*Our modern myths, and the worldview they provide, are a social phenomenon that drives both culture and individual behavior just as myths always have. The reason we find so many odd, tightly held beliefs today, is because they fit and flatter the various belief memes thought important. Whether a concrete claim matches reality means little, as long it supports some fashionable belief meme men are certain is true. In this book, written for a popular audience, I try to define what belief memes are, how they arise, and how they generate supporting modern myths that so easily gain widespread acceptance. —Anthony Meadors