Exodus from Paradise

With the ‘Decline of the Western Empires’ Exodus from Paradise turns out to be a European construct and predicament.

Most non-Europeans, in particular indigenous peoples (First Nations), never left paradise. (see Van Bekkum abstract First and Second Nations 2015)

Our eschatology of paradise lost is self-created!

Cross-culturally compared this could be taken as a mirage.

Our, anthropologists’, fascination for ‘aboriginal cultures’ can be seen as a manifestation of Europe’s craving for what it has lost as a civilization.

One of our anthropological grandfathers, Marshall Sahlins, after having left the hegemonic academic rat race,  wrote a seminal cultural selfreflexive essay on ourselves: ‘Marshall Sahlins The Western Illusion of Human Nature sublimation of fear of anarchy 2007‘

Two anthropological still living greatgrandmothers, Unni Wikan and Edith Turner, offered their lifelong reflections on looking through the eyes of ‘others’ to ourselves.

2012 Unni Wikan’s ‘Resonance: Beyond the Words’

2012 Edith Turner’s ‘Communitas: The Anthropology of Joy‘

It is time to acknowledge that we created both our ‘White Man’s Burden’ as our ‘Paradise Lost’.

Don’t be shocked, we, Europeans, still have much to offer to ourselves and the world.

From now we are liberated and have the unique chance to look through the eyes of ‘others’ to ourselves.

To return with ‘others’ to paradise.