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codyisreading 's review for:
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging
by Sebastian Junger
Short but sweet. 4/5 for it's brevity and unique subject.
Why, during the early days of colonial America did some settlers voluntarily leave their families and join American Indian tribes, never to be heard from again? Why is that people who survived the Bosnian War condemn it yet remember those times somewhat fondly? Why do American soldiers feel a heightened sense of unity during active duty, but not when they return home?
Journalist Sebastian Junger takes an anthropological view of these questions, examining what it is about our tribal nature that we've lost and what it might take to regain it. Why do tribal societies seem to have a more positive sense of community, respect, and overall a higher level of well-being? We have more wealth, technology, medicine, and education in today's world than ever before. So why are people so fractured and unhappy?
I won't go into all the research Junger touches on, but he's clearly done his homework and he incorporates the scientific findings in just the right amount. The writing is never dry and it's a compelling subject. And while Junger certainly isn't advocating for more war or tragedy, there's something interesting about things like suicide rates, depression, and crime being lower during times of national stress.
Why do mass shootings typically occur in more affluent neighborhoods when guns supposedly proliferate in ghettos or poverty-stricken areas? Why were tribal societies more egalitarian than our current one? How can we get back to valuing the community over the individual?
Junger doesn't have all the answers, but he's asking a lot of the right questions. I'd highly recommend this read.
Why, during the early days of colonial America did some settlers voluntarily leave their families and join American Indian tribes, never to be heard from again? Why is that people who survived the Bosnian War condemn it yet remember those times somewhat fondly? Why do American soldiers feel a heightened sense of unity during active duty, but not when they return home?
Journalist Sebastian Junger takes an anthropological view of these questions, examining what it is about our tribal nature that we've lost and what it might take to regain it. Why do tribal societies seem to have a more positive sense of community, respect, and overall a higher level of well-being? We have more wealth, technology, medicine, and education in today's world than ever before. So why are people so fractured and unhappy?
I won't go into all the research Junger touches on, but he's clearly done his homework and he incorporates the scientific findings in just the right amount. The writing is never dry and it's a compelling subject. And while Junger certainly isn't advocating for more war or tragedy, there's something interesting about things like suicide rates, depression, and crime being lower during times of national stress.
Why do mass shootings typically occur in more affluent neighborhoods when guns supposedly proliferate in ghettos or poverty-stricken areas? Why were tribal societies more egalitarian than our current one? How can we get back to valuing the community over the individual?
Junger doesn't have all the answers, but he's asking a lot of the right questions. I'd highly recommend this read.