Don Wook Shin

Leslie Valencia
ESPM50AC
WR6- Prompt 3
According to Malinowski, myths are charters for social action and help describe and
rationalize the norms and structure of social life. In fact, these myths very heavily impact the
society it originates in since it helps make sense of the world for those who view the world
through that myth, helping to mold their world view. Two of these myths include the Corn
Mother myth and the Agrarian Myth. These two myths served as charters for social action
and rationalized the forms of social organization and resource management used by the
Native Americans and the colonists in America.
The Corn Mother myth influenced the Native Americans to adopt a matrilineal society
and a intersubjective relationship with nature. The myth, to summarize, explains how a
maternal figure taught the Native Americans all about corn, and how to harvest it without
harming nature. As a result of the Corn Mother being a woman, the social organization of the
Native Americans adopted a respect for maternal figures, and legitimated the status of
women as holders of knowledge and the key to reproduction. Due to this myth, the Native
Americans also adopted a symbiotic and interdependent relationship with nature. The myth
stressed the importance of resource management, and as a result, the Native Americans
appreciated their relationship with nature and focused more on survival than the exploitation
of the land and its natural resources. This respect for nature also caused an usufruct and
limited approach to property rights.
The Agrarian myth, in contrast, organized a market social structure and an
instrumental relationship with nature. The Agrarian myth, based on political theory, stressed
the importance of property as private and equated its importance with citizenship and worth
to society. As a result, the colonists perceived nature as an instrument towards social
progress and a tool to be used to make the market more productive and rewarding. In
contrast to the Native Americans beliefs that nature should be coexisted with, the colonists

heavily exploited and used the land for their gain in the market system. Instead of thinking
about long term survival, the colonists worked towards short term market-based
accumulation. In my opinion, the Agrarian myth created a callous attitude towards nature
and resource management that led to devastating events in US history, including the Dust
Bowl during the Great Depression. Misuse of the land, and an ignorance of long term nature
preservation, led to the destruction of huge swatches of agricultural land.
In conclusion, the Corn Mother myth and the Agrarian myth led to very different social
structures and approaches toward resource management. While the Native Americans
created a symbiotic relationship with nature, the colonists adopted an instrumental
relationship with nature in order to gain an advantage in the market system. In my opinion,
our current system greatly mirrors the colonists approach towards nature. While the use of
nature to help in markets is not necessarily a bad thing, I believe it is very important that we
look towards the relationship the Native Americans had with nature, and stress for ourselves
the importance of preserving our resources.