--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Myth was regarded as primary; it was…" description: "\"Myth was regarded as primary; it was concerned with what was thought to be timeless and constant in our existence. Myth looked back to the origins of l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/karen-armstrong-1053_atheism_myth-was-regarded-as-primary-it-was-conc_1140720.jpg" --- # Myth was regarded as primary; it was concerned with what… ![“Myth was regarded as primary; it was concerned with what was thought to be timeless and constant in our existence. Myth looked back to the origins of life, to the foundations of culture, and to the deepest levels of the human mind. Myth was not concerned with practical matters, but with meaning…” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/karen-armstrong-1053_atheism_myth-was-regarded-as-primary-it-was-conc_1140720.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/karen-armstrong-1053_atheism_myth-was-regarded-as-primary-it-was-conc_1140720.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/karen-armstrong-1053_atheism_myth-was-regarded-as-primary-it-was-conc_1140720.jpg) > “Myth was regarded as primary; it was concerned with what was thought to be timeless and constant in our existence. Myth looked back to the origins of life, to the foundations of culture, and to the deepest levels of the human mind. Myth was not concerned with practical matters, but with meaning. Unless we find some significance in our lives, we mortal men and women fall very easily into despair. The mythos of a society provided people with a context that made sense of their day-to-day lives; it directed their attention to the eternal and the universal.” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Myths serve as timeless narratives that give societies meaning and context, helping individuals avoid despair by linking daily life to eternal concepts. **In simple terms:** Myths give meaning and prevent despair. Key Takeaway Seek timeless narratives for purpose. Themes meaning culture mythology existence despair Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - rituals - education - community building - personal reflection Key Concepts symbolism collective consciousness narrative identity Questions to Reflect On - How do myths shape your daily decisions? - Can modern life find meaning without myth? A Different Perspective Myths may overlook practical solutions to modern problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Day life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-life/) [Day to day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-to-day/) [Day to day life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-to-day-life/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-myth-3179160/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-myth-1074005/) [Mortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortals/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Myth Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-concerned-3179161/) [Myth Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-looked-3179162/) [Myth Regarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-regarded-3179159/) [Origin of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/origin-of-life/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Practicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practicals/) [Primaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primaries/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Timeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/timeless/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) ## Related quotes > [“Mind of myth sees ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/mind-of-myth-sees-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Ego and conditionings are created by mind, which is a myth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/ego-and-conditionings-are-created-by-mind-which-is-a-myth/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [The day-to-day life we lead has nothing to do with enlightenment. 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I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/after-i-left-the-convent-for-15-years-i-was-worn-out-with-religion-i/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“As we have seen, so many of the things we once took for granted have proved unreliable that we may have to “forget” old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/as-we-have-seen-so-many-of-the-things-we-once-took-for-granted-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Yet a personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/yet-a-personal-god-can-become-a-grave-liability-he-can-be-a-mere-idol/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“I discovered that I felt at home and alive in the silence, which compelled me to enter my interior world and around there. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-discovered-that-i-felt-at-home-and-alive-in-the-silence-which/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Each of the world religions has its own particular genius, its own special insight into the nature and requirements of compassion, and has something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/each-of-the-world-religions-has-its-own-particular-genius-its-own/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“all rightly guided religion that submitted wholly to God, refused to worship man-made deities and preached that justice and equality came from the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/all-rightly-guided-religion-that-submitted-wholly-to-god-refused-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“advocates of evolutionary theory since Thomas H. Huxley (1825–95) have found altruism problematic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/advocates-of-evolutionary-theory-since-thomas-h-huxley-1825-95-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Explore all 296 Karen Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? 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