Is lifetime membership a defining characteristic of tribes? For example, would “neo-tribes” work without this feature?

Lifetime membership is a defining characteristic of aboriginal tribes. “Neo-tribes” not only “would” work without this feature, they DO work, as the examples in Beyond Civilization show. There’s almost always a middle ground between something working and not working.

Does a marriage without children work? Yes, but not the same way as a marriage with children. Does a single-parent family work? Yes, but not the same way as a two-parent family. Does a typewriter work? Yes, but not the way a word processor works.

You have to work with what you CAN have and CAN do, and not fixate on what you CAN’T have and CAN’T do.

ID: 625
posted:
updated: 05 Apr 2003