“The main thing is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live. Be a man before being an artist!”
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―
“A student once asked anthropologist Margaret Mead, “What is the earliest sign of civilization?” The student expected her to say a clay pot, a grinding stone, or maybe a weapon.
Margaret Mead thought for a moment, then she said, “A healed femur.”
A femur is the longest bone in the body, linking hip to knee. In societies without the benefits of modern medicine, it takes about six weeks of rest for a fractured femur to heal. A healed femur shows that someone cared for the injured person, did their hunting and gathering, stayed with them, and offered physical protection and human companionship until the injury could mend.
Mead explained that where the law of the jungle—the survival of the fittest—rules, no healed femurs are found. The first sign of civilization is compassion, seen in a healed femur.”
―
Margaret Mead thought for a moment, then she said, “A healed femur.”
A femur is the longest bone in the body, linking hip to knee. In societies without the benefits of modern medicine, it takes about six weeks of rest for a fractured femur to heal. A healed femur shows that someone cared for the injured person, did their hunting and gathering, stayed with them, and offered physical protection and human companionship until the injury could mend.
Mead explained that where the law of the jungle—the survival of the fittest—rules, no healed femurs are found. The first sign of civilization is compassion, seen in a healed femur.”
―
“But who can say what's best? That's why you need to grab whatever chance you have of happiness where you find it, and not worry about other people too much. My experience tells me that we get no more than two or three such chances in a life time, and if we let them go, we regret it for the rest of our lives.”
― Norwegian Wood
― Norwegian Wood
“By eating meat we share the responsibility of climate change, the destruction of our forests, and the poisoning of our air and water. The simple act of becoming a vegetarian will make a difference in the health of our planet.”
― The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology
― The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology
“If you remember me, then I don't care if everyone else forgets.”
― Kafka on the Shore
― Kafka on the Shore
Books & Boba
— 2788 members
— last activity Feb 15, 2026 11:14PM
This is a book club dedicated to books written by Asian and Asian American authors. We cover a wide range of genres including contemporary, historical ...more
Neurodiversity Reads
— 415 members
— last activity Aug 19, 2025 03:16AM
Neurodiverse people, reading books about topics relevant to our lives.
Appalachian Leaves
— 104 members
— last activity Jul 19, 2022 10:05AM
This group will discuss both fiction and non-fiction works that reflect the culture of Appalachia.
Lindsey’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Lindsey’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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