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Philip Goetz's avatar

Many Native Americans on reservations in the southwest are desperately poor because there are very few jobs in those desolate lands. But the people living there are free to leave, and choose the benefits of staying with the tribe over living a prosperous but tribeless life.

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Stephen Diamond's avatar

conclude that they are happy all the time.

You mean like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Mexico? (the last, regarding which I'd be interested in the role of extended families, inasmuch as Mexico is Catholic [anti-cousin marriage] but agricultural).

To be honest, it's been a long time since I've seen a National Geographic, but I wonder if you're attributing extended families to hunter gatherers whereas clans are associated with agricultural societies.

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