May the Fourth be with you!
Today, “Star Wars” fans from all over the world are celebrating their passion for the multi-billion-dollar science fiction franchise created by George Lucas 46 years ago.
On the surface, Star Wars Day may seem to be little more than a pseudo-holiday at the intersection of geek culture, viral social media trends and corporate marketing. However, its growing popularity reflects something deeper about the human need for meaning in our so-called secular age.
In Ernest Becker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Denial of Death,” the American anthropologist wrote, “Society itself is a codified hero system, which means that society everywhere is a living myth of the significance of human life, a defiant creation of meaning.”
All cultures everywhere create myths to codify their ideals around heroism, bravery, virtue, sacrifice and social wellbeing, from the 43,900-year-old cave painting of a hunter-hero in Sulawesi, Indonesia, to modern-day space operas like “Star Wars.” These guiding stories serve a crucial function in both the individual and group quest for meaning by providing imaginative models of the real social world and portraying heroic characters that possess many ideal virtues.
Continue reading at The Hill.
Clay Routledge, PhD, is the Vice President of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute. As a leading expert in existential psychology, his work focuses on helping people reach their full potential and build meaningful lives. Follow his work @clayroutledge and subscribe to his newsletter, Flourishing Fridays.
Paul Anleitner is a cultural theologian who writes and speaks on the intersection of theology with culture, science, and philosophy. Follow his work @PaulAnleitner.
Culture of Flourishing
May the Fourth be with you!
Today, “Star Wars” fans from all over the world are celebrating their passion for the multi-billion-dollar science fiction franchise created by George Lucas 46 years ago.
On the surface, Star Wars Day may seem to be little more than a pseudo-holiday at the intersection of geek culture, viral social media trends and corporate marketing. However, its growing popularity reflects something deeper about the human need for meaning in our so-called secular age.
In Ernest Becker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Denial of Death,” the American anthropologist wrote, “Society itself is a codified hero system, which means that society everywhere is a living myth of the significance of human life, a defiant creation of meaning.”
All cultures everywhere create myths to codify their ideals around heroism, bravery, virtue, sacrifice and social wellbeing, from the 43,900-year-old cave painting of a hunter-hero in Sulawesi, Indonesia, to modern-day space operas like “Star Wars.” These guiding stories serve a crucial function in both the individual and group quest for meaning by providing imaginative models of the real social world and portraying heroic characters that possess many ideal virtues.
Continue reading at The Hill.
Clay Routledge
Clay Routledge, PhD, is the Vice President of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute. As a leading expert in existential psychology, his work focuses on helping people reach their full potential and build meaningful lives. Follow his work @clayroutledge and subscribe to his newsletter, Flourishing Fridays.
Paul Anleitner
Paul Anleitner is a cultural theologian who writes and speaks on the intersection of theology with culture, science, and philosophy. Follow his work @PaulAnleitner.
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