Tribal Deception

Bartlett 1

Murray Bartlett

Mr. Kirk Davis

Sociology 101

5 May 2002

University of Phoenix - Online

Tribal Deception

In “Tribal Wisdom” David Mayberry-Lewis asserts that traditional societies place more value on people as resources (361), mutilation of adolescent genitalia is an important part of growing up, and there is never a raw deal.(362) He asserts that the secularity of modern societies is a bad thing and while not specifically as a comparison he does mention tribal worship of fish and animals is a good thing. Does this really sound like it was written by the sharpest stick in the woods? What you are about to read are my thoughts on some of Mr. Lewis’ assertions.

First off we are tribal, that is how we got to be where we are. We were so successful in fact that we no longer have to live in bug ridden tents with deadly tarantulas, snakes, scorpions and other hazards to human life. We trade knowledge as well as skins and we raise livestock so that our great numbers do not deplete our national resources. As for the last jibe on modern societies are the only one that wreak violence on their

Bartlett 2

own kind, siting the scores of shootings was throughout the world; (Mayberry-Lewis,364) there is not a shooting war in Germany, England, France Sweden, Japan, Australia or the United States of America. Perhaps it is just the smaller struggling tribes that are having a problem with this; we went though this too, remember. All good things are hard won.

We believe in our family values, those of us that have families. Our society enables us to stay in touch and visit and support one another over greater distances. This is not as great a dilemma as it is in tribal nations where you have to walk everywhere you go. Some of our less advance tribal youths still follow the old ways and pawn their endless string of children onto their parents. Our tribe values individual rights above all else, it is because of this concept that our children can become a doctor, lawyer, (ugh!) or even, the tribal chief. We do not depend on physical strength or how well we can mutilate our bodies to determine our place in society. We send emissaries to other less fortunate tribes so that they can learn our ways. We provide food and sustenance to tens of thousands of victims of flood, drought, and famine. We give not just on a tribal level, but so considerate are we, that billions of dollars are raised through individual donations annually.

We still mutilate our children too, only we do it for health reasons, and we do not wait until the child is 14 so we can draw the ordeal out over weeks or months to see how much they can take. Oh, did I mention it was a choice, not a rite to passage. Our society also educates our young women in the way of

Bartlett 3

the world while teaching them they are equal to men, and while they should respect men they should receive the same respect in kind.

Where Mr. Lewis discusses the “Moral economy”(362), he glazes over this section pretty quick; one can surmise though that this morality grows out of necessity rather than choice. When you have nothing but corn and dirt to trade in, it is pretty difficult to drive a hard bargain. As for his “Seller beware” (363) policy this is how it always works, the flaw in our society is the retailers base is so broad you can hardly cut the profit margin with out a giant boycott campaign. In the Lewis scenario I can safely compare it to neighborhood