological.
(g)
I'm even OK with the story of Washington cutting down the cherry tree,
so long as it's taught as a lie.
JC> Actually, what shocks (maybe "shocks" isn't the right word... "mystifies"
  > might be better) me more than anything is the fact that many NAs don't 
have
  > any interest. But.... neither do many non-NAs. I remember one Anthro prof
  > (American) that said she couldn't care less about _her_ ancestry/heritage
  > she wanted to learn about others. So, she specializes in Asian 
Anthropology
  > adopted a child of Asian birth, etc.
Carl Jung once said, and I paraphrase, "It is best to go deeply into our
own heritage first; because we will find greater depths there than we
will find anywhere else, since we are beginning at a deeper level than
we would have to begin when we explore another culture."
I am fascinated by *all* cultures.  But I carry around with me, on a day
by day basis, the stories I heard as my grandmothers baked bread, as my
grandfathers mended tools.  They are the ones that have given me the
myths and the symbols in my life that are so spontaneous that I use them
without even needing to think about them.  When I talk about an owl in
connection with death, it is almost as natural as breathing.  But Shiva?
Shiva is, for me, an intellectual thing.
                         Sondra
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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ Peace comes to those who create it.  John Schmaing
--- Opus-CBCS 1.7x via O_QWKer 1.7 
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