The New York Times bestselling coauthor of Sex at Dawn explores the ways in which "progress" has perverted the way people live: how they eat, learn, feel, mate, parent, communicate, work, and die.
... rather gloomy ... There are occasional wry observations and several humorous quotes from Mark Twain sprinkled throughout the brief chapters ... Whether or not readers agree with his pessimistic outlook or chafe against his fatalistic assertions, his writing is engaging, extensively documented, well-organized, and thought provoking.
Using a wide variety of both primary and secondary resources for his research, Ryan illustrates specific scenarios in which people have proven themselves capable of adapting to the strangest changes in their surroundings, and how that adaptation usually comes at the expense of the natural environment ... Recommended for YA and adult readers with an interest in cultural anthropology, current events, and apocalyptic social perspectives.
While these examples illustrate how civilization has corrupted our initial nonaggressive human nature, Ryan doesn’t tackle any possible exceptions. There is not a word about the fate of the foraging Neanderthals, our closest relation in the Homo genus. They disappeared when foraging Homo sapiens came into contact with them. Could our own aggressive behavior account for their demise? ... While these examples illustrate how civilization has corrupted our initial nonaggressive human nature, Ryan doesn’t tackle any possible exceptions. There is not a word about the fate of the foraging Neanderthals, our closest relation in the Homo genus. They disappeared when foraging Homo sapiens came into contact with them. Could our own aggressive behavior account for their demise? ... a fascinating read, with plenty of academic references. But Ryan provides only a few concrete ideas of how to foster and preserve elements of our lost forager culture.
