franksolich contacts professional anthropologists (update 05-26)

[franksolich]

Oh my.

I had problems with this, given that it's a legitimate bona fide inquiry, deserving open exposure of my real-life identity, but on one hand, as the Journal of Anthropology is at the University of New Mexico, there might, or might not, be a primitive on their staff, who would jump at an opportunity to give all the other primitives more information to use in stalking franksolich.

Remember, the defrocked warped primitive lives in New Mexico, and she's nobody one wants to mess with.

On the other hand, however, using an anonymous e-mail address suggests to the recipient that the inquiry is not serious, and gets the message tossed into the garbage.

Discretion is better than valor, however, and so franksolich went with discretion.

[I_B_Perky]

The reply will be interesting Frank. Who knows? You may have opened up a whole new discipline in that field.

[Chris_]

Check out the advertisements on that page.

[franksolich]

Check out the advertisements on that page.

Yeah, I've noticed some of the weirdest topics appear on the right-hand side.

I suspect the use of "democraticunderground" provoked the "body odor" stuff.

[BattleHymn]

Check out the advertisements on that page.

I don't even want to think of what a fur fighter might be.

[Paul Heinzman]

Frank, reading your OP, I couldn't help but be reminded of this hilarious video from The Onion: http://www.theonion.com/video/internet-archaeologists-find-ruins-of-friendster-c,14389/

[Zathras]

I don't even want to think of what a fur fighter might be.

It's a product for removing pet hair from upholstery, hard surface floors, auto interiors and clothing.

[BattleHymn]

It's a product for removing pet hair from upholstery, hard surface floors, auto interiors and clothing.

I know- but I was thinking what it might be in the context of the DUmp.  Not a pretty sight.

[Paul Heinzman]

I don't even want to think of what a fur fighter might be.

Since it appears to be Scotch (TM) brand, I'm guessing that 3M may have developed a one-step waxing system. I'm thinking a duct tape adhesive combined with a mild exfoliate. Properly marketed, such an idea could revolutionize manscaping. You could make a fortune, I tell ya! A FORTUNE!

Vince "ShamWOW" Offer could sell it. "You're gonna love my nuts." Sky's the limit with an ad campaign like that. Sky's... the... limit.

[Skul]

  Had to come see what got Stanky all worked up in another primative thread.
Funny shit, Frank.

[franksolich]

[franksolich]

Okay, where do I go now?

Contact this Miller guy, does one suppose?

By the way, anthropology's serious business, and I don't want to mess with anyone's academic decorum.

On the other hand, the primitives, who have no decorum, deserve all the messing-with they get.

[GOBUCKS]

Okay, where do I go now?

Contact this Miller guy, does one suppose?

By the way, anthropology's serious business, and I don't want to mess with anyone's academic decorum.

On the other hand, the primitives, who have no decorum, deserve all the messing-with they get.

I think coach should assume the identity of Dr. Martin Van Nostrand.

[franksolich]

I think coach should assume the identity of Dr. Martin Van Nostrand.

Actually, I'm going to contact this Miller guy in London, in a serious manner.

I think Skins's island is a fertile field for anthropology.

But first I have to read his stuff, to see where he's already been.

I suspect he hasn't been to Skins's island yet.

[dutch508]

Okay, where do I go now?

Contact this Miller guy, does one suppose?

By the way, anthropology's serious business, and I don't want to mess with anyone's academic decorum.

On the other hand, the primitives, who have no decorum, deserve all the messing-with they get.

My My My...Well, Dr. Solitch, I suggest you do contact Dr. Miller and see how far down the rabbit hole goes!

[USA4ME]

From wiki:

Daniel Miller (born 1954) is an anthropologist most closely associated with studies in material culture and consumption. His theoretical work was first developed in Material Culture and Mass Consumption and more recently in his book Stuff. This is concerned to transcend the usual dualism between subject and object and to study how social relations are created through consumption as an activity.

With his students he has applied these ideas to many genres of material culture such as clothing, homes, media and the car, through research based on the methods of traditional anthropological ethnography in regions including the Caribbean, India and London.

His work on material culture also includes ethnographic research on how people develop relationships of love and care through the acquisition of objects in shopping and how they deal with issues of separation and loss through their retention and divestment of objects.

He was originally trained in archaeology and anthropology at the University of Cambridge but has spent his entire professional life at the Department of Anthropology, University College London which has become a research centre for the study of material culture and digital anthropology.

"social relations are created through consumption as an activity."

If a form of "consumption" can be "political activity," and I don't see why it couldn't (i.e. the primitives consume liberal/progressive ideology), then the primitives would certainly warrant a study.  At least the methods used by Dr. Miller in his former studies might lay the groundwork upon which to build the study of Skin's island.  Definately worth a try.

.

[franksolich]

Well, well, well.....

This guy might be exactly the guy to whom I can sell the idea of studying the primitives on Skins's island as a furtherance of anthropological knowledge and insight.

I'm going to read some of his stuff, though, before I contact him.

Daniel Miller (born 1954) is an anthropologist most closely associated with studies in material culture and consumption. His theoretical work was first developed in Material Culture and Mass Consumption and more recently in his book Stuff. This is concerned to transcend the usual dualism between subject and object and to study how social relations are created through consumption as an activity.

With his students he has applied these ideas to many genres of material culture such as clothing, homes, media and the car, through research based on the methods of traditional anthropological ethnography in regions including the Caribbean, India and London.

His work on material culture also includes ethnographic research on how people develop relationships of love and care through the acquisition of objects in shopping and how they deal with issues of separation and loss through their retention and divestment of objects.

He was originally trained in archaeology and anthropology at the University of Cambridge but has spent his entire professional life at the Department of Anthropology, University College London which has become a research centre for the study of material culture and digital anthropology.

[franksolich]

From wiki:

"social relations are created through consumption as an activity."

If a form of "consumption" can be "political activity," and I don't see why it couldn't (i.e. the primitives consume liberal/progressive ideology), then the primitives would certainly warrant a study.  At least the methods used by Dr. Miller in his former studies might lay the groundwork upon which to build the study of Skin's island.  Definately worth a try.

What'd we do, sir--hit the same buttons at the same time?

[USA4ME]

What'd we do, sir--hit the same buttons at the same time?

Great minds and all of that...

.

[franksolich]

"social relations are created through consumption as an activity."

If a form of "consumption" can be "political activity," and I don't see why it couldn't (i.e. the primitives consume liberal/progressive ideology), then the primitives would certainly warrant a study.  At least the methods used by Dr. Miller in his former studies might lay the groundwork upon which to build the study of Skin's island.  Definately worth a try.

That's one angle, the primitives as consumers of political pablum.

But one can go all over the place with this; how about the primitives as consumers of other people's money, for example.

There's some of his stuff on the internet; I'm checking it out to see where he's gone, before contacting him. 

Sort of like "researching" a business before applying for a job, I guess.

[USA4ME]

That's one angle, the primitives as consumers of political pablum.

But one can go all over the place with this; how about the primitives as consumers of other people's money, for example.

You're right, too many to even try to list.  However any specific formula or technique he uses would be of interest, because if you find him worthy of taking up our nobel cause, but he is unable to do so because of existing obligations, information from him might assist us in undertaking the study ourselves as a service to the human race.

.

[franksolich]

You're right, too many to even try to list.  However any specific formula or technique he uses would be of interest, because if you find him worthy of taking up our noble cause, but he is unable to do so because of existing obligations, information from him might assist us in undertaking the study ourselves as a service to the human race.

That's the idea, sir.

I'm getting ready to read him tonight.