Would you live in a traditional, tribal, society if you could?

[Professor James]

The backstory is my economics teacher was talking about economic system and the first one he mentioned was traditional economies. These are tiny communities that only produce and use what they need, basically tribes and villages. He then mentioned this old film called The Gods must be crazy. In the film ,the village had a simple life, basic wants and needs, basic education, and overall none of the stresses or worries of living in a developed society. This all fell apart when a foreigner introduced something to their society and they all got greedy and fought each other because they just learned the idea of private property. So, I guess if you think ignorance is bliss, would you have preferred to grow up in a small, primitive, community. I wouldn't because I aspire to make a difference in the world.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

If it were me as I am now? No. I would miss my creature comforts, and my freedom to travel, learn, buy what I want etc. The village would essentially be my life and death.

Although to be born as a tribal without knowledge of modern living, might be nice. Eating healthy natural food from a hunter gatherer lifestyle with plenty of free time could be considered quite an idyllic life. And you cant miss what you never knew about...

 

[MeatMachine]

Given that I am a type 1 diabetic who needs constant access to refrigerated insulin and several fresh needles a day, saying "yes" to this question would basically be a very slow, very painful suicide.

 

[Xeorm]

If it were me as I am now? No. I would miss my creature comforts, and my freedom to travel, learn, buy what I want etc. The village would essentially be my life and death.

Although to be born as a tribal without knowledge of modern living, might be nice. Eating healthy natural food from a hunter gatherer lifestyle with plenty of free time could be considered quite an idyllic life. And you cant miss what you never knew about...

What makes you think that they'd be eating healthy, natural food? Or that you'd have free time? Hunter gatherer lifestyles are pretty hard on people.

I wouldn't want to ever do that. Give me my modern living please.

 

[Redryhno]

Given that I am a type 1 diabetic who needs constant access to refrigerated insulin and several fresh needles a day, saying "yes" to this question would basically be a very slow, very painful suicide.

Great, you're now signed up for Mr.Tribals' Life Camp!

Personally though, like Fieldy said, depends on if I grew up like that, or if I go into it as I am now. The former, who gives a damn? The latter? Honestly not, there's alot of problems with tribal society that alot of people don't think about.

 

[Keoul]

Hell no.
How would I use the internet and play games?

 

[Ihateregistering1]

"...and overall none of the stresses or worries of living in a developed society."

This sounds great, until you die a painful death from some disease we can easily cure with modern medicine.

But anyway, I'll play. I guess there would be something sort of cool of basically living in a society where you know exactly what you're supposed to do. You exist to support your tribe, get married, make some babies, and die, and you're always surrounded by people who you know and have a strong connection to. I can see the appeal in that.

But that's also the bad part. You're going to live an ultra-tradition bound life dictated by the Tribe, and they are going to have a lot of control over you. Rejecting their beliefs and way of life is not acceptable, and you need them to survive.

But ultimately, it would be tough for me to go from living with the creature comforts I have now to never getting them again.

 

[happyninja42]

Considering that "traditional and tribal" usually translates to "superstitious and oppresively religious" no, I wouldn't want to live in that world.

 

[Zhukov]

Nah.

I can see how the sense of place and lack of choice could be stable and comforting, but it would also be stifling. I happen to rather like personal autonomy, video games, varied food and advanced dentistry.

 

[default]

It's appealing, but as I am now I would have trouble adapting. I like video games, the internet, electronic music and interesting and varied food and culture. I could get it out of my system eventually but it would be painful and part of me would always miss it.

If I were born into it I think I would feel content and even enjoy a simple, hard life if I had my health. Hunting across the plains and forests, tilling and tending the earth, exploring and mapping the surrounding landscape, looking after each other and working as a community. I'm maybe romanticising this a bit, but it's how humans lived for thousands (millions?) of years.


But as some others have said, these tribes are usually strictly traditional and superstitious. It's often literally their way or the highway. I can't blame them, since a small tribe is constantly balanced on the edge of catastrophe. It only takes one big mistake or bad harvest and everyone is starving or in need. Stick with what works, right? Even if it is stifling or unfair.

If the society overall was more practical, intelligent and chilled out, just quietly working and living together to make what they need, explore, form bonds and last the winter, I could very much get into that.

 

[Fox12]

I just spent all day throwing up yellow foam in the hospital, while an I.V fed painkillers into my arm. I may need my gallbladder removed.

So no.

Besides, this whole "return to innocence" mindset is silly. People have always had problems. We're currently living in the best time in human history. Lets be grateful for what our forefathers have left us, and leave something even better for our children. Human progress marches on.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

We all post on a goddamn relatively obscure forum hosted on a site revolving around nerdy culture and video games.

I think the real answer for just about all of us is "Dear God, no."

 

[Drakmorg]

Oh God no. Ignoring the fact that they wouldn't even let me continue living on account of I'm too over-weight and depressed to actually contribute, it'd totally suck. Living conditions would be appalling, the food would be terrible, and the complete lack of any medicine beyond basic first-aid and any coincidental herbal remedies people happen to stumble upon means you're lucky if you hit 30.
I may hate my job, but at least doing it for 40 hours a week means I don't have to worry about freezing or starving to death if I'm not constantly at my absolute best, or dying of any illness more serious than a common cold. And that I have time for things other than just hunting and gathering.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

If it were me as I am now? No. I would miss my creature comforts, and my freedom to travel, learn, buy what I want etc. The village would essentially be my life and death.

Although to be born as a tribal without knowledge of modern living, might be nice. Eating healthy natural food from a hunter gatherer lifestyle with plenty of free time could be considered quite an idyllic life. And you cant miss what you never knew about...

What makes you think that they'd be eating healthy, natural food? Or that you'd have free time? Hunter gatherer lifestyles are pretty hard on people.


I wouldn't want to ever do that. Give me my modern living please.

Im assuming the tribe lives in good land unlike the few tribes left today mostly pushed out of good land by advanced cultures. If I brought down a large beast I dont need to worry about hunting again for a few days and I could manage to do that in a few hours with a bow and arrow. Lot less work than a 9 to 5.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Nope.

And...surely that is an option? Anyone who is still here has decided not to take it.

 

[Silvanus]

And...surely that is an option? Anyone who is still here has decided not to take it.

True, but a lot of people will have connections with other people, friends & family. I assume the hypothetical is asking us to assume we're not leaving anybody devastated by leaving. Tis also costly, with no guarantee of success, and I assume the hypothetical is presuming a successful transition.

OT: I would not. If I can find a nice equilibrium in this society, I'll be almost content.

 

[FPLOON]

Unless they're internet, the ability to live whereever the fuck I want legally speaking, and/or it's made up of everyone in The Escapist both staff and community, at least, my answer will be "fuck no spaghettiOs" for now...

Other than that, the only "upside" to the tribal society is that I would have had a mate that choose me like I choose them... I think...

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

I thought this was merely about the model of the society, ie. having a more traditional hierarchy, rites of passage etc. But would I swap my current life for some tribe in the jungle?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

I like not having infant mortality rates being around 50%. I like having easy access to Aspirin if I get a cold. I like having instant access to clean, fresh water. I like having a solid, waterproof, air conditioned shelter that shields me from the forces of nature. I like not having to die in my 30s from my teeth or an STD because there's no condoms nor medication. This "noble savage" thinking is utter and complete tripe. Sure, they might not have the stresses of the modern world; they have the stresses of the ancient world instead, and those tend to be far more grave and serious.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

No thanks. I have way too many medical problems. That and I like modern petroleum goods. I like being able to jump on my motorbike and undertake journeys utterly unimaginable for hunter-gatherer societies in a span of a few hours. I would like to have access to modern technologies and everybody else was a hunter gatherer. All hail the empress of Earth.