Chapter 13: Our Educational Problems in the Light of Samoan Contrasts
Coming of Age in Samoa
Margaret Mead
Summary: In this chapter, Mead starts contrasting the Samoan civilization to our own, trying to answer the question about trouble in adolescence in America. There are a few main points she covers in great detail such as a lack of affection and caring, not many choices open for teenagers (which lead not not many contradiction around the adolescent), and overall the lack of privacy which leads to more open knowledge about sex, birth and death.
Discussion: Reflecting on everything Mead discusses, I just cannot imagine how certain of these characteristics from the Samoan society would fit in any way to our society. Not in the past, and not now. I think she does a great job in comparing and contrasting the two civilizations. I have heard comments that there are many things wrong with this book, so I would like to know what they are, and how they would affect my point of view about the book and the studies' results.
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