<p>Are there any theories or schools of thought that assume most humans still act as if they are still hunters/gatherers?</p>

<p>Hunter/gatherer societies of today would still prefer to sit around and talk with their friends than to learn about sci., eng., or even social sci.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I went to a place in a remote part of the Sepik where I was the first traveller to reach as well as a similar area in the highlands. The children had never seen a white person.</p>
  
  <p>People in both areas have ample leisure time and it seems to be center around sitting in a circle and socializing. They spend more time with friends in a day than most westerners spend in a week.</p>
  
  <p>A guy asked me how could he get the things that I have. I told him, "Do this, do that, don't do that, blah, blah....even then I don't think you'll be able to achieve it but possibly your children. However, it will mean that you can't sit around the fire all day and do nothing." He replied, "Then I don't want it. I like time with my friends around the fire. I'll keep what we have."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>From: <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/10/13/the_tribesman_who_facebook_friended_me/" rel="nofollow">The tribesman who Facebooked me. (comments section)</a></p>

<p>This does not sound too different than modern citizens. There is little interest outside of sports, idle chit chat, gossip, and celebrity news. Most people also want to be trained, rather than be educated. Conversations and social interaction are the only desired means of learning for most people. Learning a set of rules vs creativity/exploration.</p>

<p>It would explain why Alan Kay believes all scientists/engineers constitute less than 1% of the population.  The rest either want training or manual labour (ie the same mentality in surviving in the wilderness.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-13T20:47:04.960Z
Thanks for the definition of evolutionary psychology. It helps. However, your second comment creates a false dichotomy. I did not mean to suggest anti-social behaviour == creativity. I meant: sports and chit-chat on celebs... and no interest in anything else. Furthermore, my models of creativity are Alan Kay, Bret Victor, the Eames couple, etc... They are all very social people, but have interests beyond sports, chit-chat, etc.
dgo.a
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-13T20:52:06.877Z
@what If you put your first comment as an answer, I am willing to accept it as the best answer.
dgo.a
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-13T21:01:12.280Z
@what I re-read what I wrote. It turns out the examples I gave were too extreme and gave the impression that I thought anti-social behaviour equated creativity. I apologize for my poor memory and writing.
dgo.a
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-13T23:46:29.193Z
@dgo-a: "...would still prefer to sit around and talk with their friends..." - yeah, most everyone is, what other theory do you want?
Greg McNulty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-04T09:00:10.497Z
I’m voting to close this question because no attempt was made to link this question to any reliable sources of information on psychology and therefore this question is based on a comment on a media website article and not on anything mentioned in science.
Chris Rogers
<social-psychology><motivation><evolution>
Theories of Hunter/Gatherers in the 21st Century
dgo.a
# Theories of Hunter/Gatherers in the 21st Century

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-11-12)

Are there any theories or schools of thought that assume most humans still act as if they are still hunters/gatherers?

Hunter/gatherer societies of today would still prefer to sit around and talk with their friends than to learn about sci., eng., or even social sci.

> I went to a place in a remote part of the Sepik where I was the first traveller to reach as well as a similar area in the highlands. The children had never seen a white person.
>
> People in both areas have ample leisure time and it seems to be center around sitting in a circle and socializing. They spend more time with friends in a day than most westerners spend in a week.
>
> A guy asked me how could he get the things that I have. I told him, "Do this, do that, don't do that, blah, blah....even then I don't think you'll be able to achieve it but possibly your children. However, it will mean that you can't sit around the fire all day and do nothing." He replied, "Then I don't want it. I like time with my friends around the fire. I'll keep what we have."

From: [The tribesman who Facebooked me. (comments section)](http://www.salon.com/2011/10/13/the_tribesman_who_facebook_friended_me/)

This does not sound too different than modern citizens. There is little interest outside of sports, idle chit chat, gossip, and celebrity news. Most people also want to be trained, rather than be educated. Conversations and social interaction are the only desired means of learning for most people. Learning a set of rules vs creativity/exploration.

It would explain why Alan Kay believes all scientists/engineers constitute less than 1% of the population. The rest either want training or manual labour (ie the same mentality in surviving in the wilderness.)

**Tags:** social-psychology, motivation, evolution

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the definition of evolutionary psychology. It helps. However, your second comment creates a false dichotomy. I did not mean to suggest anti-social behaviour == creativity. I meant: sports and chit-chat on celebs... and no interest in anything else. Furthermore, my models of creativity are Alan Kay, Bret Victor, the Eames couple, etc... They are all very social people, but have interests beyond sports, chit-chat, etc.  
> **username_0**: @what If you put your first comment as an answer, I am willing to accept it as the best answer.  
> **username_0**: @what I re-read what I wrote. It turns out the examples I gave were too extreme and gave the impression that I thought anti-social behaviour equated creativity. I apologize for my poor memory and writing.  
> **username_1**: @dgo-a: "...would still prefer to sit around and talk with their friends..." - yeah, most everyone is, what other theory do you want?  
> **username_2**: I’m voting to close this question because no attempt was made to link this question to any reliable sources of information on psychology and therefore this question is based on a comment on a media website article and not on anything mentioned in science.  

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