What is the difference between fantasy & myth?
A common response to our discussions of PHM as MPF was “all fiction is fantasy”. One commenter angrily insisted that “Shakespeare is fantasy”.
Incorrect.
Fantasy fulfills a psychological need for power, eros, status. A lot of fiction is fantasy, but far from all. Shakespeare is the opposite of fantasy. Macbeth doesn’t fulfill your need for power. It shows you that need, and it shows you how it destroys you.
But modern culture does throw fiction, fantasy, myth and all kinds of story into the same bin and dismisses them as “entertainment”.
Because myth makes a claim that modern culture is very, very uncomfortable with, that makes it very different from fantasy.
Fantasy creates a comforting magical world in which we humans are powerful and special.
Myth decentres the human individual. We are mere mortal playthings in an eternal game of gods, demons, angels and other entities.
And myth claims that it shows higher reality. Real reality.
Fantasy leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy, special and important. But when that wears off the fantasy is quickly forgotten, and reality feels nasty ro return to.
Myth leaves you perplexed, disoriented and a bit terrified. It leaves you with images and symbols you can’t stop thinking about. It transforms your experience of reality and gives it meaning.
Fantasy shows you a reality where everything turns out for the best in the end. Myth shows you a reality that is terrifying, unknowable and sublime.
Humanity in PHM is trying to save itself. Humanity in 2001 is being driven, by forces it cannot comprehend, to transcend itself.
Ryan Gosling is a hero in a fantasy. Dave Bowman is a mortal in a myth. The astronauts in 2001 are thrown into the void and then Dave is transported even further. Ryan makes friends in space, Dave has to destroy the only other consciousness within eight light minutes.
As a fantasy PHM is much easier to swallow for many people. 2001 as a myth will still be fascinsting us in another 60 years.
What’s really interesting is which movie is more “real”. My guess is most people will say PHM, because of the science. But I think the right answer is 2001, because of the myth.
Damien Walter 