Na'vi sociology

[auroraglacialis]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Na'vi clothing varies immensely, clearly based on skill as well as possibly connections (i.e. knowing someone who makes good ones). Design of bows varies greatly too, from purely functional design to ornate and every point inbetween. Some Na'vi wear extra clothes/jewelery, while others do not, much like the difference in hairstyles that they wear.

Good point. There seem to be differences yes and of course they are not all identical - far from it. Just like indigenous people on Earth, individuals differ in adornments and clothing style and patterns. What I was more referring to is definite differences in these depending on status or wealth. There seem to be a couple of items that denote status, like ceremonial bows, special attire of the clan leader and spiritual leader, but overall the differences are not so big. I am aware that "species bias" or "cultural bias" can cloak special meanings of certain items, but there are distinctions that are rather universal. Items that are obviously rare or very hard to make, better nutritional status or things pointing towards the ability of one person to give orders to someone else - these are general representations of hierarchical structures. Differences in the shape or design of clothing, haircuts etc can or can not mean anything in terms of status or group connection. They can be individualistic expressions or stand for spiritual achievements or they can show the difference between a hunter and a bowmaker, an uninitiated and an adult. In a stronger hierarchy some people have power over others. As a result, they can make these people work for them, creating items that require more work than a single person could come up with. Like elaborate metalsmithing adornements, coats made of so many rare furs that it takes several people and more time to get these. Another sign of hierarchy is if there are differnt sizes or quality in buildings (or shelter in general). In the movie I did not see a lot of signs for this, except in the ranks of the clan leader, spiritual leader and their descendants. But then - we did not see a lot of others and I did not play the PC game...

if you ever read the survival guide, you'd see all sorts of references to the Na'vi hammocks, personal items, and bows. They are their own.

Oh yes of course. I was not trying to imply that all the people have no personal items. The meaning of equality that I use in most cases is that of a small difference in wealth and possibilities for the individuals. Everyone has individual and personal stuff like bows and hammocks, but I would say that most likely no one will have a hammock that is 50 times as much work to make as a regular hammock.

Again, read some background before complaining. BOTH Na'vi choose mates, it is normally a process that can take years, but obviously, this simply did not apply is Jake and Neytiri's case.

Yes, I said that that part was debatable - it was mentioned before - I was not aware though that there is a definite answer to that question. Was that in the Survival guide? I must have forgotten if that is the case.

No, it doesn't. Homeostasis is two competing systems creating an equilibrium, usuall with some degree of instability.

Ok, one analogy. Imagine a flat surface and a ball. Which shape is the right analogy for a homeostasis of two directions - a ditch or a hill. Of course it is the ditch because on the hill, the system is instable. Which does represent two competing forces? This has to be the hill, because in that setup, both forces try to pull the ball off the hill in their direction. In the ditch setup, the competing forces would have to work to pull the ball out of that hole. But the latter implies, that there is a certain background in place that pulls the ball back into place. This background cannot come from the two forces pulling at the ball.

I did not get the paragraph on the "biological automaton receiving an order"

Far more accommodating landscape in terms of natural features, as well as in terms of abundant prey and easily accessible resources... and they are said to have basic agriculture

I'd say ask a human if life on Pandora was that easy. It is that easy for the NA'Vi because they know how to fit into that environment. Just as it is an easy life for the Hadzabe to live in a half-desert in Africa because they know where to find water, they know that they can always just go out and hunt because they know they can rely on their abilities to find food in that area. Someone from a western country or even someone from a Jungle or coastal region might find that landscape incredibly harsh. At these same time a Hadzabe would probably die if placed without guidance into the cold areas of Siberia or Alaska or Northern Canada - while local people know easily how to get enough fish and meat to feed their families. So I would be careful in declaring which bioregions are giving "abundant prey and resources" because that abundance depends on the culture of the people adapted to it as much as it depends on the bioregion.

Originally Posted by Raptor

If this is indeed true, would that mean that because of Eywa and the abundance of resources, natural selection is weak on Pandora?

Originally Posted by Moco Loco

If by weak you mean relatively unchallenged, I'd say yes. I'd say it contributes to how flamboyant everything looks

Interestingly I would say that this is not so. In fact places on Earth that have high challenges there is also high diversity. A coral reef is a very challenging environment. There are not a lot of nutrients and a lot of selection. Darwins original discovery was about birds developing a high diversity in a challenging environment. The high diversity and flambuoant displays on Pandora would point towards quite a bit of challenge. From the descriptions in the survival guide, it also seems that the animals on Pandora developed very elaborate ways to catch prey and get their food. This of course does cause diversity.

Originally Posted by Aquaplant

Well it's not possible to "cheat" nature without intellect and tools, and as we are pretty much the only species in possession of both in sufficiently advanced quality, so we are capable of cheating and destroying the balance, but animals could not cheat, even if they wanted to, so that is why they do not behave that way.

I did not mean "cheating" in the sense of deliberate and planned action designed to gain superiority. In the sense I meant it, it merely is any way that can be developed by a species that circumvents the balance of the whole. If a virus would develop the ability to infect all animals in the world, it would also be a cheater for example. Humans have a lot of abilities in that way, which makes them pretty good cheaters.

Or they would learn to cheat as we have. Of course they would have many tries and always fail, but eventually they would notice that the only way to "win" is to play unfair.

The misconception here is that we think that by cheating we will win. In reality, to me it looks like we are loosing big time because we are cheating. Because if there is nothing left and we "killed our mother", we destroy our own existence or at least diminish it greatly.

Originally Posted by Human No More

no Na'vi would ever fail at hunting.

What? I mean yes they do train a lot before they are allowed to hunt to make sure that they will not fail but that statement males no sense really

Property, yes; currency; no. Big difference. Not 'wealthy' by (equivalent) name, perhaps, but able to understand "he has a really nice bow, a beautiful mate, and knows someone who makes the best loincloths".

Oh yes - I mean wealth can be so many things - good relationship, a lot of free time to do creative work, a nice family, a spiritual knowledge,... special items one owns.