[GCFL-discuss] Energy Levels

[gcfl-discuss at gcfl.net]

Ever since someone started complaining about the appearance of animosity
in our discussions, exchange of any thoughts at all has fallen to near
zero. Could we each contribute something in the next three days that is

a) provocative and interesting enough to generate a round of comments,

and

b) not of a nature to leave us all feeling mortally offended?

I have two modest contributions to offer.

1) I really enjoyed the list of "Literary Insults" that recently came out
from GCFL. I liked Lincoln, Reed, Reston and Twain the best.

2) I am reading a book called People of the Lake by Richard E. Leakey and
Roger Lewin, about the beginnings of humankind. One of the most
fascinating conclusions so far is that early human existence was anything
BUT the "nasty, brutish and short" life that 19th century Victorians
attributed to it. For one thing, hunting contributed only about 20% of
the human diet, complex social organization existed, including probably
families. (Many primates live in bands, but only humans live in family
groups within bands. In fact, it seems that gatherer-hunter societies
remaining, almost anywhere in the world, exist in tribal groupings of
about 500, because that is the number within which new adults can find
mates without resorting to incest, starting new families.) Finally,
people generally could supply all their needs in about three hours work a
day, even in desert environments -- not the image of working from dawn
till dusk to scratch out a meagre survival.

					Siarlys


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