reciprocity
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reciprocity [2016/07/22 22:42] – Ryan Schram (admin) | reciprocity [2016/07/22 23:08] – Ryan Schram (admin) | ||
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**Reciprocity**, | **Reciprocity**, | ||
- | Mauss begins with the observation that, contrary to popular belief, no natural impulse to barter and negotiate in exchanges. People, he argues, do not have a natural instinct to pursue their own self-interest | + | Mauss begins with the observation that, contrary to popular belief, |
- | Mauss concludes that we see so many examples of societies with a system of total services because in fact it reflects an essential quality of society itself, which is that society is a totality, a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts. To make this happen, to create and renew the social whole, society imposes upon all members the obligations of the gift. Specifically, | + | Mauss concludes that we see so many examples of societies with a system of total services because in fact it reflects an essential quality of society itself, which is that society is a totality, a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts. To make this happen, to create and renew the social whole, society imposes upon all members the obligations of the gift. Specifically, |
- | But then that's where things | + | ## " |
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+ | At first glance, Mauss appears to be saying | ||
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+ | Rather, all societies reproduce themselves because the obligations of the gift function to sustain the basis for social life itself. All societies impose the obligations of the gift in some way. This can take a variety of forms. Who gives what to whom, where and when can all be different, and the kinds of bonds between people are thus different. More importantly for me, and this may be one area which Mauss neglects, many societies like to pretend that they no longer adhere to a norm of reciprocity, | ||
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+ | Consider the emotions reciprocity evokes. It sounds like a word for fairness. And yet, there' | ||
> Tit for tat. | > Tit for tat. | ||
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Ouch! | Ouch! | ||
- | And then there' | + | And then there' |
- | Also, did you know that < | + | But then that is where things get really interesting. Consider also the feelings evoked by reciprocity by people who recognize its moral force. According to one author, |
- | The [[kula]] is conducted is grand ceremonial style and is steeped in formality and decorum. The kula is also a cutthroat competition for " | + | The [[kula]] is conducted is grand ceremonial style and is steeped in formality and decorum. The kula is also a cutthroat competition for " |
- | So, although Mauss tries to link the act of gift giving and reciprocity to a sense of moral unity and solidarity with one's community, often people do not experience reciprocity in this way. The system of total services can develop into an " | + | People who live in a gift system may themselves |
- | For our purposes, it is important to remember that Mauss' | ||
## References ## | ## References ## |
reciprocity.txt · Last modified: 2021/07/08 21:55 by Ryan Schram (admin)