Through the book there was a sense of closeness and community throughout the Native American community that I found very interesting. Today there is not very much emphasis in our neighborhoods, towns, and cities that we should spend time with the people around us. Before agriculture was settled in one place, small clans had to travel gathering and hunting food but every year or so all the clans would gathering to build mounds. Building the mounds was not an easy task and required many hands, so all the clans had to work together complete them. Even when there was warfare between the clans and people were killed each side treated the dead from their enemies dead as one of their own, and buried them the same. Today there is a lot less respect between and for people. I honestly don’t know anyone’s names that live on my floor in my dorm, never mind building an effigy mound with them. Countries now (for the most part) are not going to haul bodies back, that were their enemies, burry them, and put up a gravestone with flowers. Obviously our society is more advanced in medicine, government and especially technology, but that’s probably the issue. Although we feel like we are able to reconnect with people using facebook, twitter, and texting we are actually closing ourselves off to the people immediately around us.
I really like what you're saying here. I think that it's a point that's been expressed many times, but never ceases to ring very, very true, almost sadly so. I agree that we could learn so much from these ancient cultures, mound builders or otherwise, but, as you've said, we've grown very far from the point where we did live in communities like this. I think it's got a lot to do with our progress in science and technology, not to put any blame there, but as we gain newer ways to live longer (or to live at all, in some cases), we also lose a lot of what we had. There are more people in the world, and our society works through metropolises, so people live there, causing crowding and a lesser likely hood of getting to really know your neighbours. I think it is sad that we've grown into a culture so used to secluding ourselves from others, but I suppose it just goes along with the idea that as you gain progress in one area, you must also lose some in another.
ReplyDeleteYes, and now think of the way religion will look different as a result of these changes in society. It's interesting to imagine growing up in a society like that of the mound builders. Think of the confusion and uncertainty as you think about what to do wi your life and where you fit in.. And then imagine how that was not a question for these mound builders. Everyone knew the role that he or she would play. That was true at least until Europeans arrived..
ReplyDeleteBtw, these are just a bit on short side for posts..
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