Manipulating Cultural Evolution of a Species

As the human species evolved cultural practices, it was in response to the environment. Banding together, hunting and gathering to survive nature, learning to exist. Agriculture, regardless of its drawbacks in comparison to hunting and gathering, was a leap forward in cultural evolution as it allowed for stratification, we learned how to manipulate the world around us, and take shape onto our own by learning how to manipulate our free time. Our competition was with each other. The result was culture.

Now, we have a better understanding of the cause and effect relationship with each other and the world at large. Additionally, we have identified the biological foundation of our successes in becoming the dominant member of our genus and species on the planet by way of mirror neurons. The next phase in our evolution should come as a deliberate manipulation of the cultural spectrum of human civilization. If we continue focusing our worldview through a competitive lens, the world will continue into decadence. However if our lens is that of collaboration, the dynamic numbers of flora and fauna will return, and homeostasis will result. Peace will spread as poverty and hunger are wiped out, worldwide taboos against greed and over-consumption will protect against individuals looking to shock the “system”. Praising sensibilities of an engaged population along with greater access to technology and with it, information is the fast track to evolving into a safe, secure world that favors the true form of democracy, one that is direct rather than representative.

Redefining Redneck (via The Practical Anthropologist)

Written by a lovely young colleague of mine, operating out of U of M Dearborn. This article is written about her visit to my hometown, home of Michigan Speedway, during a NASCAR race weekend.

Even though it’s been a week since I drove down Michigan Avenue and out of Brooklyn, Michigan (the complete opposite of its famous counterpart in NY), I still cannot stop thinking and talking about my short sojourn among the NASCAR fans of the Midwest. Why was I suddenly immersed in that kind of culture shock, you ask? Long story short, my cross-country club at college makes most of our year’s funding by ushering at the races every summer. Whatev … Read More

via The Practical Anthropologist

Participant Observation in the Detroit City Gorilla Challenge

This past Saturday, June 25th, downtown Detroit played the stage for the Gorilla Challenge. The Gorilla Challenge is an Amazing Race meets Jeopardy style scavenger hunt. Proceeds collected from entry fees ($40, or $20 through Groupon) go to the Accelerated Cure Project, for multiple sclerosis. Additionally, participants brought non-perishable food items to be donated to the local food bank.

It was suggested to show up at the Hard Rock Cafe about an hour early to allow all the teams to sign in. After which, we all piled inside to receive our instructions and get started. Several teams were sporting costumes for a contest to be held after the challenge. A team of girls were dressed as Betty and Wilma from the Flintstones, another team was dressed as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with roasting pans painted and acting as their turtle shells.

Upon receiving the first 6 clues, many teams including my own only took time to figure out the first clue and darted off in that direction. The question asked: How many eyes are in a standard deck of 52 playing cards? All of us headed in the same direction concluded there were 24 eyes, with the clue next to this option leading us to take a team picture out in front of the Fox. This turned out to be incorrect as there are two kings, queens, jacks on each card, doubling the total to 48 and thereby giving a clue which lead to the correct location.

However on the way to the Fox, we came across our first challenge. A “staffer” was setting on a statue of a previous mayor of Detroit overlooking Woodward. He instructed us that in order to pass his challenge, we had to walk in a single file line around the statue,walking and clucking like a chicken. Only then would we earn our stamp, which was simple enough. Some of the other challenges included balancing two tubes of chapstick on top of each other with chopsticks, building a stack of red plastic cups with index cards in between then pulling the cards out and getting the cups to fall into each other. All the clues led us to various locations in a 3 mile radius around Campus Martius. From Hockeytown Cafe, Harmonie Park, the YMCA and back to Campus Martius itself, to historic locations such as Finney Park, where once stood a house of significant importance to the underground railroad, to the location of the first adoption agency for black children in America, Homes for Black Children.

It was a beautiful day for the challenge, and with people walking around Detroit, sightseeing before the Tigers game against the Diamondbacks later that night, or enjoying River Days, there was an air of community in the city, but we’ll just keep that our little secret. Having lived around Detroit my entire life without actually spending any more time there than an afternoon at the ball game and a few hours at the Elwood, or a concert at St. Andrews, I felt like a tourist in a city I consider home. After the challenge (we lost, only getting 9 out of 12 of the puzzles correct) my team, the SuperTramps, headed to Lafayette Coney Island to indulge in the local flavors; i.e. coney dogs and loose meat sandwiches.

After washing off the sweat and grime accrued, and resting my sore feet, what stuck with me from the challenge, was what a beautiful city we have here. The event coordinator, from Houston, was very impressed with our downtown as well, after researching and touring the city to set up locations and clues to the locations, he told us he never realized Detroit had so much to offer. On my trek around town, I couldn’t help but snap pictures of all the beautiful artwork and graffiti, all the dynamic personalities we bumped into, such as Papa Smurf, who was waiting at one particular location just to meet participants and take a picture for them in their favorite yoga pose.

Detroit was the ninth city to hold the Gorilla Challenge this year, with eighteen more cities planned. According to the emails I received in lieu of the actual challenge, there were around 300 registered participants, making it the largest Gorilla Challenge thus far. Let’s hope they come back next year, let’s plan on making it even bigger.