Russell T. Mccacheon Myth

In his article “Myth”, Russell T. McCutcheon offers many academic views on what myth is, but his own definition seems to stray far from popular thinking. McCutcheon seems to prefer the school of thought that sees myth not as extraordinary but as ordinary made extraordinary.(McCutcheon p200) He construes myth as a method of social construction used by particular individuals, groups or ruling powers to give divine legitimacy; through the use of omnipotent rhetoric, to their own desires for the function of society while simultaneously making all opposing ideologies impious. Through this, specific social values can be emphasized and adherence to these values will be made unquestionable as they proclaim themselves absolute truths upon which a right society is founded.
To demonstrate his definition of myth, McCutcheon offers a unique example; the U.S. Declaration of Independence. He, discuses how the opening is worded so that it, “…effectively removes readers from the tug-and –pull of the contingent, historical world and places them in an abstract, ahistorical realm where such things as truths are obvious, enduring and self-evident.” (p202). He then goes on to discuss how through the use of such rhetoric not only did the Declaration of Independence obscure the entire social and political history that
McCutcheon comments, in his article on Paul Veyne’s ideas of truth as a work of imagination. (p201). McCutcheon writes, “According to this position, we do not find, discern or interpret truths and meanings. Rather, in every age and culture people actively work to selectively make some things true and meaningful and other things false and meaningless.” (p201-202) For McCutcheon the idea that myths are socially selected instead of socially constructed is simply