The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity

[Petey Pate]

David Graeber's final book, co-authored with archeologist David Wengrow. Graeber's death last year was such a tragic loss, and it's saddening to know that he had intended this book to be the first part of a trilogy, but at least he left us with one more thought-provoking book that challenges commonly held assumptions.

In this case, Graeber's and Wengrow's bête noire is mainstream ideas about pre-history, in part popularised by best selling books by Jared Diamond, Steven Pinker and Yuval Noah Harari. They contend that the notion of an 'argricultural revolution' is nonsense, and there is anthropological and archaeological evidence that suggest that was actually a lot of variety in how humans organised themselves in the thousands of years that consisted of 'pre-history', rather than as merely hunter-gatherers or farmers.

I've only read the first chapter so far, but I did also listen to this recent interview with Wengrow, on the always entertaining utopian left comedy podcast Srsly Wrong, which surmises some of the books' arguments.

https://srslywrong.com/podcast/242-the-dawn-of-the-dawn-of-everything-w-david-wengrow/

[jamiefairlie]

Thanks for this, I shall investigate, I like this kind of stuff.

[Theremin]

Listening to the audiobook of this atm - gobsmackingly good stuff.

Incredibly illuminating about how modern historians and philosophers have misused the culture and wisdom of indigenous nations.

Spoiler: Those 'savages' understood European culture often very well, and had some savage (and hilarious) critiques of their own.

[jamiefairlie]

Listening to the audiobook of this atm - gobsmackingly good stuff.

Incredibly illuminating about how modern historians and philosophers have misused the culture and wisdom of indigenous nations.

Spoiler: Those 'savages' understood European culture often very well, and had some savage (and hilarious) critiques of their own.

Needless to say, we had the last laugh, a ha!

[Twit 2]

Do they discuss toilet paper?

[olliebean]

Do they discuss toilet paper?

Everything with you comes down to toilet paper.