In this episode we take a step back from Ishmael to better view the philosophical context it was written in.

We explore the history of the terms "civilized" and "primitive" and how their definitions have evolved over time.

Topics include: Rome's influence on Western European colonization, noble savage theory, primitivism, and the rise of the identity "indigenous".

When we say civilization who do we include and exclude? Who is civilized and what does that mean?

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For full episode transcripts, essays, and additional context, visit: resilience.org/human-nature-odyssey-podcast

Citations

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (1992)

The Dawn of Everything by David Wengrow and David Graeber (2021)

Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford (1620-1647)

Indigenous Continent: The Epic Conquest of North America by Pekka Hämäläinen (2022)

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

Courtesy Ray Lynch Productions © Ⓟ 1984/BMI

All rights reserved.

1. Amazon: Celestial Soda Pop

https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B000QQXURI

2. iTunes:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/celestial-soda-pop/3242445?i=3242425

3. Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/2THDVIVytLuGX7S7UghuC1?si=20ea63807bba401f