The Anthropomorphism Dilemma: Narrating Nonhuman Agency

I believe that mythical stories can help us grasp large, cohesive organizations that possess agency—aka ogregores. However, there’s a wrinkle. Most if not all stories involve human-like characters. On the other hand, ogregores aren’t human and don’t behave like them. Animist narratives which portray non-human agents without using anthropomorphism and psychological research into the causes of anthropomorphism may point a way around the dilemma. 

Myth’s anthropomorphic heel

My post Heroes not ogregores lamented that a top-tier newspaper’s coverage of Detroit focused on celebrities rather than systems—aka individuals not ogregores. However, a mythological approach also veers perilously close to personalization.