Ruminations on our relationship with technology
Mythology in Media articles make up part of the Technology and Culture topic on this site. Articles about Mythology in Media look at technological innovation and how it affects the myths and stories of our culture. After all, a valuable way to look at culture is through the lens of its mythic stories or grand narratives.
No doubt, technological changes in a culture often influence these stories or narratives. (For instance, just browse the genre of science fiction for countless examples of what Lewis Mumford called the “myth of the machine.”) Hence, one way to understand how technologies impact culture is explore how technological innovation influences its mythology or storytelling.
Retro review of Midnight in Paris Summary: The film ‘Midnight in Paris’ is much more than a romantic comedy. It’s a reminder that, in our digital age of accelerated innovation, spendthrift consumerism, and occasional lack of appreciation for older art and historic artifacts, sometimes playing with antiquated tech and old media—from jazz records to classic … Read more
Ten Great Science Fiction Films (concluded) Concluding the list of ten great science fiction films. (See Parts I, II, & III of this series on mythology in media if you haven’t previously.) #8) Gattaca “There’s no gene for fate.” Genetic Discrimination The human genome is a mystery scientists are unraveling … and manipulating. Of course, … Read more
Ten Great Science Fiction Films (continued) Continuing the list of ten great science fiction films. (See Parts I & II of this series on mythology in media if you haven’t yet.) #5) Interstellar Love is the one thing that we’re capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space. Maybe we should trust that, … Read more
Ten Great Science Fiction Films (continued) Continuing the list of ten great science fiction films. (Check out Part I of this series on mythology in media if you haven’t already.) #2) Solaris (1972) We don’t want to conquer space at all. We want to expand Earth endlessly. We don’t want other worlds; we want a … Read more
Modern Myths, Mechanical Monsters In ancient and medieval times, mythological monsters were typically beasts, such as giants or dragons. In today’s mythical stories, most notably in science fiction films, monsters are commonly machines. Really, the Frankenstein monster was the first of these mythic, machine-like creatures, though a long line of mechanical monsters—from cyborgs to Artificial … Read more
When innovation goes wrong Technological innovation is the lifeblood of our society, but at what point does it go wrong? According to Mary Shelley’s mythic story, Frankenstein, it’s when we’re no longer able to control our inventions. In Shelley’s myth, Victor Frankenstein learns this lesson after the machine-like creature he recklessly invents spins out of control … Read more
Visions of Frankenstein Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is no doubt one of my favorite novels. It marks the dawn of a new era: a modern mythology in media, known as science fiction. Published in 1818, familiarity with the plot endures thanks to Hollywood. When a mad scientist, Victor Frankenstein, discovers how to reanimate dead matter, … Read more