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Wednesday
November 9, 2005

On the Origins of the Trading Syndrome by A. Robert Malcom

Among the ancient settlements uncovered by archaeological research, raiding was not the dominant means of interaction; plenty of evidence suggests that instead, bartering took place. Bartering is a form of trading, an exchange of "value for value," and, because of the likelihood of repeated encounters, was done without coercion. (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (11 messages)

Post 0

Wednesday, November 9 - 5:40pm

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Thank you, Robert. I am pleased to be the first to comment and would be surprised if I were the first to bonk.

Post 1

Wednesday, November 9 - 5:41pm

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Robert, if the first societies were matriarchal, how did men come to dominate civilisation (prior to modern capitalism)? Or are you suggesting that while the basis of society is matriarchal, men nevertheless prevailed? A symbiosis?

Ms Paglia:

"If civilization had been left in female hands we would still be living in grass huts. "

...but:

"Woman is the dominant sex. Men have to do all sorts of stuff to prove that they are worthy of woman's attention. "

...and then:

"Men know they are sexual exiles. They wander the earth seeking satisfaction, craving and despising, never content. There is nothing in that anguished motion for women to envy."

Oh, that Camille!

Ross

Post 2

Wednesday, November 9 - 8:09pm

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That will be taken up in the article - On the Taking Syndrome...

Post 3

Wednesday, November 9 - 9:05pm

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Robert,

Fascinating article. Thanks for writing this.

-Bill

Post 4

Wednesday, November 9 - 10:39pm

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Great article. But Robert, why call trading a "syndrome?" Why not just "On the Origins of Trade?"

Post 5

Thursday, November 10 - 4:47am

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Adam,

'Syndrome' does not appear in the article itself and we have learned recently that article titles are not necessarily the province of the author therefore you really don't know that 'syndrome' was Robert's choice.

Post 6

Thursday, November 10 - 6:31am

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Jane Jacobs used those terms of syndromes in her work, Systems of Survival... I merely took trading and taking as the proper essence of the respective syndromes as opposed to her's... this is a continuation of previous articles regarding the origins...

Post 7

Thursday, November 10 - 6:39am

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Its very interesting material that makes some sense, but I also think much of it is highly speculative. Evidence is somewhat lacking.

Post 8

Thursday, November 10 - 6:55am

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In seeking to making an integrated view of existence, speculation is a must regarding the prehistoric eras - as long as it retains to what evidence there is, in a non-contradictory manner, it retains its validity, and offers a view from which further evidence-gathering may peruse.. I admit to taking from a multitude of disciplines, synthesizing them, as a generalist, into a comprehensive whole - it is my position that it allows for greater understanding of the respective parts to see them in conjunction with other seemingly unrelated areas...

Post 9

Thursday, November 10 - 8:46pm

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Robert,

Thanks! It was not clear to me that you were using Jacobs' term.

Post 10

Friday, November 11 - 5:06pm

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Ross Elliott asked: "... how did men come to dominate civilisation ..."

What makes you think they do? You identify civilization with "the boys and their toys." Wars, treaties, politics, conquests, destruction... I do not believe that civilization is those things.

... "the power behind the throne" ...

Women use men like sockpuppets and men think they are in charge. There was an amusing tale from after World War II where the Navy wanted to buy this island, so they went to the men's council and the men voted... then the men went home... When the Navy came back, they found that they had been dealing with the wrong people.

I remember having a discussion with some libertarians when women could not vote in Switzerland. (It's an on and off thing, apparently.) And one woman said, "They don't vote because they don't need to." That pretty much ended the debate.