Chapter 9
Summary
This chapter explores the personality of Samoans and their attitude towards it. The word, musu, means that one is unwilling and obstinate and what Mead finds is that it is treated with “almost superstitious respect.” Once a person demonstrates musu, the Samoan doesn’t question why the person feels that way. They just accept it and move on.
Mead also found that when describing a person, a Samoan generally lists their traits in a pattern (sex, age, rank, relationship, defects and activities). Attitudes tend to be described as being either good or bad, easy or difficult. Mead also notes that judgments tended to be made in terms of age groups and that when asked personal questions, they tended to reply, “I don’t know.”
Discussion
I found it funny that Mead resorted to putting a taboo on the use of “I don’t know” when asking the children questions. I also found it interesting how they do not try to figure out why someone acts obstinate or is unwilling. Mead points out how this gives them privacy since they have little privacy in other areas of their lives. I guess I understand that, but I wonder if misunderstandings occur between people more often because they don’t try to understand why the person feels the way they do and upset more than once because of the same thing.
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