Indian Giving

[allegrox]

I was browsing my Amazon store (the page where they put suggestions that their algorithm has decided I might like) to clear out the junk, when I came across this odd book: The Gift : Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property. With such a strange title, I had no idea what to make of it or how it may have gotten there. Apparently it's connected

Comments

[angiwyn]

Basically it's a case of resiprosity. That is all this equal gift giving and such, and yes our culture does practice it quite readily. Some anthropologists question if the idea of resiprosity isn't some sort of inborn human trait or if it's simply born from our culture. I wonder if it's not a little of both, because when you look at chimp and babbon troops you're more likely to see an animal sharing food with friends/family/allies or with other animals it wants as allies than anyone else in the group

[allegrox]

Ah, I new you'd have something enlightening to say. :)

'Some anthropologists question if the idea of resiprosity isn't some sort of inborn human trait or if it's simply born from our culture.'

That's what I was thinking as well.

about the potlach

I wonder if maybe we're looking at kinds of reciprocal customs that we don't do mostly because they aren't practical on such a large scale. When people are organized into relatively small tribes, numbering in maybe the hundreds instead of thousands and millions, it's easier to distribute wealth and circulate gifts. We do similar things on small scales, but when wealthy people in our society say they want to "give something back", they usually invest in something that requires people to come to them (and produces profit). Then again, gifts are excellent political devices, which leaders have always used to secure alliances. I suspect the potlach and pipe examples are this kind of device more than just friendly gift giving.

'As far as the use of "tribal" or even just "tribe" goes, it doesn'

[angiwyn]

The potlatch is deffinatly a power play for the person hosting it, in some cases I've read that the person who throws the largest potlatch ends up being regarded as head hancho until someone else comes along and throws a larger one

[pontelon]

I had something witty to say...but I think I'll let the more learned say it much better. =)

[allegrox]

Go ahead. I'm curious.

[angiwyn]

*poke fuu* Yes Pon! Tell us! JOIN US!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

disclaimer *ish currently medicated*