• dumpsterlid@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    I am so fucking tired of people acting like the Hero’s Journey actually says something important about stories or that Campbell isn’t a complete hack.

    • DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe
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      9 months ago

      Well, it only provided the framework for multiple multi-billion dollar franchises and thousands of individual works of genre fiction…

      • dumpsterlid@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Pre-Disney Star Wars has an objectively trash method of story telling and the plot is incredibly derivative. If you enjoy Star Wars I am not hating on you, I do too but if you think all this hero’s journey nonsense actually helped Star Wars or that George Lucas really helped Star Wars (versus his wife and others involved) you are sorely mistaken.

        Further just because pop culture decided this was the formula stories had to adhere to doesn’t mean that formula is good it means pop culture decided this was the formula stories had to adhere to.

          • dumpsterlid@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            Do y’all seriously think Campbell is still respected academically? Sure he was popular and influential but in terms of the validity of his claims AND his supposed evidence (and extremely biased cherry picking of indigenous cultures’ stories that fit his global narrative) he is not widely respected anywhere anymore.

            I mean for one, the guy was just straight up sexist in an old fashion way. The hero’s journey is a man’s journey he undertakes for the woman (whether that be mother or wife). Like he has just straight up said in the past the hero’s journey is inherently for men.

            This is honestly just a case of the popular consciousness not catching up with the reality that is obvious to people who study this academically.