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Jane Mead Warfare An Invention

Decent Essays

In “Warfare: An Invention,” Mead talks about the invention of war, and how it is completely unnecessary. She uses examples of different civilizations such as the Eskimos, the Pygmies, and the Pueblo Indians to show us the differences between cultures who do/do not condone warfare. Mead also uses other models to justify her claim, such as the concepts of marriage and fire. “And yet even such universals as marriage and the use of fire are inventions like the rest, very basic ones, inventions which were perhaps necessary if human history was to take the turn it has taken, but nevertheless inventions”(275-276). Just like marriage and fire, warfare was invented by aggressive/ competitive humans. For some cultures it has been embedded in our history

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