Joseph Campbell & Power of Myth With Bill Moyers

Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyer sat down for a handful of interviews discussing myth’s. Not just myth’s, but the creation of myth’s either by legend brought on by the human condition or by creative narrative, a craftsman’s work of putting together words to create a world outside of the world we know. All a very dizzying aspect, especially when considering the intellects that had come together to comb over the idea. Athena has collected these interviews and placed them on a 25th Anniversary edition DVD for the new and future generations to ponder over.

Right from the start I was captivated. When we think of birth and death we see it as a beginning and end. Campbell sees it as everyone’s first heroic adventure in life. From a water based creature to a fully formed human being we fight to become and then to escape from the womb into a new chapter of our heroic adventure, birth.

As a storywriter myself I remember sitting, perplexed, wondering what would make a good story. What would make a great protagonist? What great introduction would solidify the readers mind into following this stranger at all costs. Campbell’s birth analogy simply blew my mind away. A simple becoming being the ultimate in adventures. Of the millions of candidates, only the strongest and most willed will end up being given the chance to fight to survive the first stages of life.

As the program continues Campbell takes these moments in time and space that are so present, yet taken for granted, and makes an example out of them. The need for inspiration in trying times. A hero sitting down to paper and ink and wording a story just right to reflect the time and era, to grab readers by the hands and hearts and transport them to a place where good things can happen, where hero’s overcome mighty challenges, where we can lose ourselves from the world in which we live in that’s blighted with seemingly uncontrollable scenario’s beyond our power. Sure it’s a long process, writing, but it’s a saving grace for many. Who would have thought a writer could be a hero. One that could inspire their readers to flip through pages until the story was done and come back from that adventure with eyes anew, their problems seemingly petty, their hearts renewed with bravery and swelling with inspiration.

The program covers myths derived from religion, war, politics, even pop culture. It’s really a highlight that brings to light the saying that there is good in all of us. Some of us are simply born to grasp that good and do great things to inspire others and some do not even know it’s within them, just waiting for the right string of words or actions to ignite that passion within them. From the soldier whose decision to give his life for his country and who is put in an extraordinary situation, rises to the occasion, to the mother and or father who sacrifices much to give a better life to their children so that they too can have the opportunity to grasp their greatness and be the hero they were born to be. Simply amazing stuff.