From Cannibals to Hot Dogs

Posted by: Robbie Blinkoff

I’ve studied cannibals and I’ve studied hot dogs. And yes they are related and no they are not. From the vantage point of our culture, cannibalism is shrouded in mystery and is most certainly steeped in symbolism and tradition. From the vantage point of Papua New Guineans, hot dogs are most certainly shrouded in mystery and steeped in symbolism and tradition!

Behind the absurd truth in these statements lay the most important conceptual take away from anthropology: we all have culture. We all subscribe to a set of shared experiences (read: culture) that guide us in our lives, that define our behaviors, that situate norms — what is within the realm of normal for our society. All culture is guided by sets of symbols that contain meanings which act as signposts for what we do and more importantly who we are – our identity.

The deeper structure behind these symbols remains unarticulated by those within the culture. What anthropologists do is uncover those unarticulated deeper structures and connect them back to people’s behavior, the material culture they use, their language and their emotions. Critical to the whole anthropological enterprise is the understanding that….culture changes. Which means the reasons behind all that we do are made up. Concocted. Social constructions that over time take hold, appear wholly real, then dissolve.

So what’s the deep-structure behind cannibalism and hot dogs? That’s what anthropologists figure out for a living. Many institutions can extract value from gaining deep insight that an anthropological perspective provides. Today you’re as likely to find an anthropologist in academic and government settings as you are in private corporations.

And the answer to the deep-structure behind cannibalism and hot dogs? You are what you eat. Think about it.

GPS Systems - Lost in the Familiar

Posted by: Stephanie Simpson

So GPS sales in 2007 were up 488% for the holiday season. And clearly Robbie has developed a love affair with his travel GPS and it makes sense. When I was in Boston last month and I-90 was closed at 11pm and we were detoured through the city I felt better knowing I had a GPS and hearing her re-calculate our route… but once in the city, I realized that I could’ve just followed the detour signs and been fine.

So why the prevalence of these systems for the everyday? Do we not trust ourselves and our sense of direction anymore? Would taking a wrong turn be so bad? What’s happening to our sense of adventure? Are we becoming obsessed with navigating the familiar?

Or is it that our lives are so busy that we want to turn on the GPS so we don’t have to think about where we are going and can let our minds wander?

And how does this translate for brands? Do new brands have to work extra hard to break through our familiar or maybe the key is just to appeal to our sense of familiar and integrate with our lives so we can think about other things.

A Small World

Posted by: Stephanie Simpson

In this time of bigger is better, vanity sizing has steadily been creeping its way through clothiers. It is not a new phenomenon by any means, although I am surprised that it has flourished. Do we really believe that we wear a smaller size that we ever did? Honestly it just makes shopping more of a pain since you have to pull 3 different sizes for the same pair of pants.

So it got me wondering on a cultural level, was this maybe the early manifestation of a virtual world meets real world? What else will we accept that is clearly not reality-based?

Long Live the GPS!

Posted by: Robbie Blinkoff

So after all these years as a consumer anthropologist, you’d think I’d notice a transformational/life changing technology and adapt it quickly. But no. And so it goes with GPS. I’m even in a position to try GPS for little to no cost, since I am a frequent car renter on business trips. But no. Until last night. Sweet mother of god! GPS you are my master and I your humble servant. Long Live the GPS! It was perfect conditions for a GPS trial. About 20000 degrees below zero in Minneapolis, going to a hotel I know pretty well, easy directions, should be a great trial. But my reluctance holds. GPS talks to me in the car. “Turn right now.” “What? I’ve done this route several times and, no, GPS, you, yes you are wrong!” “Recalculating” says GPS. “OH, so this is how it is going to be, huh? Well you can recalculate all you want. And you can just sit in the passenger seat rather than on the dash, hah!” “Turn right in .5 miles.” “Oh, no you don’t, I know you are taking me off the correct path.” I pass on GPS’ instructions again. Now I see plenty of rush hour traffic and get the feeling GPS is trying to tell me something I don’t know. Is GPS clairvoyant? “Turn right at next exit.” I submit and turn right. I begin to follow GPS off into the hinterlands. Times of silence from GPS unnerves me, but I continue on. The temperature continues to drop, At this level I could freeze at a nanosecond if I am stranded. The suspense thickens, but then. “Turn right at the next exit.” Is this possible I think, GPS has led me back to my familiar path and in far less time than I am used to. And so it went with GPS all the way to my hotel. Taking me down big roads and little roads all in the service of getting me to my destination in the most efficient way possible. GPS you are my master and I your humble servant. Long Live the GPS!

Lefteousness: Engaging the New World View

Posted by: Robbie Blinkoff

I just got back from Boulder, Colorado. An old friend moved there many years ago from Washington, DC. I always wanted to visit and finally had the chance on a short business trip. You need to know that many years ago my wife got me to hug a tree, literally, as a way to calm me down during my dissertation write-up. The experience was powerful and I’ve continued to look into meditation and Buddhism as a source of relaxation, stress-reduction and spirituality. You should also know that I am Jewish (go to a Reconstructionist Temple for the High Holidays), my family goes to a Presbyterian Church, my wife is Methodist and we are both cultural anthropologists.

So here’s what really hit me about Boulder. It Rocks. I asked my friend to direct me to a short walk-hike before meeting for dinner. He sent me up to the Chautauqua Park where you can climb up those beautiful Flatiron rockfaces. I had a high in the 60s day with golden sunshine and the walk was unbelievable. After the hike, I head into town and see the Shambhala Meditation Center, the old Boulder theater is debuting Warren Miller’s yearly ski film and up the street is Naropa University - THE center for “contemplative” higher education.

My friend and I have a great dinner. After dinner we walk about Boulder and end up in front of Shambhala’s center. My friend turns to me and says: “What does it say about me that I live in Boulder and can’t seem to get back into meditation again?” I could take that comment so many ways. But Boulder is so over the top with great energy around “mindful living” that you could drown in it. It’s deer in headlights - where to start, how to create your practice in the midst of this abundance? Oh the irony.

But that feeling is not just happening in Boulder. The feeling is happening and growing on a smaller scale across the globe and in all kinds of locales. We’re swinging into a Lefteous phase. I believe this is great - people caring, concerned and wanting to reach out and give and learn. But I am concerned about the potential for backlash and burnout. Lefteous ideas are not simple. The intentions are true and great, but people will need to commit to a conversation and a deep learning curve. But in the mean time we’re in lefteous overdrive - how else to explain Al’s Oscar, Emmy and Nobel in one year! Marketers will do their jobs and search for short term gains. So the backlash begins.

What we all need is concerted education and commitment to the long haul on the issues. What we need is a strong belief system, yes, but an even stronger ability to listen and compromise.

My point for bringing up Lefteousness is to raise the alarm now and make sure we don’t destroy all the potential for good that faces us. Right now people are piling on issues such as green and environmentalism and related issues around social justice. Given our consumer society, it’s easy to understand how people will try to profit mightily from these times. But it’s critical that we hold on to the other kind of values inherent in these ideas and nurture and maintain a solid dialogue. We can sustain lefteousness.

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From Cannibals to Hot Dogs

GPS Systems - Lost in the Familiar

A Small World

Long Live the GPS!

Lefteousness: Engaging the New World View