“Myths which are believed in tend to become true.”
-George Orwell
About This Publication
Myths are all around us. These sacred or significant narratives shape what we believe and how we behave. They may be true or false, fact or fiction. They may take the form of written stories, verbal tales, symbols, images, or immersive experiences. Some are rooted in reality. Some are complete fabrications. In either case, they derive their power from the fact that they are believed by someone or some group. They can be big or small, ancient or new. They exist in our homes, in our communities, in our companies, in our culture, and in our countries. Some are myths of mass destruction, capable of toppling empires. Others can move mountains, motivating people and societies to accomplish great things. Throughout history, myths have been used as tools to build civilizations and to lead the world to war, to oppress whole populations and give people hope in their darkest hours. Whether good, bad, or indifferent, myths are fundamental to humanity.
Contrary to what many might assume, myths are deeply practical. Nobel laureate economist Robert Shiller’s work on Narrative Economics, for instance, evidences the power of stories to influence economic events. The terms ‘narrative’ and ‘story,’ however, do not do the concept of myth justice. While myths typically take the form of stories, not all stories are significant. Myths, by definition, are sacred stories or narratives that shape how we construct our individual and social identities, they influence how we see ourselves and the world around us, how we define our dreams, how we measure our success, how we evaluate good and bad, right and wrong, how we make choices, and how we act towards and interact with others. Myths form the foundation of our sense of self and, consequently, the foundation of our society.
Myths of Mass Destruction deconstructs the political, economic, cultural and commercial myths that impact and imperil our world. As the title suggests, many of the myths I will examine will be those with destructive potential. Others will be constructive myths that aim to unify people and advance civilization. Still others will be those with specific, often commercial or cultural, purposes. Understanding these myths and the effects they have on us and our society is essential to identifying and embracing those myths with the potential to save us and exposing and rejecting those that might destroy us.
“Myths are stories that express meaning, morality or motivation. Whether they are true or not is irrelevant.”
-Michael Shermer
About Remington Tonar
I’m a mythologist, scholar of religion, and social scientist. I’m also an entrepreneur, investor, corporate innovation consultant, and one-time politico. My training and experiences have taught me to see the power of myth in politics, economics, culture, and commerce. I created this Substack to broaden the conversation around these observations.
I hold a PhD in religious studies with a focus on mythology from University of Aberdeen, where my research focused on technological utopianism. I am the Co-founder of supply chain software and services unicorn Cart.com, which I helped grow to a $1.6B+ valuation, over 1,500 employees, over 6,000 customers and nearly $500M+ ARR in 4 years. I have previously served as Cart’s CFO, COO, CRO, and CMO. I am an Adjunct Professor at Rice University School of Business, where I teach entrepreneurial strategy, and a Strategic Innovation Advisor to Fortune 500 engineering firm Fluor. I have written for Forbes as a Senior Contributor on infrastructure innovation, served as Managing Director of Texas' largest chain of startup incubator and co-working spaces, managed a seed stage venture fund, worked in corporate innovation and brand strategy consulting for multinational industrial companies and NGOs. I have spoken on innovation related topics at venues ranging from Web Summit to SXSW to SpaceCom to NASA Johnson Space Center to the Defense Logistics and Support Summit. In addition to my doctorate, I hold an MS from New York University, an MA from Loyola University Chicago, and a BA from Marquette University.
All opinions expressed in this publication are my own and do not reflect the positions of any organization or institution with which I am affiliated.
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