Design to Thrive

Mythologies

These are shared histories (real or imagined) that express values of the community. For Americans, one of the best known of these is George Washington cutting down the cherry tree and then confessing that he was the culprit. The story, which probably never happened, celebrates the importance of honesty and taking responsibility for one's own actions.

Using mythologies

Communities use these stories to illustrate values and to inspire desired behavior. Like stories of origin, they are able to help members know what their attitudes are supposed to be toward certain issues and how they're supposed to behave in the community. They provide members with a moral compass in situations that are important to the community. For example, the ...