--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cultural anthropology is not valuable…" description: "\"Cultural anthropology is not valuable because it uncovers the archaic in the psychological sense. It is valuable because it is constantly rediscovering..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/edward-sapir-15133_anthropology_cultural-anthropology-is-not-valuable-be_830136.jpg" --- # Cultural anthropology is not valuable because it uncovers… ![“Cultural anthropology is not valuable because it uncovers the archaic in the psychological sense. It is valuable because it is constantly rediscovering the normal.” quote by Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/edward-sapir-15133_anthropology_cultural-anthropology-is-not-valuable-be_830136.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/edward-sapir-15133_anthropology_cultural-anthropology-is-not-valuable-be_830136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/edward-sapir-15133_anthropology_cultural-anthropology-is-not-valuable-be_830136.jpg) > “Cultural anthropology is not valuable because it uncovers the archaic in the psychological sense. It is valuable because it is constantly rediscovering the normal.” [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anthropology reveals hidden norms, not just ancient customs. **In simple terms:** It uncovers everyday truths. Key Takeaway Value the study of normality. Themes culture norms knowledge Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - education - policy making - community work Key Concepts social theory human behavior Questions to Reflect On - What “normal” does anthropology reveal today? - How does rediscovering normal shape society? A Different Perspective Focus on archaic aspects may overlook current relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anthropology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthropology/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) ## Related quotes > [Cultural anthropology is more and more rapidly getting to realize itself as a strictly historical science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/cultural-anthropology-is-more-and-more-rapidly-getting-to-realize/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [When I went to college, I really became interested in cultural anthropology. Our behavior isn't that different from other primate species'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-taffer/when-i-went-to-college-i-really-became-interested-in-cultural/) [Jon Taffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-taffer/) > [“My specialty is cultural anthropology,” the Professor said. “I gave up being a scholar some time ago, but I’m still permeated with the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/my-specialty-is-cultural-anthropology-the-professor-said-i-gave-up/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I chose cultural anthropology, since it offered the greatest opportunity to write high-minded balderdash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-chose-cultural-anthropology-since-it-offered-the-greatest/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Margaret Mead was both a student of civilization and an exemplar of it. To a public of millions, she brought the central insight of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/margaret-mead-was-both-a-student-of-civilization-and-an-exemplar-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [In 1989 I came to New York to go to the School of Visual Arts. Then, after two years, I switched over to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandra-mir/in-1989-i-came-to-new-york-to-go-to-the-school-of-visual-arts-then/) [Aleksandra Mir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandra-mir/) > [If you see a wonderful archaic Greek marble object in a museum, it's not only that it's beautiful, but what comes to your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steinhardt/if-you-see-a-wonderful-archaic-greek-marble-object-in-a-museum-it-s/) [Michael Steinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steinhardt/) > [Dealing with crime using archaic methods has become impossible. So, it's imperative that we change the ways to counter them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/dealing-with-crime-using-archaic-methods-has-become-impossible-so-it/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [“shrestha (SHRES·thuh) noun When a dream comes true—but not for the dreamer. Archaic;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/shrestha-shres-thuh-noun-when-a-dream-comes-true-but-not-for-the/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“Her husband had archaic ideas about jewels; a man bought them for his wife in acknowledgement of things he could not gracefully utter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/her-husband-had-archaic-ideas-about-jewels-a-man-bought-them-for-his/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Every mind is a room packed with archaic furniture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/every-mind-is-a-room-packed-with-archaic-furniture/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [What's really interesting about that is that a lot of these words that were incendiary in their time now seem almost harmless and laughable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kaufman/what-s-really-interesting-about-that-is-that-a-lot-of-these-words/) [Philip Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kaufman/) > [“Archaic humans paid for their large brains in two ways. Firstly, they spent more time in search of food. Secondly, their muscles atrophied. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/archaic-humans-paid-for-their-large-brains-in-two-ways-firstly-they/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“The formation of a unified standard (biblical) text probably also involved the elimination of terms and structures that were too archaic to be understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-s-enz-badillos/the-formation-of-a-unified-standard-biblical-text-probably-also/) [Angel Sáenz-Badillos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-s-enz-badillos/) > [“For similar reasons, archaic humans did not initiate any revolutions. As far as we can tell, changes in social patterns, the invention of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/for-similar-reasons-archaic-humans-did-not-initiate-any-revolutions/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## More by Edward Sapir > [Human beings do not wish to be modest; they want to be as expressive - that is, as immodest - as fear allows; fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/human-beings-do-not-wish-to-be-modest-they-want-to-be-as-expressive/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [A common allegiance to form of expression that is identified with no single national unit is likely to prove one of the most potent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/a-common-allegiance-to-form-of-expression-that-is-identified-with-no/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [A standard international language should not only be simple, regular, and logical, but also rich and creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/a-standard-international-language-should-not-only-be-simple-regular/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [The psychology of a language which, in one way or another, is imposed upon one because of factors beyond one's control, is very different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/the-psychology-of-a-language-which-in-one-way-or-another-is-imposed/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [French and German illustrate the misleading character of apparent grammatical simplicity just as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/french-and-german-illustrate-the-misleading-character-of-apparent/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [A common creation demands a common sacrifice, and perhaps not the least potent argument in favour of a constructed international language is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/a-common-creation-demands-a-common-sacrifice-and-perhaps-not-the/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [A second type of direct evidence is formed by statements, whether as formal legends or personal information, regarding the age or relative sequence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/a-second-type-of-direct-evidence-is-formed-by-statements-whether-as/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [One of the glories of English simplicity is the possibility of using the same word as noun and verb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/one-of-the-glories-of-english-simplicity-is-the-possibility-of-using/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [Comparison of statements made at different periods frequently enable us to give maximal and minimal dates to the appearance of a cultural element 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content…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/as-a-matter-of-fact-a-national-language-which-spreads-beyond-its-own/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [Cultural anthropology is more and more rapidly getting to realize itself as a strictly historical science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/cultural-anthropology-is-more-and-more-rapidly-getting-to-realize/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [Language is the most massive and inclusive art we know, a mountainous and anonymous work of unconscious generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/language-is-the-most-massive-and-inclusive-art-we-know-a-mountainous/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [These examples of the lack of simplicity in English and French, all appearances to the contrary, could be multiplied almost without limit and apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/these-examples-of-the-lack-of-simplicity-in-english-and-french-all/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) [Explore all 44 Edward Sapir quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) ## More Anthropology quotes > [“Marriage," "mating," and "love" are socially constructed phenomena that have little or no transferable meaning outside any given culture. 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My parents divorced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-king/i-didn-t-major-in-anthropology-in-college-but-i-do-feel-i-had-an/) [Lily King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-king/) > [Anthropology is the only discipline that can access evidence about the entire human experience on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brian-schiffer/anthropology-is-the-only-discipline-that-can-access-evidence-about/) Michael Brian Schiffer > [“All social interactions require some loss of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erol-ozan/all-social-interactions-require-some-loss-of-freedom/) [Erol Ozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erol-ozan/) > [“Morphological anthropology applied to the physical study of children, is also a strong element in the growth of the new pedagogy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montessori-maria/morphological-anthropology-applied-to-the-physical-study-of-children/) Montessori Maria > [There are savages without God in any proper sense of the word, but none without ghosts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-savages-without-god-in-any-proper-sense-of-the-word-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anthropology was the science that gave her the platform from which she surveyed, scolded and beamed at the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-howard/anthropology-was-the-science-that-gave-her-the-platform-from-which/) [Jane Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-howard/) > [It's always amusing to look at how something early in the 20th century was written in anthropology and how it's written now. 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