Myths convert personal grievances into timeless universalized judgments

Evidence

By way of religions, traditions, language, tales, songs, and film, myths penetrate even into the existence of those most harshly subjected to material realities. Everyone can draw on myth to sublimate his own modest experiences: betrayed by a woman he loves, one man calls her a slut; another is obsessed by his own virile impotence: this woman is a praying mantis; yet another takes pleasure in his wife’s company: here we have Harmony, Repose, Mother Earth. The taste for eternity at bargain prices and for a handy, pocket-sized absolute, seen in most men, is satisfied by myths. The least emotion, a small disagreement, become the reflection of a timeless Idea; this illusion comfortably flatters one’s vanity. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 666

Categorization

• DEFINE: Beauvoir’s account of exactly how myth functions — sublimate personal experience into a timeless Idea to flatter vanity — is core analytical apparatus.
• SEED: An essay on how modern ideological soundbites (calling an ex a slur, seeing a boss as a predator archetype) still perform the ‘pocket-sized absolute’ function Beauvoir diagnoses.
• XREF: connects to: Perceived cosmic injustice generalizes blame to any better-off individual — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 408; Individual frustrations produce personal blame; group frustrations produce outgroup blame. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1578; Stereotypes can be after-the-fact rationalizations justifying pre-existing emotions (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Blame attribution determines whether grievances politicize or depoliticize #expands (0.80)
• Individual frustrations produce personal blame; group frustrations produce outgroup blame. #expands (0.78) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1578
• Perceived cosmic injustice generalizes blame to any better-off individual #expands (0.75) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 408
• Stereotypes can be after-the-fact rationalizations justifying pre-existing emotions #expands (0.72)
• People make untroubled, consensual judgments of evil in daily life #qualifies (0.72) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3876