My-thology

I've been reading The Arabian Nights and a book of folktales from India. I don't know too much about West/Middle-Eastern/South Asian mythology. I figured that it was time to start exploring sometime this summer. After all, B. Kapil told me to write complicated goddesses and I have every intention of doing so.

But I don't think I can write my goddess real without knowing what already exists in the myths of ancient cultures. I think it was Donna Harraway that condemned looking backwards for the origin myths of powerfully feminine goddess beings. Personally, I find nothing wrong with referring to the beginning of various his/herstories for the sake of create something new from it. It's good to know where things come from.

There are so many demons in these myths/stories I'm reading! If there's one thing I can conclude from my current project, it is that deities are incredibly petty. And I do mean all god(desses). Even the Jewish and Christian god proclaims himself to be a jealous god. What a petty, human sentiment for such a powerful entity!

People write so many human characteristics into their deities. No wonder they aren't perfect. The jealousy and pettiness of all these powerful entities is found in all the stories. We can't fathom perfect, and therefore can't write a perfect supreme being real. But we have managed to write our imperfect humanity perfect through our monstrous gods. Oh the irony.