/lit/ - Literature

>>8848829
The element of mythology or philosophy that religion attempts to deal with, for better or for worse, is something that is sorely needed from a lot of conversation in art today and even just culture today. Things have become overtly politicised that we’ve gotten away from the philosophical and metaphysical realm that we need to deal with.

I think what’s valuable about religion in a modern, contemporary society, and indeed for young people who are living in a secular society, is that in some ways it still deals with mythology. Mythology is essentially the language of symbols and symbols by default are abstractions of something other than themselves. I think if science really wants to take a foothold within the psyche, it needs to start incorporating the language of mythology. Every time we’re reading we are participating in symbols. Reading in itself, like, letterforms have no fucking value. It’s all about abstract thinking, and abstract thinking is problem solving.

There’s a whole set of questions that are very important that have nothing to do with policy. Policy is very earthbound, and it’s of the moment, but the questions of death and where we come from, and our place caught between nature and consciousness are timeless questions. We need mythology, and we need symbols because we’re burdened with consciousness; we’re cursed with consciousness. Abstraction and abstract thinking is something that’s very important to hold onto, especially as an artist or a writer. And for some reason, I think it’s been kind of removed from the discussion with a lot of music and art. The value and role of religion in society is that it does still deal with symbols and mythology.