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Kristin Bundesen, PhD

When was Sputnik?

Lore, myth, and historical fact


Popular culture reflects a sense of societal identity. Images, storylines, and characters combine to create books, streaming media, movies, fashion, food, hairstyles, and the very language we use. We compare ourselves and look to find our inner selves in popular culture representations. Popular culture portrayals inspired by history, no matter how loosely, also reflect our wishful version of that history but more importantly, how we see and interact with the world today.


A more intimate version of re-visioning history takes place within families. Families mold history to support their own mythologies. Their mythologies become their histories. In turn, individuals shape their identity in alignment and in contrast to their families. These family myths are stories told around the dinner table, over a card game, while driving to an event. It’s an oral tradition served family style. In our family, the master storyteller is the matriarch. Her word is gospel.



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