--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To the modernist, “myth,” like religion…" description: "\"“To the modernist, “myth,” like religion, merely signifies a comfortable and entrenched lie. For the postmodernist, myth simply represents one story, o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/397/bradley-j-birzer-87368_myth_to-the-modernist-myth-like-religion-mere_3087757.jpg" --- # To the modernist, “myth,” like religion, merely signifies… ![“To the modernist, “myth,” like religion, merely signifies a comfortable and entrenched lie. For the postmodernist, myth simply represents one story, one narrative among many; it is purely subjective, certainly signifying nothing of transcendent or any other kind of importance.” quote by Bradley J. Birzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/397/bradley-j-birzer-87368_myth_to-the-modernist-myth-like-religion-mere_3087757.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/397/bradley-j-birzer-87368_myth_to-the-modernist-myth-like-religion-mere_3087757.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/397/bradley-j-birzer-87368_myth_to-the-modernist-myth-like-religion-mere_3087757.jpg) > ““To the modernist, “myth,” like religion, merely signifies a comfortable and entrenched lie. For the postmodernist, myth simply represents one story, one narrative among many; it is purely subjective, certainly signifying nothing of transcendent or any other kind of importance.”” [Bradley J. Birzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-j-birzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts modernist view of myth as a false, comforting narrative with postmodern view that myth is just one of many subjective stories without inherent truth. **In simple terms:** Modernists see myth as a lie; postmodernists see it as a neutral story. Key Takeaway Recognize that narratives can be both comforting and arbitrary. Themes philosophy mythology modernism postmodernism Mood reflective critical introspective Type analytical philosophical critical When to use this quote - cultural analysis - literary criticism - media studies - education - personal belief systems Key Concepts subjectivity relativism truth narrative theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate which narratives guide your life? - Can a story be both comforting and harmful? A Different Perspective It may overlook the power myths have to shape values and identity despite being subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lie Postmodernist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-postmodernist-5296138/) [Modernist Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernist-myth-5296137/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Myth Simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-simply-4596823/) [Postmodernist Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postmodernist-myth-5296136/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolkien/) ## Related quotes > [“In the New Testament, the concept of myth is not simply a harmless feature of a primitive world-view, requiring only to be reinterpreted for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/in-the-new-testament-the-concept-of-myth-is-not-simply-a-harmless/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“Deeply rooted in the universalist Western tradition of the Stoics and the the early medieval Christians, Tolkien created a myth to explore the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-j-birzer/deeply-rooted-in-the-universalist-western-tradition-of-the-stoics-and/) [Bradley J. Birzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-j-birzer/) > [The book of 'The Hobbit' was given to me to read by a friend of my mother when I was about 12 years old:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-stevens/the-book-of-the-hobbit-was-given-to-me-to-read-by-a-friend-of-my/) [Conan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-stevens/) > [“I admire Tolkien greatly. His books had enormous influence on me. And the trope that he sort of established—the idea of the Dark Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-admire-tolkien-greatly-his-books-had-enormous-influence-on-me-and/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Tolkien’s Dwarves were stout, taciturn, vaguely magical characters who spent a lot of time in the dark hammering out beautiful things, e.g. Rings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/tolkien-s-dwarves-were-stout-taciturn-vaguely-magical-characters-who/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tolkien/i-met-a-lot-of-things-on-the-way-that-astonished-me-tom-bombadil-i/) [Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tolkien/) > [I wasn't into Tolkien at school really. But the story is timeless, the themes that it touches on are contained in cultures all around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-boyd/i-wasn-t-into-tolkien-at-school-really-but-the-story-is-timeless-the/) [Billy Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-boyd/) > [I read all of the books by Tolkien, including 'The Hobbit,' when I was in my twenties, and his deep love of nature and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-shore/i-read-all-of-the-books-by-tolkien-including-the-hobbit-when-i-was-in/) [Howard Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-shore/) > [“When my father was a young man, during the years of the First World War and long before there was any inkling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/when-my-father-was-a-young-man-during-the-years-of-the-first-world/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [My parents read to me a lot as a kid, and I started writing very early, probably spurred on by Aesop's fables. Then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/my-parents-read-to-me-a-lot-as-a-kid-and-i-started-writing-very-early/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [I grew up reading Tolkien, and I love him. But I love him in the way that you love that rambly old grandfather. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-grew-up-reading-tolkien-and-i-love-him-but-i-love-him-in-the-way/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The Gospel is the ultimate fairy-story, Tolkien concludes, because it contains "the greatest and most complete conceivable eucatastrophe… There is no tale ever told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-c-wood/the-gospel-is-the-ultimate-fairy-story-tolkien-concludes-because-it/) [Ralph C. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-c-wood/) > [I was a massive Tolkien fan. 'The Hobbit' was... my favorite book as a little girl, and the Silvan Elves were my favorite characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/i-was-a-massive-tolkien-fan-the-hobbit-was-my-favorite-book-as-a/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [Tolkien is as good as Dickens at sketching a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/tolkien-is-as-good-as-dickens-at-sketching-a-scene/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) ## More by Bradley J. Birzer > [“Deeply rooted in the universalist Western tradition of the Stoics and the the early medieval Christians, Tolkien created a myth to explore the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-j-birzer/deeply-rooted-in-the-universalist-western-tradition-of-the-stoics-and/) [Bradley J. Birzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-j-birzer/) > [“The incarnate angel of Tolkien’s mythology, Gandalf the Grey, said it well in a conversation with Frodo. “I wish it need not have happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-j-birzer/the-incarnate-angel-of-tolkien-s-mythology-gandalf-the-grey-said-it/) [Bradley J. Birzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-j-birzer/) [Explore all 3 Bradley J. Birzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-j-birzer/) ## More Myth quotes > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. 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Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/sex-and-the-city-was-made-to-correct-the-myth-that-if-you-were-single/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) > [If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-attention-a-novel-like-a-myth/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“Believe reality is what you were taught was myth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-a-mcgirr/believe-reality-is-what-you-were-taught-was-myth/) [Nicholas A. McGirr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-a-mcgirr/) > [ The fall \[of your soul\] from perfection into duality...was naturally followed by the discovery of the duality of good and evil...This is the Biblical… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-fall-of-your-soul-from-perfection-into-duality-was-naturally/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [“I argue that the Jesus of the Gospels is essentially a myth. The Gospels are largely fiction. They were created around the turn of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-elleg-rd/i-argue-that-the-jesus-of-the-gospels-is-essentially-a-myth-the/) [Alvar Ellegård](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-elleg-rd/) > [Those who claim absolutism is merely a myth are right that it has been misused simply as a byword for political centralisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wilson/those-who-claim-absolutism-is-merely-a-myth-are-right-that-it-has/) [Peter Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wilson/) > [I think the older you get, you start to break down the myth and you get to the dirt of it - and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jena-malone/i-think-the-older-you-get-you-start-to-break-down-the-myth-and-you/) [Jena Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jena-malone/) > [“And we cannot keep our balance. Myth gives way to Reason. Revelation to Orthodoxy. We must dance or go mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cheetham/and-we-cannot-keep-our-balance-myth-gives-way-to-reason-revelation-to/) [Tom Cheetham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cheetham/) > [Canada is a myth people made up to entertain children, like the Tooth Fairy. There’s no such place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/canada-is-a-myth-people-made-up-to-entertain-children-like-the-tooth/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [In each studio there is a human being dressed in the full regalia of his myth fearing to expore a vulnerable opening, spreading not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/in-each-studio-there-is-a-human-being-dressed-in-the-full-regalia-of/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [The greatest reward of this constant interrogation, confrontation with the brutality of my country, is that it has freed me from hosts and myths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-greatest-reward-of-this-constant-interrogation-confrontation-with/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Contrary to a common myth, while there are general guidelines, there is no exact 'right' way to run ... I am amazed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grete-waitz/contrary-to-a-common-myth-while-there-are-general-guidelines-there-is/) [Grete Waitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grete-waitz/) [Browse all 2,141 Myth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To the modernist, “myth,” like religion, merely signifies a comfortable and entrenched lie. For the postmodernist, myth simply represents one story, one narrative among many; it is purely subjective, certainly signifying nothing of transcendent or any other kind of importance.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bradley J. 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