Who knows what anthropology is?

Question

Ok just so you know...I KNOW...but wondering how many people actually know what it means....

And if you are just looking it up...are you surprised at what it means? LOL

It's an interesting science...I would never have known that there was such a thing years back.

If you are one or have an understanding of it, why do you think it's so important in today's world?

I know marketers use it a lot.

Answer 1

I know, I took classes at University, and I use it in my job.

Answer 2

Are you as interested as I am in knowing how, when, and where human life arose, what the first human societies and languages were like, why cultures have evolved along diverse but often remarkably convergent pathways, why distinctions of rank came into being, and how small bands and villages gave way to chiefdoms and chiefdoms to mighty states and empires?

this is the information I found ; I would of loved to take this in high school.  

If marketers us this theory they certainly want to find out the buying powers of certain cultures today.

Answer 3

antrhopology is the study of culturals, people whether they're dead or alive. I took the course in high school for two years. i don't know if it's important, but it is a very interesting course, because we observe the different customs of peoples lifestyles and so on.

Answer 4

I took classes in college about it.  Its a really interesting subject.  I learned a lot and it really opened my eyes to what evolution really is.

Answer 5

Anthropology is the study of people's culture, religion and way of life.

Answer 6

I think it's the study of people and culture????

Answer 7

anthropology is the study of people and their origins going back into the forensics of our ancestors. margaret mead was a famous one. i use it in my forensics course for dead bodies.

Answer 8

Oooh, I know, I know.  I'm about to start my third year as a cultural anthro major in August.  I just got an AS in anthro this spring.  

I like it more than other social sciences because of it's broad nature, both in terms of the types of cultures studied and the number of aspects of those cultures studied.  I mean, EVERYTHING is fair game and that is so cool.  I like other social sciences though too, but anthro is my fave.

Plus, add in archaeology, physical and linguistics and then everything about people, past, present, social, biological, or whatever can be studied.  It's just so liberating and interesting.  I think a problem with many discplines is they are too narrow and can't get see the big picture.  Anthropology avoids that to some extent.  Of course, it's possible to lose sight of the details sometimes too if you're not careful.  That's why I like that the school I've gone to and the school I'm about to go to require that you get a good background in all the areas of the field instead of just focusing on only one, and then you can specialize.  Plus you have lots of room for electives from other disciplines.  I really liked my social psyc class last semester, for example.  

I'm thinking of eventually going into applied environmental anthropology, but I'm not sure.  I used to want to be an enviro science major, but I think enviro anthro would be better.  

Oh, plus the whole emphasis, at least recently, on application is great.  I think we should be obligated to use our knowledge to make the world a better place, and I like that anthropology really seems to be going in that direction as a discipline.  

I dislike that marketers and large corporations are using it though--a lot of the time they use it as a way to learn how to better exploit us and that just isn't cool.  A good example can be found in the book "The Culture of Make Believe" by Derrick Jensen.  He mentions an corporation he found online that he originally thought was a joke, but later realized was real.  The group is called "Behavior Modification Operations" and describe themselves as "a unique international corporate advisory company ready to fulfill your specific behavior modification requirements in support of organizational objectives in ustable areas and nations of the world.  BMO is staffed by psychological warfare and military operations professionals [...]"  It goes on to say "BMO personnel are thoroughly trained to facilitate local acceptance of your organization's objectives at all levels of a given society, from leaders of developing nations to hostile local groups and communities."  They will use "only the most sophisticated, historically proven techniques developed and practiced by government agencies, armed forces and many diverse political/national movements.  BMO operations combine historical precedence and trends with the strength of sciences such as cultural anthropology, social psychology, sociology, linguistics, and mass communications."  They will "provide effective influence over a given local population's opinions, emotions and attitudes with the purpose of changing the conduct of human environment [sic] in the area of your operation, to fulfil [sic] your specific objectives."  Makes me sick.