> The reason HGs did not learn to write, build monuments or complex homes,
> symphonies, etc. is because EVERYONE in the tribe was expected to obtain
> food for themselves as well as the tribe.  Moreover, the tribe had to move
> from place to place to find an abundant hunting/gathering area when another
> area was becoming depleted.  They usually returned to familiar spots after
> the wildlife had completely restored itself.

Brad,

I agree with your post.

As you state, the reason HG's did not learn to write is that everyone in the
tribe was expected to obtain food for themselves as well as the tribe, and
the tribe had to move from place to place to find an abundant
hunting/gathering area. This is basically another way of stating my view
that paleolithic people were unable to achieve higher goals because they
were preoccupied with procuring basic necessities.

Agriculture and animal husbandry (and the associated organized division of
labor) solved that problem and allowed for the human race to begin to focus
on loftier pursuits.

Michael,

> Perhaps doing the things we think are "Civilized" is in reality a form
> of mental illness.

Interesting but I'm sorry that is the kind of statement I cannot accept.
Civilization is not without its problems and certainly there are some bad
side-effects, but in broader terms I see the rise of modern civilization as
evidence of human evolution, not devolution. The bad side effects are like
growing pains.

This mailing list for example is evidence of civilization in the process of
self-medicating. Grain and perhaps dairy were and continue to be great boons
to society, but they turned out to have some unpleasant and unanticipated
side-effects. Ray and others (Atkins, Eades, etc) are showing us some easy
ways to correct for some of those side-effects, but without actually
throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

-gts