ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Dyi (mythology)

Alright, let's talk about DIY in mythology! First, DIY stands for "Do It Yourself". It's all about doing things on your own without needing someone else's help. Now, mythology is a collection of stories and beliefs from different cultures about gods, goddesses, and magical creatures.

So when we say DIY in mythology, it means that people created their own stories and beliefs about these gods and magical beings, just like how you create your own drawings or stories. You see, a long time ago, people didn't have books or the internet to learn about gods and goddesses. They had to figure things out on their own.

Imagine if you wanted to make a superhero. You would come up with a cool name, decide what powers they have, and create a story for them. That's exactly what people did with the gods and goddesses in mythology. They made up their own stories and shared them with others.

For example, in ancient Greece, people believed in many gods and goddesses. Each one had special powers and responsibilities, just like the superheroes you see in movies. But here's the interesting part: different cities in Greece had their own stories and beliefs about the same gods and goddesses.

Let's take Zeus, the king of the gods, as an example. In one city, they might tell a story about him being the protector of the sky and controlling thunder and lightning. But in another city, they might have a different story, saying that Zeus was the god of justice or wisdom. These stories were like DIY projects because people decided what powers and roles the gods had in their own city.

But here's the thing: since these stories were created by regular people, they sometimes changed a bit over time. Maybe one person liked a different power for a certain god or goddess, so they added it to the story. Or maybe someone thought of a new adventure for them to go on. That's why there are so many different versions of mythology, because it was a bit like a giant game of telephone but with stories.

So, DIY in mythology is all about people using their imagination and creativity to come up with their own stories and beliefs about gods and magical beings. It's like making your own unique superhero and sharing it with others. By doing it themselves, people made mythology a fascinating and ever-evolving part of human history.