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Helping someone through difficulty is where civilization starts.

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Terry Cullen

Oct 4, 2022

United States

Categories:

Anthropology, Volunteerism, Civilization

As the story goes, a student supposedly asked Margaret Mead, the renowned American cultural anthropologist, what was the first sign of ‘civilization.’ The student expected Mead to talk about when humans started using tools, such as fish hooks, clay pots, or grinding stones. Not at all.


Margaret Mead (1901-1978) was famous and outspoken. She garnered a lot of attention in the mass media for the quality of her scientific work and her forceful personality. She is best known in contemporary western culture for her research on sexual attitudes and traditional cultures in Oceania and Southeast Asia. Her work came at a time in the 1960s dubbed the sexual revolution, and she influenced change. Mead received many accolades during her lifetime, but she was a controversial figure.


Margaret Mead supposedly responded to the student’s question that the first sign of human civilization came with the discovery of an ancient broken femur bone that healed. No animal with a fractured femur bone would likely have survived long enough for it to heal. The animal would likely become prey to another, starve because it could not hunt or forage for food, or die from complications related to the break.


A human bone fractured and healed meant someone had to bind up the wound, help the injured person up, carry them back to safety, and provide food and protection from danger for the weeks needed to heal the bone.


“Helping someone through difficulty is where civilization starts.” No one is certain that Margaret Mead uttered this famous quote, yet it is telling nonetheless.


The quote has been used recently as a call to help others. To help others is to be civilized, and it is a good message that continues to resonate today.


How can you use this to create change in your local community? Consider donating a small amount of your time regularly to an organization that is making a positive difference in your hometown. Get your children involved. Children who grow up understanding volunteerism and practicing it are more likely to become engaged citizens as adults. Volunteerism helps build community resilience and more inclusive society. It is mentally and emotionally healthy for us, and many volunteers report an increased sense of well-being.


The pandemic ravaged many communities, and there is a desperate need for help. Food banks, animal shelters, and hospitals, to name a few, and volunteers can help bolster the ongoing work to heal and rebuild our hometowns. Half a day a month is a good start. Consider bringing your friends together as a team, pledge your time and make a difference.


Indeed, helping someone through difficulty is where civilization starts.


Photo by Ayesha Parikh on Unsplash.

Source:

Source:

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Catalog #:

1022.100.01.100422

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