Marshall Sahlins - described as a "not-quite-Marxist" who passed a Marxist stage in his academic life by Eriksen and Nielsen in A History of Anthropology - wrote a bedtime book, "a pasticherie for our dessert", consisting of his notes in his magical notebook called Waiting for Foucault, Still. Here are some excerpts for you just to let you know how it tastes:
The Poetics of Culture, I
Anthropologists wanted. No experience actually necessary. Make more than most poets. (p. 13)
Utilitarianism
A people who conceive life to be the pursuit of happiness must be chronically unhappy. (p. 17)
How to Solve the World's Problems
There is a sure, one word solution to all the world's current problems: Atheism. (p. 36)
Some Laws of Civilization
First law of civilization: All airports are under construction.
Second law of civilization: I'm in the wrong line.
Third law of civilization: Snacks sealed in plastic bags cannot be opened, even using your teeth.
Fourth law of civilization: The human gene whose discovery is announced in the New York Times—there's one every day, a gene du jour—is for some bad trait, like schizophrenia, kleptomania, or pneumonia. We have no good genes.
Fifth law of civilization: Failing corporate executives and politicians always resign to spend more time with their families. (p. 45)
Not quite enough? You can download the whole pamphlet from here. Bon appétit !
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