the reason foundational myths are powerful in the first place is that they are resistant to rational analysis. Put another way, nations come into being and endure for years, decades or centuries because of the stability of their foundational myths, the ability of these stories to withstand skepticism, challenge and doubt. Of course, if the functional upside of enduring myths is cohesion, such myths also come with a downside—they can keep nations from changing and adapting in the face of radically altered circumstances.
