ANTHROPOLOGIST FROM MARS

Wade Davis, the talented anthropologist/writer will be speaking at Fairchild Garden on Sunday night.   Having just finished his book, "The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World",  I hope you can be there.  The lecture is free and begins at 7:30 pm.

"Wayfinders" gave me an in depth look at cultures very different from my own.  One chapter, for instance, told me how the people of the South Pacific were able sail over thousands of miles of open sea long before Columbus.  And they did it better than Spain's former hero.

In his work, Davis says that he tries to examine the world without preconceived notions, like an anthropologist from Mars.

Here are a few of his more memorable words from Wayfinders,

"The world in which you were born is just one model of reality.  The astounding thing about anthropology is the realization that you're not so special.  There are at least 7000 cultural groups on the planet. 

The other people of the world are not failed attempts to be like you.  They have their own unique answers to what it means to be human and alive."

In his conclusion the Canadian writer takes a few jabs at our own North American culture,

"We marvel at the technological brilliance of western society but the same society,

-Reveres marriage yet one-half of marriages end in divorce.

-Says it loves its elders but only 6% of American families have grandparents and grandchildren living under the same roof.

-Advocates spending time with its kids but in our 24/7 society, the average American child, by the time he reaches the age of 18, has watched over two years of television.

-Consumes 2/3 of the world's anti-psychotic drugs.

-Tears down ancient forests, empties the ocean of its fish, and pollutes the atmosphere to the point of causing climate change."

If some of these words ring true maybe you should join us at Fairchild Sunday.  Dr. Davis' main topic will be Mount Everest and the Sherpa culture.  I'm sure whatever he has to say will be worth your while.