Political Science 2237E Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: The Good Life, Men Only, Human Nature
24 Sep 2016
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Insurance: preparing for bad times (especially in states with weak institutions: homeric, philia = kinship, friendship. Important mechanism for survival when there"s no or weak institutions; therefore have to rely on family and friends for protection. Friends are the important asset in society; linked to status and power. Attained by gifts (trading arms); connection can be from past family members. Unequal friendship = one of the friends is more powerful and has more resources than the other. More powerful friend brings protection, wealth, status and honor -thus other friend makes up for it through loyalty, labour, entertainment, and knowledge/ advice. Human nature: [2 extremes] humans are born with certain characteristics; Or human beings are socially constructed (made by society because they are born blind) In illiad gods implant both bad and good ideas. In odyssey only good ideas: clear acceptance of differences in male and females. Physical inferiority: male has higher status even if weaker than the female.
