Hunter gathering and agriculture

Since I was brought up in Australia’s Western consumer culture, I have unconsciously accepted a society fuelled by food production as a normal way of life. For me, the term ‘hunter gatherer’ conjures images of ‘bush tucker’, nuts and berries, survival of the fittest. My perception is not inherently negative, rather a romanticised vision of a lifestyle that is foreign to me and, for the most part, outmoded.

The three readings I discuss here forced me to question these preconceived notions. Each highlighted how cultures based around food production are seen as the norm, while other modes of subsistence, such as hunter gathering, are seen as backwards, inferior or socially unacceptable. None of the authors agree with this view, but instead shed light on how and why these perceptions have been socially constructed.

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