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Date: | Wed, 24 Apr 2002 10:37:45 -0700 |
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Hi all
re., Ellen Marlatt's post) (Would someone like to) present an anthological overview of the
concept of myth busting, legend vs. myth vs. fallacy, "anthropologists as debunkers or
contrarian etc.,
jb) I don't have the time myself, but I have a great interest in the subject, and I'd like to
direct a few thoughts to who ever writes up the subject.
IMO it's important not to contaminate our language. Myth, as James Gibbs aptly put it: ".. is
the story a people tell to themselves about themselves." (Tuesday, April 23, 2002 11:15 AM)
It might seem supernatural to us, BUT it wasn't to them. And what are we reporting after-all,
their impressions of their world? Or our impressions of ours?
I would hope that the final paper ..
a.) Would preserve the integrity of the word Myth, as Jim Gibbs suggested it
b.) Would drop the word supernatural .. That's our word .. not theirs
c.) Would use as a theme {that it's not the role of anthropologists to be debunkers or
contrarians}. The role of an anthropologist, IMO, is to decipher what was written to preserve
the intent for posterity.
Least wise this is my opinion jb
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