The Modern Mythologies

People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around. — Terry Pratchett

Roland Barthes (1915–1980) was a French literary theorist and philosopher. He argued that myths are not merely ancient stories but living constructs that shape our perception of the world. In his book Mythologies (1957), Barthes analyzed everyday cultural phenomena (such as advertisements, wrestling matches, or magazine covers) to reveal how they naturalize particular ideologies. A bottle of wine, he suggested, was not just a drink, but a symbol of Frenchness, masculinity, and working-class identity. A soap advertisement wasn’t simply selling cleanliness, but a fantasy of moral purity and social status.

Barthes demonstrated that myths operate by transforming history into nature: they take something constructed, human-made, and contingent, and present it as inevitable, eternal, or self-evident. In this way, myths conceal the power structures and cultural assumptions beneath the surface of daily life. His method was to "read" cultural objects like texts, exposing the hidden meanings and ideological messages behind what seems innocent or obvious.

However, in today’s globalized and hyperconnected society, myths have evolved. They now take on new forms, often blurring the lines between reality and fiction. In this post, I’d like to share my thoughts on several phenomena from the contemporary business world that could easily be described as modern myths.

1. We Buy the Concept, Not the Founder

In today’s business landscape, we often celebrate charismatic founders like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, or Richard Branson. But behind that spotlight is a quieter truth: some of the most powerful ideas thrive without a known face at all. The myth that a strong personal brand is essential for success is increasingly being challenged.

Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, launched a financial revolution without ever revealing their identity. Banksy became a globally recognized name in both art and activism without showing his face or giving interviews. These examples prove that in some cases, mystery adds value by allowing the idea to take center stage without being tied to a personality.

Even in tech, many of the most influential platforms like Linux, Wikipedia, or early internet protocols emerged from collective, open-source efforts rather than individual visionaries. In such cases, trust and adoption are built on the strength of the idea, not the charisma of its originator.

That’s not to say personal brands are irrelevant. But over-reliance on a founder’s image can backfire. Just look at how companies like WeWork or Theranos became cautionary tales when the founder’s persona collapsed. In the long run, a strong business model, real value, and a resilient idea matter more than the spotlight.

The myth isn’t that founders don’t matter but that they always must. In a world where transparency and results count, it’s the concept that endures.

2.  Overwork = Dedication

In modern management discourse, being busy is often mistaken for being effective. In many business cultures, especially in Japan, extreme overwork is still seen as a sign of loyalty and commitment. The term inemuri or “sleeping while present” captures a paradox: dozing off in meetings or public spaces isn’t frowned upon but respected as evidence of tireless effort.

Yet this romanticized image hides a darker truth. Japan has coined a specific word, karoshi, meaning “death from overwork.” The phenomenon is so widespread that it’s tracked by official statistics. Some workers have logged 110-hour weeks or gone 15 years without taking a single weekend off. One of the most tragic and symbolic cases was that of Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi, who died suddenly in 2000 after working 12-hour days for 20 straight months with only three days of rest.

The myth that productivity is proportional to suffering still lives in many boardrooms. It equates exhaustion with dedication and burnout with bravery. But in reality, sustainable success depends on rest, delegation, and strategic focus, not just endless hustle.

3. Innovation Always Means Progress

We’re often told that innovation inherently leads to a better world, but that is a modern myth, too. Instagram transformed social media and branding, but it also fueled anxiety, social comparison, and unrealistic beauty standards, especially among teens. The electric vehicle industry promotes sustainability, yet battery production depends on resource-intensive mining with ethical and environmental consequences. AI tools like ChatGPT boost productivity and access to information but raise concerns about misinformation, plagiarism, and job disruption. And cryptocurrencies, hailed as revolutionary for finance, consume massive amounts of energy. Bitcoin alone uses more electricity annually than many small countries.

Innovation holds great potential, but progress depends not on novelty, but on responsibility.

4. We Are More Connected Than Ever

Once, at the very beginning of Facebook, one of my friends shared with me a paradox: social platforms bring distant people closer, while creating distance between those who are already close. That observation still holds true. At first glance, we seem to live in a world where connection is just a tap away. With instant messaging, endless Zoom meetings, and global social media platforms, it feels like we’ve never been more connected. But that sense is largely an illusion. While the tools for communication have multiplied, meaningful connection hasn’t necessarily followed.

Studies across workplaces show that despite being reachable 24/7, many employees feel more isolated than ever. Digital tools make collaboration faster, but not always deeper. A quick Slack message or a comment on a shared document doesn’t replace real conversation, trust, or emotional presence.

Social media, too, promotes the feeling of being constantly “in touch,” but often at the cost of mental health. Curated feeds, performative updates, and algorithm-driven content can leave users feeling inadequate, anxious, or alone. The promise of community can quickly turn into a cycle of comparison and shallow interaction.

In business, this myth affects team dynamics and leadership. Companies assume that because employees are always online, they are aligned, engaged, and supported. But virtual presence does not equal emotional connection. Without intentional efforts to build culture, shared purpose, and psychological safety, teams can drift apart even while appearing digitally active.

Being connected is easy. Staying truly connected requires effort. The myth is that technology has solved the problem of human connection, when in reality, it has only changed its shape.

5. Authenticity Sells… Even When It’s Fake

In today’s market, authenticity is a prized asset. Customers want to support brands that feel human, honest, and value-driven. Businesses respond by showcasing founder stories, ethical sourcing claims, and unfiltered social media content. But much of this “authenticity” is strategically designed.

Consider Airbnb, which markets itself as a community-based alternative to hotels; yet operates as a powerful real estate platform that’s been accused of contributing to housing shortages in major cities. Or Ben & Jerry’s, known for its social activism, while its parent company, Unilever, is criticized for environmental and labor practices elsewhere in its portfolio. Even corporate rebrands like McDonald’s “our food, your questions” campaign gave the appearance of radical transparency, while keeping most operational practices unchanged.

The myth is that authenticity guarantees trust. In reality, many brands sell carefully curated versions of themselves. The story may be true… but it’s often only part of the truth.

6. Data Is Neutral

Executives love to say, “Let the data speak,” but data never speaks without a translator. And usually, it speaks based on some human-made working assumptions. From how KPIs are chosen to how dashboards are framed, data is always interpreted. The myth of objectivity ignores how metrics reflect biases, blind spots, and even internal politics, often reinforcing existing power structures rather than challenging them.

Take employee performance metrics, for example. If productivity is measured solely by output per hour, it can punish collaboration, creativity, and long-term thinking. Retail chains may optimize for foot traffic and sales per square meter, but neglect customer experience or staff well-being. In AI systems used in credit scoring or hiring, the data reflects past human decisions, some of which were biased or incomplete. The algorithm then replicates those biases, but under the comforting illusion of neutrality.

Even in strategy discussions, what doesn’t get measured often gets ignored. And what gets measured can be manipulated. The danger isn’t in using data. It’s in trusting it blindly. When we treat data as neutral, we stop asking who designed the system, who proposed working assumptions, who benefits from the metrics, and what stories the numbers might be leaving out.

7. The Market Moves on Its Own

We’re often told that “the market” behaves like nature: an invisible force, unstoppable and inevitable. Prices rise, trends shift, industries fall, and it all seems beyond anyone’s control. But that’s a myth. Markets don’t just move on their own; they are shaped, nudged, and sometimes manipulated by people, policies, institutions, and cultural narratives.

Think about the rapid shift to remote work. It wasn’t a natural market trend. It was accelerated by a global pandemic and quickly reinforced by leadership decisions, public health policy, and employee demands. Or consider the rise of sustainable investing: ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) funds didn’t emerge from market logic alone. They gained traction due to regulatory pressure, activist shareholders, and shifting cultural values around climate responsibility.

Even what we call “demand” is shaped by marketing, design, and storytelling. The bottled water industry, for example, grew not because of a natural shortage, but because companies created a perception of purity and convenience that reshaped consumer behavior.

The danger of believing that markets “just happen” is that it turns leaders into bystanders. The myth of inevitability discourages intervention, imagination, and accountability. But markets are social systems. Strategy, innovation, regulation (and even protest) all have the power to bend the future. The question isn’t whether the market will move, but who will move it.

To Sum Up…

In the contemporary business world, myths don’t die. They just update their branding. We like to think of modern business as rational, data-driven, and forward-looking, but beneath the surface, it runs on myths. Myths about hustle, leadership, innovation, connection, and truth itself. We don’t just consume brands; we believe in them. We don’t just read data; we trust it blindly.

Like ancient symbols disguised in spreadsheets and slide decks, today’s corporate world is full of stories we mistake for facts. And the most dangerous myths? They’re the ones that look like common sense.