Man must be crazy! (Monday morning blues?)
Recently, I had a chance to watch "Gods Must Be Crazy". The introductory monologue on the Bushmen of the Kalahari desert had a really really interesting way of looking at our way of life. The narrator talks about the Bushmen as people who have adjusted to their environment. The Kalahari desert is devoid of any kind of surface water (for about 9 months in a year) even though there is some sort of vegetation. The Bushmen rely on dew drops and certain type of roots for their water needs. Their primary food is meat. The men, women and children all work together to get their daily ration of food and keeping their shelters clean. There is no concept of ownership. There is no crime in their society. No concept of jealousy or anger.. They go about their simple ways of living very contently because they have what's most necessary to them. Food, water and shelter.
The narrator then goes to talk about a big city about 600 miles south of the Kalahari Desert.. He interestingly states that in this part of the country, civilized man refused to adapt himself to the environment. Instead, he chose to adapt his environment to suit him. The film shows videos of cars, roads, casinos, pubs, etc, etc.. basically a typical city. He says that civilized man put up roads, buildings, power lines to run his labor saving devices..
Here's the interesting part. The narrator then talks about how man has made things more difficult for himself when he made the adapted his environment to suit his needs. He says that the civilized man didn't know when to stop. So now his children are sentenced to atleast 16 years of studying just to learn how to survive in this concrete jungle he created. Civilized man who refused to adapt himself to his surroundings, now finds himself adapting to his self-created environment every day and every hour.
For instance, if the day is called Monday, and the number 7:30 appears on his clock, he has to dis-adapt himself from his domestic surroundings and re-adapt himself to a completely new environment.. his work place. When the number 8:00 appears, he has to look busy. 10:30 means he can stop looking busy for 15 min (coffee break?). And then again at 10.45 he has to start looking busy.
And so, his day is chopped up into little pieces. And in each segment of time, he has to adapt himself to a new set of circumstances/surroundings.
Imagine if you were in the Kalahari. Everyday could be a Tuesday.. Or Thursday for that matter. Or Sunday if you like. No clocks or calendars telling you to do this or that...
What an interesting way to look at our mundane life....
Sigh.. on with the grind!!
The narrator then goes to talk about a big city about 600 miles south of the Kalahari Desert.. He interestingly states that in this part of the country, civilized man refused to adapt himself to the environment. Instead, he chose to adapt his environment to suit him. The film shows videos of cars, roads, casinos, pubs, etc, etc.. basically a typical city. He says that civilized man put up roads, buildings, power lines to run his labor saving devices..
Here's the interesting part. The narrator then talks about how man has made things more difficult for himself when he made the adapted his environment to suit his needs. He says that the civilized man didn't know when to stop. So now his children are sentenced to atleast 16 years of studying just to learn how to survive in this concrete jungle he created. Civilized man who refused to adapt himself to his surroundings, now finds himself adapting to his self-created environment every day and every hour.
For instance, if the day is called Monday, and the number 7:30 appears on his clock, he has to dis-adapt himself from his domestic surroundings and re-adapt himself to a completely new environment.. his work place. When the number 8:00 appears, he has to look busy. 10:30 means he can stop looking busy for 15 min (coffee break?). And then again at 10.45 he has to start looking busy.
And so, his day is chopped up into little pieces. And in each segment of time, he has to adapt himself to a new set of circumstances/surroundings.
Imagine if you were in the Kalahari. Everyday could be a Tuesday.. Or Thursday for that matter. Or Sunday if you like. No clocks or calendars telling you to do this or that...
What an interesting way to look at our mundane life....
Sigh.. on with the grind!!
posted by Rhapsoder at 5:47 PM
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