Myths are more than stories. Late last century, some psychologists used mythology as a lens into our psyches. Influenced by Carl Jung’s theories of the collective unconscious, they believed that archetypal characters and motifs recurred in cultures all around the world, and were also present in the minds of people who had no memory of reading them. In this framework, the man who grew from feuding with his siblings to butting heads with colleagues was drawing fuel from Ares, the Greek god of war; the woman who had a prosaic desk job but measured her life in foreign discoveries and romances was mimicking the adventurer Hermes. The analysts argued that understanding the archetypes people had subconsciously chosen to emulate could help make sense of their life choices. This story is from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-Two Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 30 Cold Shivers The seasonal appeal of ghost stories. Arts & Culture Issue 26 Possession Obsession Sometimes decadent, often secret, but never just one: the compulsion to collect. Arts & Culture Issue 48 Jordan Casteel The acclaimed painter of people—and now plants. Arts & Culture Issue 48 The Sweet Spot How long is the perfect vacation? Arts & Culture Issue 48 Cliff Tan Four questions for a feng shui guru. Arts & Culture Issue 48 Figure Skating with Mirai Nagasu The Olympic athlete has known glory, pain and transcendence on the ice.
Arts & Culture Issue 26 Possession Obsession Sometimes decadent, often secret, but never just one: the compulsion to collect.
Arts & Culture Issue 48 Figure Skating with Mirai Nagasu The Olympic athlete has known glory, pain and transcendence on the ice.
