The Lone Cowboy

Joseph Campbell demonstrates how the classic hero's journey may be seen in many different cultures around the world in his magnum opus, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The American version is portrayed as a WASP-like, decent, hard-working man who prevails alone, a staple of innumerable Westerns. Readers, the reality paints a far different picture.

Even under ideal conditions, the success of well-supported expeditions and cattle drives proved to be very challenging. On the other hand, a lone traveler would have had little food and drink, making lengthy journeys nearly impossible. In addition, losing a horse (or any other beast of burden) due to fatigue or an accident would have meant nearly certain death.

It's also important to note how the idea of taming the American West came to represent the nation's mentality. This legendary story even controlled foreign policy as a continuation of "Manifest Destiny," or the God-given right to rule the world through morally acceptable warfare. The idea was most recently embraced by a twice-impeached president who embraced the motto "I alone can fix it" while frantically spouting lies and bravado.