I'm intrigued by pacific islanders and other hunter/gatherer societies. This is what the Native Americans were doing several thousand years before we got here, and it's what all humans were doing until 5 or 6 thousand years ago.
I look at Pacific Islanders because they and some smaller isolated groups are among a very small minority of people who don't practice much in terms of agriculture. We generally think agriculture is a great thing, but corn is in everything, and it's not that great for you. In fact, it's bad for your teeth, and it can make you fat. If you ate just corn, your health would be poor. Lots of carbohydrates create a vast amount of energy to feed a population though, and corn and beans changed history. Some people say Maize (corn) agriculture was our biggest mistake as a species.
Corn and other crops require farming. Farming is hard work.
People who's diets primarily consist of meats, especially fish, and some vegetables and plants are generally in good health. Often times, they are in better health that those of us in the "civilized" world. They have nicer teeth too. They often times don't have cell phones, ipods, laptops, or even TVs. They do however lead a life with far less complications. The average person in a hunter gatherer society works about 2 days a week. Yes, that's about 16 hours a week. A little hunting, fishing or gathering in the morning or evening, that's it. Lounge around the rest of the day, eat, have sex, whatever. I'm game for it. As soon as I finish my BA up, I may be on my way.
That sounds like a lot of fun. Sadly, I see myself working 8-5 for the rest of my life. I wish that it was more acceptable in our society to embrace alternative ways of living. This blog makes me think that maybe after college I'll give a big middle finger to all of the pressures in my life to be typical and jet off to South America and grow my own food.
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate, but sedentism and agriculture kind of trap us into a certain way of life.
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