mfletcher's review against another edition
3.0
Revised, complete review: https://practicallyuntitled.blogspot.com/2021/07/sand-talk-can-indigenous-thinking.html
The Bad
Does this book live up to its title? Not in the slightest.
As others have stated, this book has little to do with indigenous thinking changing the world. Sure, there are moments in which an approach or idea could be useful when applied at scale, but the title overpromises on what are incredibly broad ways of understanding the world. Further, indigenous thinking and culture is by its nature relegated to only small groups of people, and so I see no real place for the non-indigenous majority to adopt any of what is described in the book - you can’t just become indigenous. I doubt that this is the fault of Yunkaporta, however, and was likely some sort of marketing push to sell more copies of an otherwise challenging and pertinent assortment of essays.
The Claims That Don’t Add Up; Or, Overgeneralising the West
Yunkaporta makes claims throughout the book, both about the nature of Western culture and history, and about certain events or processes, that just don’t add up. He generally makes a point of overgeneralising the nature of Western knowledge production, leading to some bizarre conjectures throughout the book. Perhaps this was just to provide a clear contrast to what he perceives his own culture does instead, but I felt it discredited his overall argument against simplistic thinking. Some examples of this include the assertion that vitamin D deficiency due to anti-skin cancer campaigns has killed more people than the cancer would have and that neural changes caused by literacy are abhorrent. Such claims are both bizarre and have no basis in any research that I’ve been able to find. In fact, this book is largely devoid of references, but maybe I’m missing the point of in insisting upon that.
The Things Left Unsaid
Certain key issues as far as indigenous cultures and knowledge systems were glossed over, or dismissed without adequate discussion. On the case of domestic abuse and paedophilia in Australian indigenous communities, Yunkaporta fails to truly address the issues of today and instead focuses on potential bad reporting of observers during first contact. He further goes on to essentially explain that paedophilia isn’t an issue because traditionally adolescence was not extended as it now is and that it wasn’t just old men preying on young girls, it was old women praying on young boys too! I guess that makes it ok then?
The Good
Making Epistemology Accessible
Though I have studied epistemology (theory of knowledge) to some degree before, I think that Yunkaporta’s explanations of ‘ways of knowing’ and ‘indigenous knowledge systems’ as concepts were both effective and accessible. He did a fantastic job (from an outside perspective) of conveying cultural beliefs and practices that usually appear either foreign or quaint to non-indigenous people, and was further able to convey the importance of indigenous knowledge systems far better than anything else I have encountered.
A Compelling Challenge
This book will likely challenge things you take advantage of in your worldview, things you didn’t even consider to be part of any worldview at all. Yunkaporta does this in a way that is fascinating and accessible through a melding of art, memoir and analysis (as he calls it: “yarning”.) For this reason alone, this book is a worthy read for anyone vaguely interested in philosophy or world history. I recommend taking this book slowly to try and fully understand it, you’ll get far more out of mulling these ideas over than trying to ram them into your likely very differently wired skull. As with any non-fiction, however, don’t take Yunkaporta’s word for gospel. He readily admits he’s no expert in either Indigenous cultures or the Western cultures he often critiques, so approach any broad claims about either with some respect and skepticism.
The Bad
Does this book live up to its title? Not in the slightest.
As others have stated, this book has little to do with indigenous thinking changing the world. Sure, there are moments in which an approach or idea could be useful when applied at scale, but the title overpromises on what are incredibly broad ways of understanding the world. Further, indigenous thinking and culture is by its nature relegated to only small groups of people, and so I see no real place for the non-indigenous majority to adopt any of what is described in the book - you can’t just become indigenous. I doubt that this is the fault of Yunkaporta, however, and was likely some sort of marketing push to sell more copies of an otherwise challenging and pertinent assortment of essays.
The Claims That Don’t Add Up; Or, Overgeneralising the West
Yunkaporta makes claims throughout the book, both about the nature of Western culture and history, and about certain events or processes, that just don’t add up. He generally makes a point of overgeneralising the nature of Western knowledge production, leading to some bizarre conjectures throughout the book. Perhaps this was just to provide a clear contrast to what he perceives his own culture does instead, but I felt it discredited his overall argument against simplistic thinking. Some examples of this include the assertion that vitamin D deficiency due to anti-skin cancer campaigns has killed more people than the cancer would have and that neural changes caused by literacy are abhorrent. Such claims are both bizarre and have no basis in any research that I’ve been able to find. In fact, this book is largely devoid of references, but maybe I’m missing the point of in insisting upon that.
The Things Left Unsaid
Certain key issues as far as indigenous cultures and knowledge systems were glossed over, or dismissed without adequate discussion. On the case of domestic abuse and paedophilia in Australian indigenous communities, Yunkaporta fails to truly address the issues of today and instead focuses on potential bad reporting of observers during first contact. He further goes on to essentially explain that paedophilia isn’t an issue because traditionally adolescence was not extended as it now is and that it wasn’t just old men preying on young girls, it was old women praying on young boys too! I guess that makes it ok then?
The Good
Making Epistemology Accessible
Though I have studied epistemology (theory of knowledge) to some degree before, I think that Yunkaporta’s explanations of ‘ways of knowing’ and ‘indigenous knowledge systems’ as concepts were both effective and accessible. He did a fantastic job (from an outside perspective) of conveying cultural beliefs and practices that usually appear either foreign or quaint to non-indigenous people, and was further able to convey the importance of indigenous knowledge systems far better than anything else I have encountered.
A Compelling Challenge
This book will likely challenge things you take advantage of in your worldview, things you didn’t even consider to be part of any worldview at all. Yunkaporta does this in a way that is fascinating and accessible through a melding of art, memoir and analysis (as he calls it: “yarning”.) For this reason alone, this book is a worthy read for anyone vaguely interested in philosophy or world history. I recommend taking this book slowly to try and fully understand it, you’ll get far more out of mulling these ideas over than trying to ram them into your likely very differently wired skull. As with any non-fiction, however, don’t take Yunkaporta’s word for gospel. He readily admits he’s no expert in either Indigenous cultures or the Western cultures he often critiques, so approach any broad claims about either with some respect and skepticism.
jmandrews128's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible
Start this book with an open mind and you will not be disappointed. So much for all of us to learn in here.
Start this book with an open mind and you will not be disappointed. So much for all of us to learn in here.
colindac's review against another edition
5.0
This was the tonic I needed. I will come back to this one again and again I'm sure. Much gratitude for it.
stanro's review
medium-paced
4.0
This is a mind-bending book that challenges our framework of thinking, taking an indigenous lens to look at our society and its issues by reversing what is done to indigenous peoples generally. “I’m not offering expert answers, only different questions and ways of looking at things.”
He tells us at one early point, “Everything in creation has dreaming, even windscreen wipers and mobile phones. So why must our knowledge of creation be frozen in time as an artefact?”
When discussing the emu and its place in the dreaming, Yunkaporta says the emu is a locus of that most dangerous of things, the view that it is superior to and more worthy than all others. Narcissism. That is why the dark emu in the sky is being controlled by kangaroo, echidna and serpent. It takes a group to manage the excesses of the emu. But in this modern interconnected world, we encounter such narcissists alone, individually, without the group. “Never wrestle a pig,” he says, because you both get covered with shit and the pig likes it.”
Later, my mind is blown by the description of the symbiotic relationship between a species of butterfly, a particular type of bush and a species of ant that nests below the bush. He uses it as an analogy for his exhortation to protect land and balance our ways of life sustainably.
Chapter by chapter, Yunkaporta yarns about ideas and issues and an Aboriginal approach to them.
“What we can know is determined by our obligations and relationships to people, Ancestors, land, Law and creation,” he states.
One of his yarns that is easiest to spotlight here is his version of the development of schooling and education with which we are familiar. He argues that it was introduced by early 19th century Prussia after its defeat in battle by Napoleon, to obtain greater compliance by people to their rulers. It’s an interesting and entertaining exposition.
If you look at our world and wonder what we should do to deal with its problems and if you think we might need an alternative paradigm, this could be stimulating for you.
I had it read to me on audio by the writer himself. To my surprise, late in the book there is a guided meditation based upon imagining a fire. I sat on a bench on the Gold Coast and meditated, as Yunkaporta’s words flowed around and through me. Definitely a plus for the audio.
On the other hand, and I’m pretty sure this was in the education chapter, he departs from his usual reading voice and briefly uses a Germanic accent and a US accent. I felt a bit uncomfortable about its occurrence. Too sensitive?
Worth a reread I think, but after it’s percolated a while. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
He tells us at one early point, “Everything in creation has dreaming, even windscreen wipers and mobile phones. So why must our knowledge of creation be frozen in time as an artefact?”
When discussing the emu and its place in the dreaming, Yunkaporta says the emu is a locus of that most dangerous of things, the view that it is superior to and more worthy than all others. Narcissism. That is why the dark emu in the sky is being controlled by kangaroo, echidna and serpent. It takes a group to manage the excesses of the emu. But in this modern interconnected world, we encounter such narcissists alone, individually, without the group. “Never wrestle a pig,” he says, because you both get covered with shit and the pig likes it.”
Later, my mind is blown by the description of the symbiotic relationship between a species of butterfly, a particular type of bush and a species of ant that nests below the bush. He uses it as an analogy for his exhortation to protect land and balance our ways of life sustainably.
Chapter by chapter, Yunkaporta yarns about ideas and issues and an Aboriginal approach to them.
“What we can know is determined by our obligations and relationships to people, Ancestors, land, Law and creation,” he states.
One of his yarns that is easiest to spotlight here is his version of the development of schooling and education with which we are familiar. He argues that it was introduced by early 19th century Prussia after its defeat in battle by Napoleon, to obtain greater compliance by people to their rulers. It’s an interesting and entertaining exposition.
If you look at our world and wonder what we should do to deal with its problems and if you think we might need an alternative paradigm, this could be stimulating for you.
I had it read to me on audio by the writer himself. To my surprise, late in the book there is a guided meditation based upon imagining a fire. I sat on a bench on the Gold Coast and meditated, as Yunkaporta’s words flowed around and through me. Definitely a plus for the audio.
On the other hand, and I’m pretty sure this was in the education chapter, he departs from his usual reading voice and briefly uses a Germanic accent and a US accent. I felt a bit uncomfortable about its occurrence. Too sensitive?
Worth a reread I think, but after it’s percolated a while. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
sabrinaw's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
5.0
It took me ages to get through this because it is so deeply profound that I could only get through a bit at a time and Im already so keen for a re-read! Truly an amazing book for anyone interested in decolonisation and anticapitalism and indigenous philosphy, I cant rate it highly enough
nataliereads100's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
3.5
I’m really interested in learning about indigenous science and how it can help us be more sustainable and address climate change. While I found this easier to get through than Braiding Sweetgrass and I have learned a lot from both books, they have been written so experimentally and not quite what I expected.
kristenleeluna's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5