Imagine you could go back in time tens of thousands of years, to a time that represents the vast majority of human existence as a species. You find yourself alone in the wilderness, self-sufficient, when a band of hunter-gatherers spots you. What happens next? Assuming they don’t kill you, they are likely to offer you […]
anthropology
The State and its Blood Ties
Moving to Finland and acquiring Finnish nationality were, for me, decisions I made freely, choosing my own path as an individual. However, when I notified my country of origin, it didn’t take it very well. Spain gave me an ultimatum: sign a declaration of loyalty to the fatherland or lose my nationality. That’s right — […]
The Sacrifice of the Child
The biblical narrative of Isaac’s sacrifice is unsettling from any point of view. God commands Abraham to kill his own son, Isaac. Without questioning, Abraham obeys. He rises early, prepares the fire, carries the wood, and leads his son to the designated place. Only at the very last moment, as Abraham’s hand is raised with […]
All gender is male: An ethological perspective
When we observe humanity from a perspective of animal behaviour (ethology), we find something unusual: human females do not look or act like females in most other species. Instead, they exhibit behaviours and characteristics that, in the rest of the animal kingdom, are associated with males competing for mates. This might seem counterintuitive at first, […]
The ‘real’ father
Daughter: “What if you’re not my real dad? Like, what if someone else is my actual dad?” Dad: “Why do you say that? What made you think of this?” Daughter: “I don’t know… I just think I’d feel sad if you weren’t my real dad. I’d begin to like the other guy, even if I […]
From Mother Goddess to Virgin Mother: The Evolution of Motherhood in Myth
Motherhood has always been central to human culture and mythology, but its meaning and significance have transformed profoundly over time. From ancient fertility goddesses who embodied the raw power of life and creation to the subdued maternal figures of patriarchal religions, myths about mothers reveal not only societal values but also deep conflicts between genders […]