One of the driving forces that differentiates the lifestyle of Piraha and westerners, is that, both cultures enforce different ideas of success. The Piraha take life lightly, live in the moment, and have no hierarchal system—consequently leading them to strive for overall happiness and pleasure. Westerners on the other hand, plan for the future, work long hours to make money, and self-define their worth on a class system—driving them to achieve wealth and material possession. With both cultures having different ideals of what success is, it comes to question: How do we define and measure success, and, which culture has the more accurate idea of success? Having been raised in a culture that defines success as achieving financial greatness,
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As Everett notes, “the most striking thing I remember about seeing the Pirahas for the first time was how happy everybody seemed” (Everett 6). The Piraha eternal happiness and warmth speak to their laidback culture and lifestyle. The Piraha take life lightly, and are able to brush off adversity. Everett notices this on seeing them in their day to day life, Everett states, “Pirahas laugh at their own misfortune: when someone’s hut blows over in a rainstorm…they laugh when they catch a lot of fish, they laugh when they catch no fish” (85). The Piraha lifestyle emphasizes happiness and enjoying the most out of life even with …show more content…
With lack of stress, the Piraha are able to sustain their eternal happiness and tranquility even without having a concrete conception of time. Throughout Everett’s stay with the Piraha he notices how the Piraha don’t worry for what is to come ahead. Everett remarks after observing them, “A pattern was emerging: they had no method for food preservation, neglected tools and made only disposable baskets. This seemed to indicate that lack of concern for the future was a cultural value” (78). As Everett observes, the Piraha do not place a huge emphasis on planning ahead and worrying about what will happen next. Just as planning ahead is ingrained in most aspects of western culture, living in the moment is ingrained in many outlets of Piraha culture. Everett makes note of this in Piraha language and how the only statements Piraha make have a specific focus of being in the present rather than in the past or future (132). The way the Piraha language is constructed has a lot to do with the way the Piraha live. Their specific focus on the present is one of the reasons why the Piraha do not have any mythology or folklore that give story to their past. Without history, the Piraha have fewer restrictions than westerners to preserve any sort of cultural standard, and therefore hardly have any social
As Everett notes, “the most striking thing I remember about seeing the Pirahas for the first time was how happy everybody seemed” (Everett 6). The Piraha eternal happiness and warmth speak to their laidback culture and lifestyle. The Piraha take life lightly, and are able to brush off adversity. Everett notices this on seeing them in their day to day life, Everett states, “Pirahas laugh at their own misfortune: when someone’s hut blows over in a rainstorm…they laugh when they catch a lot of fish, they laugh when they catch no fish” (85). The Piraha lifestyle emphasizes happiness and enjoying the most out of life even with …show more content…
With lack of stress, the Piraha are able to sustain their eternal happiness and tranquility even without having a concrete conception of time. Throughout Everett’s stay with the Piraha he notices how the Piraha don’t worry for what is to come ahead. Everett remarks after observing them, “A pattern was emerging: they had no method for food preservation, neglected tools and made only disposable baskets. This seemed to indicate that lack of concern for the future was a cultural value” (78). As Everett observes, the Piraha do not place a huge emphasis on planning ahead and worrying about what will happen next. Just as planning ahead is ingrained in most aspects of western culture, living in the moment is ingrained in many outlets of Piraha culture. Everett makes note of this in Piraha language and how the only statements Piraha make have a specific focus of being in the present rather than in the past or future (132). The way the Piraha language is constructed has a lot to do with the way the Piraha live. Their specific focus on the present is one of the reasons why the Piraha do not have any mythology or folklore that give story to their past. Without history, the Piraha have fewer restrictions than westerners to preserve any sort of cultural standard, and therefore hardly have any social