Ways we conceptualize “Work” and “Society”

How do you think hunter-gatherers lived throughout human history? You may assume that in a society where simply existing was a full-time job, their daily lives consisted of a perpetual struggle between eating and being devoured. However, according to an anthropological study, that wasn't the case. For instance, when anthropologist James Suzman visited the Ju/'hoansi hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari Desert to study them, he discovered that they worked only 15 hours per week, and that a large portion of that time was spent on pursuits that many people in the contemporary West would consider leisure, such as hiking and fishing. Of course, there were many difficult times for hunter-gatherers throughout history. But an anthropological study of both modern and prehistoric hunter-gatherers has revealed a common theme: Rather than being a constant battle for energy. As Suzman told Big Think, looking at the lives of hunter-gatherers can help us rethink the ways we conceptualize work and society.