当代神话及其审美意识

Contemporary Myth and Its Aesthetic Consciousness

现代社会的实用理性和科技发展共同终结了古典神话,将之送入精神文化的历史博物馆。然而,神话思维和神话意识则共时性地隐匿于人们的心理结构之中,对文明和文化依然施加了重要影响。在现代和后现代的历史文化语境中,神话以变形的方式潜藏于人类的精神文化活动里,演变为一种当代意义的神话形式,继续发挥着强大的心理功能并扮演着意识形态助产士的角色。当代神话的典型表现是科技神话、消费神话、英雄神话等样式。它承袭了传统神话的符号和结构形式而又有所发展和变异,尤其是借助于科技手段,获得了更广泛、更丰富的社会内容和迅捷密集的传播方式,对于社会的方方面面都产生了广泛而深刻的影响。

Pragmatic rationality and the development of science and technology in modern society have jointly put an end to classical myth and left it as a relic in the historical museum of culture. However, the mindset and consciousness of myth remain hidden synchronically in people’s psychological structure, exerting significant influence on culture and civilization. In the context of modern and postmodern history and culture, myth hidden in an altered form in human spiritual and cultural activities has evolved into its contemporary shape without losing its powerful psychological function and its role as midwife to ideologies. Science and technology, consumption and heroes are typical subjects of contemporary myth, which has adopted the symbolic and structural forms of traditional myth and then varied and developed. In particular, with the aid of science and technology, it has gained richer and broader social content as well as more rapid and intensive modes of transmission, producing a far-reaching and extensive impact on all aspects of society.