It's not a confusing puzzle, just a demonstration that sociological context and cultural beliefs also matter, not just biology, but I don't think anyone reasonable would say that biology is the only explanation for differences in homicide. In this case, you had this tribe that due to some very preposterous beliefs and traditions, ended up having an extremely high homicide rate, once those beliefs and traditions were discarded, they stopped it.
Now, if you look at homicide in a different context, like contemporary US, then biological trends becomes a very plausible explanation for something like the extremely high homicide rate of blacks. Blacks in America don't kill much more because of beliefs like this tribe, but because of greater impulsiveness and aggression, among other things, and impulsiveness and aggression are hereditary. Now, that's also not to say that the black homicide rate can't go down, it can and has, but for that you need policing and a tough justice system, and once you remove those, the situation gets worse. Basically, it should be obvious that different groups with different behavioral tendencies will need different versions of the hand of the state to behave properly.
it strikes me that some of the forms of material wealth involved here - pigs, crops, cash - have the property that they can be subdivided easily and unambiguously in a way that qualities like respect, power, influence, or indeed magic cannot, and this might be an important factor in the outbreak of peace among the Gebrusi.
> As the Gebusi aggregated in larger villages with increased access to healthcare, and better nutrition with the influx of metal tools allowing for more productive gardens
What do you think was the catalyst for the above (better healthcare, etc)?
Living with a PNG tribe for 6 years I can say that this story is just as ridiculous as Margaret Mead on Manus island in PNG. It all boils down to one thing, hope vs fear. If you are Animist your life revolves around fear of appeasing the spirits but as a Christian, you have hope for the future.
The importance of material conditions in explaining human behaviour cannot be overstated.
I have sometimes wondered how people resolved cases of murders - or suspected homocides - in horticultural societies.
This clarifies that in supplying data on a specific case. Fascinating. Thank you.
It's not a confusing puzzle, just a demonstration that sociological context and cultural beliefs also matter, not just biology, but I don't think anyone reasonable would say that biology is the only explanation for differences in homicide. In this case, you had this tribe that due to some very preposterous beliefs and traditions, ended up having an extremely high homicide rate, once those beliefs and traditions were discarded, they stopped it.
Now, if you look at homicide in a different context, like contemporary US, then biological trends becomes a very plausible explanation for something like the extremely high homicide rate of blacks. Blacks in America don't kill much more because of beliefs like this tribe, but because of greater impulsiveness and aggression, among other things, and impulsiveness and aggression are hereditary. Now, that's also not to say that the black homicide rate can't go down, it can and has, but for that you need policing and a tough justice system, and once you remove those, the situation gets worse. Basically, it should be obvious that different groups with different behavioral tendencies will need different versions of the hand of the state to behave properly.
Leftists are enemies of civilization.
Wow. The dark barbarism of paganism never fails to nauseate.
it strikes me that some of the forms of material wealth involved here - pigs, crops, cash - have the property that they can be subdivided easily and unambiguously in a way that qualities like respect, power, influence, or indeed magic cannot, and this might be an important factor in the outbreak of peace among the Gebrusi.
> As the Gebusi aggregated in larger villages with increased access to healthcare, and better nutrition with the influx of metal tools allowing for more productive gardens
What do you think was the catalyst for the above (better healthcare, etc)?
One question, is the homicide rate lower or is the reporting of same faulty?
Living with a PNG tribe for 6 years I can say that this story is just as ridiculous as Margaret Mead on Manus island in PNG. It all boils down to one thing, hope vs fear. If you are Animist your life revolves around fear of appeasing the spirits but as a Christian, you have hope for the future.
615 total Gebusi population? How many murders could there be?