Misunderstandings, Biases, and Stereotypes
Myths often help to form the ways in which the people of a culture experience and understand phenomena around them. Sometimes, a myth becomes so ingrained that it persists, even though a culture knows it to be incorrect. Consider the classic myth of Paul Bunyan from the American tradition of tall tales. In versions of this myth, Paul, a gigantic lumberjack, helps to form the Grand Canyon, as well as various lakes and mountains. Obviously, today we know more about the formation of these natural phenomena and don’t believe that they were formed by a huge lumberjack and his blue ox; and yet, his story persists. The image of Paul Bunyan is often used for marketing tourist attractions and lumber-related ...
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