Joseph Campbell

Joseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbellwas an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work covers many aspects of the human experience. His philosophy is often summarized by his phrase: "Follow your bliss."...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAuthor
Date of Birth26 March 1904
CountryUnited States of America
real character individual-choice
The usual marriage in traditional cultures was arranged for by the families. It wasn't a person-to-person decision at all. . . . In the Middle Ages, that was the kind of marriage that was sanctified by the Church. And so the troubadour idea of real person-to-person Amor was very dangerous. . . . It is in direct contradiction to the way of the Church. The word AMOR spelt backwards is ROMA, the Roman Catholic Church, which was justifying marriages that were simply political and social in their character. And so came this movement validating individual choice, what I call following your bliss.
needs groups individual
We need myths that will identify the individual not with his local group but with the planet.
support individualism individual
The function of the society is to cultivate the individual. It is not the function of the individual to support society.
conquered demons shut vision
Our demons are out own limitations, which shut us off from the realization of the ubiquity of the spirit...each of these demons is conquered in a vision quest.
experience innermost life meaning people physical plane purely resonance seeking within
People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I think that what we're really seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance within our innermost being and reality, so that we can actually feel the rapture of being alive.
contract strike workers
We do not think the Boeing IAM workers will strike when their contract expires on Sept. 2.
law realize second survival
At such moments, you realize that you and the other are, in fact, one. It's a big realization. Survival is the second law of life. The first is that we are all one.
heroism matter step
Heroism is a matter of integrity--becoming more and more at each step ourselves.
destiny enemies love thine
Love thine enemies because they are the instruments to your destiny.
sacrifice unity
When you make a sacrifice in marriage, you're sacrificing not to each other but to unity in a relationship.
anyone doors follow open
When you follow your bliss... doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn't be a door for anyone else.
depth consciousness myth
A ritual is the enactment of a myth. And, by participating in the ritual, you are participating in the myth. And since myth is a projection of the depth wisdom of the psyche, by participating in a ritual, participating in the myth, you are being, as it were, put in accord with that wisdom, which is the wisdom that is inherent within you anyhow. Your consciousness is being re-minded of the wisdom of your own life.
real compassion humanity
You know, when real trouble comes your humanity is awakened. The fundamental human experience is that of compassion.
goes several
When Boeing goes down, it goes down for several years,