Culture and Commitment Author:Margaret Mead A study of the generation gap by anthropologist Margaret Mead. — The lesson the elders of western society must learn is to relocate the future in the present, to give power to the young and together work out man's destiny. She classifies cultures in terms of models for behavior. In "postfigurative" societies the three generation family i... more »s typical, and grandparents set the tone of the life style. "Cofigurative" societies are those in which there is some recognition and approval of change, and models can be drawn from contemporaries. We are now moving toward a "prefigurative" society -- the NOW generation if you will -- and Mead feels that this may be our only hope. As usual the distinguished anthropologist displays a stunning intuition illumined by anecdotes drawn from her lifelong fieldwork. --Kirkus Reviews« less
This book originated from the "Man and Nature" lectures delivered by Margaret Mead at The American Museum of Natural History in March 1969 in conjunction with the Museum's centennial celebration. 1970 paperback edition.