In this chapter, Levi-Strauss studies anthropology (the study of culture and civilization). He knows that culture involves art, music, clothing, morals, law, etc., and he thinks that the reasons people do some of these things to make up their culture are unconscious. He then goes on to say that table manners, etiquette, and fashion are important in our society, but nobody really pays attention to their origins or why we do what we do and what it means.
Levi-Strauss is a strong believer in the importance of unconscious elements. He makes a good point that if we knew why we do everything that we do, then there would be no reason for social sciences. Franz Boas is another anthropologist that stressed the importance of grammar. No one would know how their language would work unless they have rules for speaking. People are raised to speak the way their surrounding culture does.
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