Cooking up War

Steve Mizrach (SEEKER1@NERVM.NERDC.UFL.EDU)
Wed, 15 Jun 1994 11:38:46 -0400

> I had really hoped for a better response on my query than this. I
>can think of a couple of different reasons for the lack of posting on
>my topic, one closely related to an earlier thread on this list -
>my signature.

Well, I happen to like it, myself. ;-) But yes, I'm willing to
discuss your topic, if you want. For me, one of the interesting hypotheses
toward the invention of war is Andrew Bard Schmookler's _Parable of the
Tribes_. Have you seen it?

> If this were truly a democracy and everybody had
>a vote on what the government spends it's money on, there probably wouldn't
>be any Departments of Anthropology.

Yes, but see, I wish they asked me what professions I wanted to do away
with - I mean, some don't get any type of government support or subsidies,
but they live off the fat of the land in other ways...
I think we could start with the lawyers. Yes, I know, I've heard too
many bad lawyer jokes. But everytime I see one of these cretins advertising
on TV for their right to exploit your pain and suffering, my blood pressure
goes up a notch.

> I must say here, however, that I did receive some wonderful pieces of private
>mail in regard to "The Invention of War". I couple would have made me blush
>if anyone else had seen them.

That risque'? Hmmm....?

> To these people thank you very much. For
>those of you that thought about my questions but didn't respond, I'm sure
>you are familiar with processes of cultural development and can at least
>hazard a guess on a couple of the points mentioned. To the rest, I'm sorry
>there is no money in this and posting to this topic will not get you any points
>towards achieving a stable academic position anywhere. But it might stretch
>your brain a little bit.

I always like stretching my brain, but my damn skull keeps getting in the
way. I think I need a trephination. ;-)
My theory toward the invention of war - well, my archaeologist
friends may slam my ignorance for this, but I think it's fairly recent. I
don't think organized warfare as we know it existed before the agricultural
revolution - and it's a consequence of all the other processes that led to
'civilization,' especially centralization and metalworking...

>For the insecure - Go Ahead, Flame Me
>For the rest - consider this a good natured challenge.

I always appreciate challenges...

>
>
>----------- There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, ----------------
>Scott Holmes <sholmes@netcom.com> Informix 4GL Applications
>---------------- Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. ------------------------

Alas, poor Yorick, I knew his smell.

Seeker1 [@Nervm.Nerdc.Ufl.Edu] (real info available on request)
CyberAnthropologist, TechnoCulturalist, Guerilla Ontologist, Chaotician
Discordian Society, Counter-Illuminati Operations Branch
"The map is not the territory." -- Alfred Korzybski
"The menu is not the meal." -- Alan Watts