It's easy! Here's how you play. I will describe for you four different stages in the progression of societiey. All you have to do is post an answer in the comments box about which one you would like to live in, and why. Ready? Here we go! Also, brief aside, the titles of the stages of society are pretty self-explanatory, so if you want to guess at what the titles denote and just skip my descriptions, go right ahead. Y'all are smart. Your guesses will probably be close enough.
Stage 1: Hunter / Gatherer (Nomadic) Society
In this stage of society, the people don't raise their own crops or keep livestock. They live off of food that they gather or game that they hunt. Because of this, they often have to move around the land to follow their sources of food. Some Native American tribes were nomadic.
Stage 2: Agrarian Society
In an agrarian society, people raise their own crops. The economy centers around planting crops and keeping farmland. The era of farmers, planters, craftsmen.
Stage 3: Industrial Society
I'll quote Wikipedia on this one (don't you judge me): "A society driven by the use of technology to enable mass production, supporting a large population with a high capacity for division of labour." This always makes me think of the Victorian Era in England. Factories, steam engines, railways ...
Stage 4: Information Society
That's where we're at now in the U.S. Again, I'll quote Wikipedia on this one: "A society where the creation, distribution, use, integration, and manipulation of information is a significant economic, political, and cultural activity." This is the era of software engineers and Google.
Sooooo, which sounds most to your liking? Post your answer in the commet box, either below or on Google+.
Thanks for playing!
Stage 1
ReplyDeleteI love hunting and tracking and traveling, so this one is for me! You don't rely on everyone else, and it's kinda every man for himself. You eat what you catch
It does sound really cool, and moreover I'm sure that you would be a fabulous hunter / gatherer! Sadly I can't say the same for me XD.
DeleteFirst, I'd like to say that there are still nomadic, agrarian, and industrial societies in the world today and it is definitely possible to become a nomadic hermit or even join a less-industrialized society if you want to. I like the information society best because it provides more opportunity for people to be whatever they desire and I think that more information leads to more understanding which is better for everyone.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read "Timeline" by Michael Crichton? It's about modern-day scientists who travel back in time to an agrarian society. It's something of an Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi.
Yes, having access to information certainly has its benefits. No, I haven't read that! Sounds really cool. Right now I don't get much time for recreational reading since I'm in the middle of a school term, but I will add that one to the list :).
DeleteI personally think Agrarian is the best. Besides the benefits of working with your hands, it also has the opportunity for better social interactions and government. Also, growing and building things is fun.
ReplyDeleteI had realized the benefits of working with your hands ... but how does agrarian society give opportunities for better government and social interactions??? O.O. Educate me.
DeleteWell, from my perspective, there are a few reasons. As far a social interactions, it seems better to help your neighbor build a barn and work with your family to store crops than anything else. Working together knits people together.
DeleteThe government thing is really abstract, based mostly in the idea that Thomas Jeffereson and other founding fathers thought it was good to have an agrarian nation, especially for the government. I found this quote on a "Jefferson quotes" site:
Extract from Thomas Jefferson to John Jay
Paris Aug. 23. 1785
Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, & they are tied to their country & wedded to it’s liberty & interests by the most lasting bands.
Basically, farmers are model citizens (more interesting info about Jeffersonian thought here:
https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/the-federalist-era-1789-1801-10/the-republican-alternative-88/jefferson-s-agrarian-policy-492-8248/)