Can't Get Them Masaais Outta My Head: Why We Live So Differently

Over the summer of 2009, I spent 5 weeks living with a tribe of Masaais in Kenya. The experience was fantastic but many parts of it were agonizing, isolating, and unbelievably frustrating. Mostly, it brought up a lot of things that make my head spin and are hard to justify or explain...

The only thing that creates conflict in groups, is innovation. We have layers of foundations- things that are givens- rules that everyone follows, a repertoire of tools that everyone uses, words that mean this and not that. We agree on these things, everyone has them, so there's no reason to fight. But as soon as something new is introduced (a new viewpoint, a new concept) everyone must separately decide how to classify this new item, and not everyone will agree.

The most united, steadfast groups of people are those who denounce and reject innovation. The French dont allow the language to change at all. There's even a committee to invent new French words for American inventions. Their language is therefor perfect and untouched and everyone defends it with their lives. The same concept of preservation applied to larger human and cultural development can cause stagnation which can limit a people in their ability to change, adapt and reevaluate according to a changing world.

Is it better to live in peace in a world lacking innovation (kenyan masaais, the avatar people) or one endorsing innovation but subjecting itself to restlessness, discontent and the fracturing of its people?

Does innovation have to inevitably lead to restlessness, discontent, and fracturing? As far as I can see, the only reason why it does, is because of people's inability to approach anything (a situation, a relationship, an object) without a preconceived idea of what it is, what it should be and its purpose. (Look at the clouds and what do you see? Condensed water hanging in the sky?? No- A sheep, a dinosaur, a dolphin!) Seeing things just as they are with no expectations makes for no disappointment and allows us to lose our baggage, our (at times limiting) values, our past experiences, and simply adapt to our surroundings. For Americans, living very comfortable, easy lives where survival is a given and self creation, self actualization is our struggle, preconceptions are limiting. But for the Masaais, where having 'a people' defined by prejudices, classifications and tradition is the only way of surviving, preconceptions are what makes you run away from a sound in the woods- assuming of course that its an elephant and can easily kill you. Maybe it was just another person from your tribe and you didnt need to run away but if you were wrong, the potential outcome is a painful death.

Innovation, for the Masaais, makes no sense and preconception-based preservation becomes first priority. But the delicate balance between nature and man that must be mastered and preserved to survive off the land, only works for both sides of the equation if neither one of them changes. Unfortunately, the land is the one thats changing this time. Hence, now, a dying people who, unable to adapt to their surroundings, are living hundreds of years in the past.