МІФ ЯК СВІТОГЛЯДНА МАТРИЦЯ

The article is dedicated to analyzing the main features of myth as a means of organizing and perpetuating social experience. Myth is viewed as an invariant matrix of the formation and existence of worldview phenomena, a concept that not only explains the world but also motivates, guides, and inspires a person. Its meaning and influence are preserved even in modern conditions. The article delves into the phenomenon of myth as an invariant and universal worldview system that is inherent in various communities throughout human history. The author highlights the deep-rooted nature of myth in all spheres of social life, from primitive tribes to globalized modern societies. Myth is not just a narrative form, but a holistic ‘worldview matrix’ that shapes and programs value orientations, behavioral scenarios, and collective memory. The article places particular emphasis on the ritual dimension of myth, its emotional and expressive content, and its potential to influence the individual and the community, ensuring adaptation to the environment and social order. The study includes an analysis of the historiography of the problem, from ancient philosophers to modern scientists, ethnologists, philosophers, and culturologists. The role of myth in creating a national identity, preserving cultural heritage, and restoring the integrity of world perception is noted. The author concludes that a complete ‘overcoming’ of myth is fundamentally impossible, as it corresponds to a person’s deep needs and aspirations to understand himself and the world. Instead, understanding myth’s essence, functions, and mechanisms becomes necessary for modern media literacy and critical thinking. Research methodology. The work is underpinned by an interdisciplinary approach that melds philosophical, historical-cultural, anthropological, and ethnological analyses to unearth the essential characteristics of myth as a universal worldview system. The research draws on a historical-philosophical reconstruction of ideas and concepts that have shaped our understanding of myth from antiquity to the present day, including the works of philosophers, ethnographers, sociologists, and cultural scientists. The key methods employed include: hermeneutic analysis, which involves interpreting textual and folklore sources to reveal the hidden semantic layers, structures, and concepts of mythological consciousness; the comparativehistorical method, which compares mythological ideas from different peoples and eras to outline the invariance of mythic structures and their ability to transform; the structuralist approach, which analyzes the internal logic and organization of mythological narratives as holistic systems of symbols and signs; sociocultural analysis, which considers myth as a social technology, a ‘worldview matrix’ that programs the behavior and worldview of the community, ensures spiritual and cultural integration, regulates social relations, and transfers collective experience; and the critical-reflexive approach, which assesses the modern ‘reinterpretation’ of myth in the context of mass culture, political ideologies, and digital media space, particularly in the aspect of media literacy and critical thinking.