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Summary Of Tribe : On Homecoming And Belonging

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“Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging”, by Sebastian Junger, is an insightful examination of the flaws of a modernized society. Through scientific evidence and first-hand accounts, the book explores the correlation between a nation’s level of modernness and it’s rates of mental illness. Junger careful choice of words and phrasing shows that he is not arguing that a tribal society is better than a modern society- as “there’s no use arguing that modern society isn’t a kind of paradise” - but is instead proposing a blend of both society’s beneficial qualities (Junger 108). His chronological writing style within “Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging” allows for the development of his argument. Particularly focusing upon Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in veterans, Junger utilizes accounts from Vietnam War and World Wars to bring light to the “antihuman society” set forth by our modernized ways (Junger 93). Junger begins the first chapter with a personal observation from when he was a journalist - a cordial trend that is to be seen in the following chapters. He found that in the 18th century English colonists preferred to be kidnapped by tribes, than life with the colonies of America. The fact that “a person living in a modern city or suburb can… go through an entire day - or an entire life... surrounded by others and yet feel deeply, dangerously alone” deterred colonists from returning back to their homes (Junger 18). Hundreds of colonists found themselves attracted to

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