Margaret Mead was a famous anthropologist. She is most well-known for studying human behavior. In her studies, she noted the plasticity of human nature and the variability of social customs. … Mead’s famous theory of imprinting found that children learn by watching adult behavior.
I recently read a quote of hers. It was an answer to the question of when did the human race start to become more civilized. She said, in her opinion, it was when archeologists started to discover skeletons with bones that were obviously purposely mended after being broken. In earlier times, people would simply die of those injuries. It is only when others helped to splint those broken bones and sew up the wounds is when they considered civilization beginning. As a person who has spent my life trying to help people heal and feel better and recover from things, I found this very intriguing.
She said in the animal world a broken leg means you’re going to die soon and for early mankind that was probably the same result. But the difference is when people realized they could tend to each other and help them heal from a bone break that that coincided with the value of life and the value of having a tribe.
Recovering from something as hard as a bone break back then required someone having to help feed you or protect you as well as help the bone heal by addressing the bandage and tying it up just right so that it would heal together. This all took thought and caring and was probably motivated by love. It is the beginning as communities and nothing could have been advanced if it hadn’t started then.
Then, Florence Nightengale taught hospitals about the value of cleanliness. Cleaning wounds, washing hands, sanitizing instruments. Until then more people died from infection than from the actual wounds suffered in battle.
Today, what makes me proud is watching all the people help other people. Private citizens who shut their businesses down to make masks for healthcare workers. Restaurants who feed front line workers. Men, women, and children who are feeing the truck drivers who can’t access food because the restaurants are shut down.
To me, that’s what makes us humans. With all of the sniping that goes on because of politics, it’s easy to lose sight of all the good things people do to help each other.
Do good things, check on your single Moms and Dad friends. Deliver a home cooked meal when you can. Keep helping each other and don’t worry so much about the bad stuff you hear about.
Valentina Boonstra
