The literary construct of Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey" offers insight into the America’s quest for a stronger democracy, and for its citizens, struggling to appropriately engage in pursuit of that healthier democracy.  This episode outlines the ways that citizens individually, and America, as a collective, engage in aspects of the hero’s journey.   

Topics discussed in this episode:  

•  [08:40] Departure. The Ordinary World. 
• [09:00] The Call to Adventure. 
• [11:05] Refusing the Call to Adventure. 
•  [14:20] Meeting the Mentor. 
•  [17:00] Crossing the Threshold.
• [19:05] Initiation. Test, Allies, and Enemies. 
•  [22:10] Approach to the Inmost Cave. 
• [23:00] The Ordeal.
•  [25:00] The Reward.
• [27:15] Return. The Road Back. 
•  [28:00] Resurrection. 
• [28:30] Return with the Elixir.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• [02:50] Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces
• [03:00] Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth
• [15:00] Pacifica Graduate Institute

Episode Audio Embed: 

Episode Music:   
An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Disclaimer:   The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. 

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The time-honored motif of the hero’s journey, found in narratives of myth, religion, culture, and politics, applies not only to our personal lives, but also to the journey of democracy. Here, at the crossroads of American heroism and depravity, the rule of the people requires our participation lest it slip from our fingers altogether. What does the American quest hold for the future? America’s adventure requires that, as a people, we learn the value of democracy, win newfound integrity, and transform our nation to fulfill its promised liberties. American Musecast speaks as a hopeful guide through civics, current events, and the charms and challenges of our socio-political institutions. (A reminder to like and follow.)