Richard Lee’s Encounter with the Kung: Theoretical Perspectives

Richard Lee’s story about his experience among the Kung of the Kalahari when he was insulted about his Christmas gift to the community exhibited three different theoretical perspectives. I believe these perspectives are cultural evolutionism, cultural materialism, and —Cultural evolutionism is shown through their beliefs and customs. They believe that everyone should be seen as equal and that no one should hold more power or arrogance than others. They demonstrated this when the anthropologist brought the Ox for the feast. They werent grateful for the Ox and instead told him that it was a bag of bones and would not feed the whole town. Through doing this they brought his ego back down. This is a custom of theirs in order to maintain the equality. I believe this shows evolution because in U.S. culture when someone gives you a gift often times youre expected to provide them a favor, or gratitude, or even another gift in return. I think also that person kind of hold a little bit of power over you. And in this society they have grown past that and found a way to keep everyone equal. I think this also demonstrates Cultural materialism as well because it shows how much weight their belifs have in this society. They believe so deeply that everyone should be seen as equal that they went tothis extent to keep everyone equal. Their beliefs hold great value. I believe thisalso demonstrates functionalism as well. They have a structured society that works a certain way and everyone knows whats going on. They all agree that equality is huge as well as understood what to do when the outsider brought in the Ox. THey all had an understanding of one another.