Comments on: Mismatched obit pairs http://cultureby.com/2007/01/mismatched_obit.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:43:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Virginia Postrel http://cultureby.com/2007/01/mismatched_obit.html/comment-page-1#comment-3496 Virginia Postrel Tue, 02 Jan 2007 20:01:26 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=562#comment-3496 It sounds like (conventional) anthropology has trouble coming to terms with the fundamental fact of human diversity, at the individual not just the cultural level. In any population as large as the U.S., it would be extraordinary not to find such variation. What's notable about our culture is that both can find niches that are both productive and respected. That I find that normatively desirable is, perhaps, why I wouldn't make much of an anthropologist. While we're juxtaposing obits, here's a piece I wrote--nearly 10 years ago!--on the David Packard-Edmund Muskie contrast: http://www.reason.com/news/show/29956.html It sounds like (conventional) anthropology has trouble coming to terms with the fundamental fact of human diversity, at the individual not just the cultural level. In any population as large as the U.S., it would be extraordinary not to find such variation. What’s notable about our culture is that both can find niches that are both productive and respected. That I find that normatively desirable is, perhaps, why I wouldn’t make much of an anthropologist.

While we’re juxtaposing obits, here’s a piece I wrote–nearly 10 years ago!–on the David Packard-Edmund Muskie contrast: http://www.reason.com/news/show/29956.html

]]> By: Carol Gee http://cultureby.com/2007/01/mismatched_obit.html/comment-page-1#comment-3495 Carol Gee Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:35:54 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=562#comment-3495 Grant, bloggers often find strange synchronicities, don't we? I posted something about obits a few days ago: http://carol-sandy1.blogspot.com/2006/12/sharing-obits.html . I had not thought about the other mismatches, so cleverly illustrated with off socks. BTW, Happy New Year! Grant, bloggers often find strange synchronicities, don’t we? I posted something about obits a few days ago: http://carol-sandy1.blogspot.com/2006/12/sharing-obits.html . I had not thought about the other mismatches, so cleverly illustrated with off socks.
BTW, Happy New Year!

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