Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Rose Cafe where GRF Sam Legasse spoke about his research involved modern primitives. I thought this discussion was very interesting as we were discussing about how modernity really relies on primitive features/aspects as well. A main example being about how many of the modern museums we have nowadays showcase many primitive artifacts, paintings,etc. This discussion was interesting because we keep on hearing about how the world is becoming more modern in terms of the barriers people are able to surpass in terms of success, technologies being used to solve environmental/medicinal problems, etc. However, this discussion also brought to light how many “primitive” aspects of history are still with us today in terms of museums displaying paintings that convey old views people had about certain race groups.

This got me thinking about how a lot of “primitive”aspects of life that people want to dissociate with are still prevalent today. It is important that we have a balance between “primitive” and “modern” as primitive aspects of life because one is not superior to the other. Instead, both have played concepts have played a huge role in the developing society that we have. This discussion also got me thinking about the negative connotation that people give “primitive” aspects because there is this belief that if something is old, or not used as frequently then it is inferior. However, in reality, there is so much to learn from “primitive” artifacts/technologies, and ways of life as they have dictated the lives that people are able to lead today. This idea really relates to learning from your mistakes/past and using that to guide your future. I’m curious to see the degree to which modernism will keep progressing and eventually reach a point back to its primitive roots making a complete circle.