As we’ve looked at various ideas and questions through the term, you’ve had an opportunity to think about your own “guiding myths.” This is often something we don’t consider on a daily basis, unreflectively tending to adopt our parents’ viewpoints, or those of the society in which we live.

Often when we start considering what ideas and beliefs are guiding our actions, we discover that the way we act isn’t completely in line with what we think we believe too. Actions actually can tell us more accurately what we believe than our thoughts.

Write what you have concluded, or write that you are in a state of flux, or reflect upon various questions that you’ve considered this term. You might like to consider “Do I think…”

• There is a god who created everything
• Everything appeared out of nothingness by random chance
• There had to be a “fall”, otherwise humans would have remained ignorant
• There had to be a “satan” figure to introduce evil
• Only logic and reason have any validity
• People are messed up (try to be a little more specific here…)
• I am a mix of philosophical reflection and psychological damage.
• I am a worthless, miserable worm (give proof)
• Etc

There are many topics we have touched on, and you have written your reflections as we have progressed through the term, so go back and read your own writing.

It would be very good if you could try to express your thoughts in a myth, or in a few short myths. It’s fine to just write if you don’t feel you can do that well. This essay is something for you to look back on later in life and see how you were thinking at the time of being a student, so it should express something meaningful to you.

If you are really not excited about this topic, please talk with us after class, and we can discuss with individuals finding a topic that both you like and we like.