Anthropologists Quote by Huston Smith
“Modernity sees humanity as having ascended from what is inferior to it - life begins in slime and ends in intelligence - whereas traditional cultures see it as descended from its superiors. As the anthropologist Marshall Sahlins put the matter: We are the only people who assume that we have ascended from apes. Everybody else take it for granted that they are descended from gods.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The World’s Religions, Huston Smith, 1991
Modernity views human evolution as upward from lowly origins, while traditional cultures view humanity as a decline from divine origins.
In simple terms: Modernity sees rise from slime; tradition sees fall from gods.
Key Takeaway
Recognize both perspectives on human origin.
Themes
evolution
mythology
culture
anthropology
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
explanatory
reflective
When to use this quote
- education
- intercultural dialogue
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
progress
hierarchy
origin myths
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your worldview shape your view of humanity’s place?
- Can both perspectives coexist?
A Different Perspective
Assumes a linear view of progress, ignoring complexity of cultural narratives.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
