As far as “Last One Standing” (LOS) is concerned I understand your point about it being a catalyst for further exploration of a culture. What I take issue is that it is aired on the Discovery Channel where most people believe truth is presented. Not everyone necessarily learns critical thinking skills. I would therefore argue that LOS, with its authority from its airing on Discovery, has the potential of producing sensationalism and could give an overemphasis on what might be considered essential characteritics of any society such as aggression and warfare.

While I have not seen this show – I’m finding it quite hard to gather the the “gumption” to turn it on… So I cannot comment outside of speculation.

About the show.. (and I’ll start by mentioning that I’m not an anthropologist) I don’t see much issue with it. These people hold their tradition in high regard and I think the producers and participants really show respect for it as well. The show’s tone is certainly a bit machismo, but so is the tradition. It also doesn’t objectify and certainly doesn’t mock the indigenous people, thankfully. Beyond the anthropology lesson viewers receive, there seems to be a greater lesson about identifying with different cultures (participants live with the families and express respect for their traditions/values) and being a kind respectful and engaged guest. Seems more educational for the ‘lay person’ than the stale docs most are used to seeing.

I’m a layperson with an interest in mythology, anthropology and history, and peek at your blog on a regular basis. And the view from here is that anthropology and mythology is everywhere I look.

Current science fiction has taken a turn toward horror/goth, but the classics were essentially based on anthropology and mythology. Asimov’s ‘The Foundation Trilogy’, a very involved storyline written in simple language, talks of broad cultural changes that affect a ‘lost colony’ of historians who use capitalism and religion to grow into a ‘galactic’ power. He also introduced the concept of ‘psycho-historians’, mathematicians who have learned to quantify human political behavior and predict the fall of the current culture and the rise of a new order.

Another is Herbert’s ‘Dune’ (I don’t want to talk about the movie), another great pop classic that delves into organized religion and the use of drugs for religious and capitalist purposes. And then, of course is Phillip K Dick and the Star Wars phenomenon, which is based to some degree on Campbell’s work in mythology.

I grew up reading sci-fi, and only later began to connect the dots to anthropology, travel and a cross-cultural enthusiasm.

Roy

Peter N. Jones and I are currently involved in a series of collaborative posts on our respective websites on some related topics, regarding the rights of indigenous peoples and the protection/dissemination of their traditions. I urge anyone reading here with an interest in such issues to take a look at what we’ve been up to — and comment. The dialogue begins on post 84, “Prelude to a Collaboration” on my blog and continues on Peter’s blog, with his post entitled “Cultural Equity, Indigenous Peoples, and Homogenization: Part I.”