Understanding myth as a universal category of culture and human thought

The article examines myth as an important element of perceiving and understanding the world at both individual and collective levels, as a concrete embodiment of the irrational, unconscious, intuitive aspect of human existence. It is syncretic and all-encompassing. Its varieties have existed since ancient times as certain universals, which, however, are not static. It influences human consciousness, and humans or collectives, in turn, influence the emergence, existence, and perception of myth. Currently, understanding these dialectical relationships has led to a particular interest in myth not as a specific constant (as it was in the Renaissance or Romanticism), but as a living organism. It is emphasized that myth is actualized in conditions of instability and can serve as a model, regulator, primary explanation, complementing understanding with feelings, a unique model of world understanding and perception. At the same time, contemporary conscious myth-making not only or primarily actualizes certain classical images and plots but also recreates the myth-making process itself.