"Savages" and Civilized People
Attempts have been made to precisely delineate the boundary between primitive and civilized peoples. The civilized person differs from the primitive one in degree, not in essence. The primitive person is characterized by a limited intellectual horizon, which indicates a smaller repository of knowledge rather than narrow-mindedness, as they live in perfect harmony with their unique culture.
Among primitive peoples, cultural one-sidedness is common, often leading to atrocities. The fantastic lip ornaments, secret societies, and bloodshed are examples of the excesses of culture. However, these phenomena are more characteristic of culture itself than of the individual's mental constitution.
Primitive peoples often lack the freedom of thought and action. They are likely predominantly "extroverted," with the will of the masses being decisive for them, even when this is expressed through the despotism of a single individual. Among primitives, the majority and tradition dominate, whereas among the civilized, individuality and rationality prevail. A deeper difference is observed in their susceptibility to fatigue, evident in their inability to sustain continuous work. Primitive people tend to disregard the course of events, which can be perplexing to Europeans. Coercion can lead to the most tragic consequences: the Spanish conquest was followed by a wave of suicides in the West Indies.
Another important trait is the lack of self-control. Emotions are openly expressed, and there is a strong inclination toward play, laughter, and wild destruction.
Society is not merely the sum of individuals living in a given period but includes all previous generations. The cultural tradition passed on to society constitutes the framework within which life manifests itself and shapes the community's ideals. Despite this, there are independent minds and heretics even among primitives, to whom progress is owed.
Primitives are not insensitive to logic; they apply the law of causality daily. However, their narrower range of experiences is exhausted more quickly than ours. Their critical capacity is inadequate, paired with the naïve belief that they are the center of the world.
The thinking of primitives is tied to their emotions, making them incapable of distinguishing between objective and subjective concepts. Consequently, they are indifferent to self-contradictions as long as these express societal unity.
Within the diversity of nature, the human mind is fundamentally the same everywhere. The natives of Tierra del Fuego do not think differently than the intellectual giants of our culture. They tire more quickly when following a line of reasoning, are more easily influenced by their environment, and yield to their emotions sooner. They have less experience and knowledge, but they are neither stupid nor, above all, mentally ill.
Kai Birket-Smith "A kultúra ösvényei", Gondolat kiadó, Budapest, 1969