Question...

I have a question for the "powers that be" here on TOTJO, but I'm leaving it open to the entire community because perhaps someone else has some insight that I can gain from (or someone else may know the answer).

What's so special about Joseph Campbell?

He's said absolutely nothing I've never heard before. He's not even saying things in a new, unique, or even interesting way. With the myriad choices available on the same or similar topics, why was he chosen?

This is not about who would be a "better" choice, by the way. Just, why that one?

lol, had to be someone...

And as we call ourselves Jedi, and as Lucas admitted to Campbell being a mentor, he didn't say the only, just was one, why not?

Id never heard of him till I joined TOTJO... He is good for an introductory to Jediism life, yes?

What/who you have in mind?

I can't speak for the Council, but I can say that I came here completely ignorant of Campbell, Watts, and pretty much everything like it...

I'd never heard of Joseph Campbell, his theory of the monomyth/the hero's journey, or anything else to do with him...

I'm sure that there are plenty of people who come here and have heard all of his ideas before and see it as being a bit 'basic'. But those of us who come here with not even the basics need to study and understand them before we can move onto bigger and more complex things.

And for those who do know it already, having to go back and revisit things and try to find new truths and realisations in them is not such a bad lesson to learn...

So he may not be new, unique or interesting for you, but for me, those three words sum his lectures up perfectly

I'm not a fan. i'm not interested in myth or comparative religion, and that's pretty much all campbell does.

I shall talk from my ignorance. Personally i didn't hear anything about Campbell before, actually I recently started hearing him and watching his videos. But yes, at this time he didn't say anything i didn' hear before... but he has his point and is a very good resume of a lot of knowledge.

In the other hand, like Jestor said, Campbell is one of Lucas' influences, so... in my point of view, he has something interesting to tell us about the basics of the Jedi.

The choice of the Joseph Campbell interviews seemed like a good idea at the time.

Some find it new and exciting. Some are going to be familiar with the material. Nobody has to cover it via mp3 or video. The text version is an option. That's something that's not clear on the lesson plan.

One challenge for those who find it familiar is to give a brief essay on how they'd explain or teach the concept to someone who's new to it. Some might not agree with the ideas and explaining why they don't is a good answer too.

I had never heard of Joseph Campbell before TOTJO either, but I've been listening/reading/learning about the mythic cycle and hero's journey since elementary school. I have no specific people in mind, but Campbell is horribly dull in his approach (in my opinion). Please understand also that, I'm not saying that I'm "right" or that Campbell is "wrong". I'm not sure it's really possible to be "right" or "wrong" here. I was just curious about the thought process. Or was Campbell chosen simply because Lucas "likes" him?

Br. John wrote: Some are going to be familiar with the material. Nobody has to cover it via mp3 or video. The text version is an option. That's something that's not clear on the lesson plan.

Hello Br. John,

I am up to lesson 3: The first story tellers. Can I just take it from this section in text?

Thank you.

Well the star wars myth is based on the campbell monomyth. He's an obvious choice.

Sometimes you just have to go with what "feels" right.

I was not here during the begining and couldn't even begin to assume why certain choices were made, but where TOTJO is now... they must have done a pretty good job at some point!

Being that the IP is a kind of "introduction" into Jediism, I feel that Mr. Campbell is a pretty good chioce. His work has been around a long time; he presents in a way that is easy enough for most to understand him, and... let's not forget that he has been knighted! Always a plus! :lol:

As do I have a good, solid reason... Nope! :silly: