Specific Opinion About This Two Anthropology Sources Essay

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Ethnography From an Artistic Point-of-View

One of the most intriguing things about art is that it pervaded all cultures, regardless of the conditions present in some communities. Values that seem absurd for some cultures can be especially appreciated by others and vice-versa, considering the complex nature of the contemporary society. Napoleon A. Chagnon's article "Doing Fieldwork among the Yanomamo" provides readers with a first person understanding of the Yanomamo tribe and with the opportunity to understand why the community's members take on attitudes that the masses might be inclined to criticize.

The writer emphasizes the extreme aggression present in the Yanomamo culture and the fact that these people actually consider this to be one of the most important values in their community. What was even more surprising is that they seemed to be enthusiastic about it and that this induced feelings related to brutality and unfairness in Chagnon. As most people in the civilized world he was accustomed to acting in accordance with a system of laws and he was raised in an environment that set strict definitions of what was considered right and what was considered wrong.

In order for Chagnon to be able to enter the Yanomamo society, he did not only become more open minded, as he also came to adopt an attitude that would make it possible for the tribe's members to accept him. Even with this, he had trouble going through with his plan in the beginning and he actually expressed doubt regarding the field of work that he was involved in. However, he gradually started to behave similar to the Yanomamo tribe and eventually felt that he was really enabled to understand them directly.

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Chagnon's experience can be comprehended more easily when regarding things from an artistic point-of-view. The man felt that it was difficult for him to be assimilated by a community that was nothing like the one that he grew in. However, as he changed his perspective he began to appreciate some factors in the Yanamomo society and virtually saw the beauty in these people's behavior.

It is actually curious that one can be easily influenced to abandon all of his or her principles when the respective person comes across a situation that exceeds his abilities and makes it difficult and almost impossible for him to continue to direct his thinking in a particular way. Chagnon was left with the impression that he was unable to perform his job properly when he discovered that the Yanomamo people were hostile and that they were focused on acting in disagreement with every single value respected in the civilized world. However, as he started to integrate the tribe he came to gain a better understanding of his position and eventually began to appreciate the important role that humanity had provided him with.

Chagnon's article demonstrates that people often have the tendency to discriminate communities and individuals because they fail to understand the world from the perspective of these respective communities and individuals. This means that it is essential for individuals to get actively involved in trying to understand things that they are inclined to express hatred toward.

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"Specific Opinion About This Two Anthropology Sources" (2012, October 23) Retrieved May 20, 2025, from
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