The Importance of Human Universals with Anthropology Professor Rick Chacon
Written By Meghan Miglorie
Feature
Link to the Alto Corrientes Health Care Fund (ACHCF)
https://hospitalshell.org/en/light-way/(Non-profit entity run by local missionaries who work with the Achuar/Shiwiar peoples of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Winthrop represents many brilliant professors from various walks of life and all around the world. Richard J. Chacon, Professor of Anthropology, is one of these skillful teachers.
When it comes to cultural anthropology, Chacon is an expert at unraveling how each human is significantly unique from the next. “Anthropology is all about recognizing and celebration, celebrating the differences in culture”, Chacon commented.
RMR staff-writer asked, “As an Anthropology professor, what do you hope to give to your students? From what you’ve been through and what you’ve seen, what is the one thing you want students to take away from your course?”
“That’s a really good question,” Chacon chuckled, describing that cultural differences,
“[..] are out there. The fact that there’s some groups that act or believe differently from one another should not be a deal breaker. […] Many native societies look at things Westerners do and find it appalling, so it will always be a two-way street”.
RMR staff commented, “We all want to leave this earth knowing we go somewhere meaningful and that our lives serve a purpose”.
“Absolutley, you’re 100 percent right”, Chacon agreed. “There need not be insurmountable barriers to human understanding. Be smart, identify subjects that you’re in agreement with, you know, be polite, find middle ground.”
Chacon added,“Then you can find commonalities, use those as bridges, beach heads to create avenues of mutual understanding”. Human universals are a large part of life, especially in the context of understanding what every cultural society has in common, regardless of religious beliefs or societal norms”.
RMR staff-writer posed the question, “[…] For all of the different walks of life you’ve witnessed, what would you say is your human universal?”
“Well, the notion of falling in love with another”, Chacon commented. “Is that a Western construct? No, initially, many historians thought it was the case, but there are love poems written by the Aztecs, written by the ancient Chinese, all over the world. […] And in the Amazon, I saw people that had crushes on each other, comparatively to kids in America”.
Chacon added, “[…] It’s so common falling in love, if you talk of falling in love, caring for one’s family. My god that’s so universal. “It’s a fundamentally human thing”.
The take away perspective from this interview is to celebrate the differences of human life. Professor Chacon’s main goal as a lecturer is to engage students with cultures, lifestyles and customs that are contrasting to Western culture.
By appreciating the differences amongst us, society can celebrate what every side of the world brings to the ultimate pursuit of a content life.