The Impact of Civilization - Essay Example

Nomadic peoples tended to provide oral traditions and stories, but it wasn't until these became written down that society advanced to what might be called a civilized state. Through education in general and literacy in particular, civilization developed into its modern form. Thirdly, there is a distinct difference between the commercial activities of hunter/gatherer tribes and civilized society. For nomadic tribes, goods were acquired primarily for consumption. Excess items could be traded with other groups, but the primary goal was meeting daily needs.

Modern civilization is characterized by elaborate trading patterns that have no equal in the hunter/gatherer world. Finally, the political difference is dramatic. While hunter/gatherers had political rank or pecking order, it consisted primarily of who was strong enough to lead the tribe; and conducted through a fairly straightforward means of combat or test of skills. In modern civilization, the extensive political process has grown far beyond the simple model found in nomadic people. Do you expect that humans moving from the latter modes to civilization would need to make adjustments to the way they organize their individual lives, most assuredly?

First of all, they would have to adjust to the sheer volume of people within the society, and not see life through the small, tribal filter. They would have to increase their educational levels to be able to interact in the modern-day, with literacy being a key factor. They would be forced to rethink their concept of trade goods and commercial activity so that they could compete in the modern marketplace. Finally, they would have to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the political process in order to take part.