Myth:
an invented story, idea or concept - an imaginary or fictitious thing or person - (Oxford dictionary)
Mind is the mother imagination – imagination is the mother of myths.
Myths are sustained by belief.
The lifespan of myths depends on the faith of their beholders.
In order to survive, myths devise supporting myths, or update their terminologies. Thus (for example) genesis turns into genetics, god into big bang and Homo into Sapiens, who covers the manipulations with evolution myths.
(Apropos: survival concepts are myths too.)
Most religious- moral- social- political- economical and historical myths are to bind collectives - yet, there are also plenty of myths concerning mind and body, and probably more about Life & Death.
“We are living in a world of make-believe, trying not to let it show…” (Moody Blues)
Fantasy can make the world spin around a lot more, add prophecy and futuristic overhauls to the legendary fabric of plot weaving and timeline cruising. It enriches life, makes existence more wondrous, alive, and free. No fairytales or happy endings in a golden sunset would doom everything to death and betrayal.
And then there are, what may be called, the EGO myths which are to embellish and to elevate somebody - as for example Sapiens who, being borne 1850 into the Homo family in Sweden, rose – with the support of the enlightenment movement and its scientific followers – to the crown of creation, supreme of mankind, ruler of the earth, and in order to enforce this myth, backdated his origin 350 000 years into an East African Savannah.