Book 2 Post 1

Book 2 Post 1  

For the Book 2 reading assignment I chose “The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World” written by Wade Davis. This book captured my attention because I am very intrigued on how cultures that came before us had unique ways of seeing the world. I can imagine that the way they addressed challenges and day to day activities was definitely very different to what we do today. The world had not yet been globalized, and interconnected as it is in the present. For this reason, these ancestral communities relied on the powerful guidance of nature, time, the universe, and their own beliefs. They did not have all the technological advancements that we have today but still managed to achieve incredible things. 

 

Today, my day is filled with stimulus and technology. For example, if I want to go to my friend’s house, I simply write down the address on google maps and follow the directions to get to it. It is as easy as that. Routine has become technology-based. If I found myself living all those years ago, I would not know how to survive without everything we have today. Technological and scientific advances have allowed us cure diseases, be in contact with our loved ones even when we are very far away, travel and get to know different places. While I'm grateful for technology, I believe it has created a barrier between us and nature. Today, I wonder what it was like to find answers in the world and nature. I wonder what it is like to learn from experience, and not simply because I googled something. 

 

I chose this book because I believe it can be enriching to look back at the past and learn from the wisdom of ancestral communities. I think they had very special mindsets and perspectives of the world and we have a lot to learn from them.