Greek Mythology as a Lens for Modern Psychology: Narcissism, Ambition, and Vulnerability in the Digital Age

Abstract

Greek mythology is a body of symbolic stories through which human emotions, motivation, and social behaviours can be explained. Despite their origin in ancient times, they reflect modern psychological patterns. In this regard, the current paper will discuss how three famous myths of Narcissus, Icarus, and Achilles reveal modern human psychological characteristics such as self-awareness, ambition, and vulnerability. In its interdisciplinary nature, the current investigation aims at showing how ancient myths can help understand modern behaviour from a psychological perspective using classical sources and psychological theories and findings. The current age can be characterized by new tendencies in social media usage, digital identity creation, and rising awareness of mental disorders. As shown by numerous studies on narcissism, cognitive biases, and social comparison, the psychological patterns reflected in ancient myths have not vanished, but remain evident in today's behaviours of people. Thus, the investigation shows that myths represent an important source of information and insight into modern psychological issues. As seen, ancient Greek myths not only represent a part of cultural heritage but also are a means by which people interpret psychological patterns.