Read My New Article in the "SAA Archaeological Record"

11/22/2019

In this month's edition of The SAA Archaeological Record, a publication of the Society for American Archaeology, there is a special section organized by John Hoopes in which a number of authors, including several friends of this blog and me, have pieces examining aspects of Graham Hancock's America Before, pseudoarchaeology, and popular understandings of the past. My piece focuses on racism and the Mound Builder myth, in anticipation of my forthcoming book on the subject. The special edition can be read for free in its entirety here, and my piece also appears on my website by permission of the SAA. In lieu of a lengthy post today, please enjoy my article.

57 Comments

Joe Scales

11/22/2019 10:57:52 am

"By reviving antiquated Victorian ideas in our time, they give aid and succor to Eurocentrists and white nationalists. Even if authors and television writers do not support these goals, they still bear responsibility for the broader effects of this ideology."

And what exactly are these "broader effects"? You admit these modern authors do not support white supremacy. So their ideas either pass or fail on their merits. Just because despicable people might want to believe in them, that does not in and of itself invalidate such ideas.

I certainly hope this wasn't the final conclusion from your recent book. If so, it just seems like more of the piling on so rampant these days giving white supremacists more visibility if only to convince people to vote for your candidates of choice.

White Supremacy is a Biological Fact

11/22/2019 11:24:12 am

Withdraw all the charities to Third World Countries - LOL
cue cries "Racist" - LOL

Kent

11/22/2019 01:56:11 pm

One might easily say:

"By reviving antiquated Protestant and Islamic ideas in our time, they give aid and succor to the KKK and ISIS. Even if authors and television writers do not support these goals, they still bear responsibility for the broader effects of these ideologies."

What about...???

11/22/2019 01:58:35 pm

What about that crucifix on my wall ??!!!

Doc Rock

11/22/2019 02:22:08 pm

I've heard old school hardcore southern fundamentalist Christian ministers selectively mine the Old Testament to construct a sort of polygenism argument against desegregation and interracial marriage. This trend continues in some of the white supremacist/white separatist neo-Nazi type congregations. Not so much with those who focus on a New Testament Jesus as a hippy who thought that everyone is equal and the same theme. Depends on who is standing behind any given pulpit or who is authoring any given religious text.

The Bible predates Hancock

11/22/2019 02:26:03 pm

Come on

Kent

11/22/2019 02:27:39 pm

As long as it's a Catholic crucifix you're good to go. It's my understanding that Catholics prefer the Michael Vick rapestand with the dog and Protestants prefer just the torture device.

But if you have any prophylactic rubbers in your house you're going to hell. http://seinfeldism.com/seinfeld-quote.php?id=1060

crucifix

11/22/2019 02:37:09 pm

ritual converted into historical narrative

Jim

11/22/2019 01:58:59 pm

Oh boy, here we go again. Attributing something to Jason that he never said by deftly (or not) changing what he said.

Joe:,, You admit these modern authors do not support white supremacy.

Jason:,," Even if authors and television writers do not support these goals,"

Even if,,, Even if,,,,, Even if,,,, Even if,,,, Even if

How many times have I said to you, "But Jason didn't say this" ?
We wouldn't want you to circle back around a couple of posts later and use what you said (not what Jason said) against him, as is your wont.

Joe:,, " So their ideas either pass or fail on their merits."

No, pass or fail, these ideas linger throughout history like a bad fart. Pay attention.

Joe Scales

11/22/2019 03:13:14 pm

Jim won't stop. Jim can't stop. He's obsessed with Wolter, so he pesters him nonstop creating multiple new screen names to do so on his blog. He's also obsessed with Patrick, whose facebook site Jim visits regularly, then Jim comes here to report on it despite having nothing to do with any topic Jason is currently covering. Likewise with his unhealthy fixation on Jovan Hutton Pulitzer. And these are just the ones we know of. Where else is this trolling and cyber-stalking taking place by this lunatic?

And now I fear I am the target of this demented and crazed imbecile. Yes, I punk'd him. I punk'd him pretty good. Played him like a violin, I did. So good, that he refuses to recognize it and continues his insane ranting in both mine and Kent's regard. Dude, you lost. You look stupid, because you are stupid. And since you're such a crazed poor sport, you won't stop. I could happily not respond to you should I drop off your radar. But you cannot show me the same courtesy. No. You pepper my posts with your sad, lonely and off-target barbs. The ramblings of a poor sport. A loser. A cyber-stalking imbecile.

As if Jason deserves this on his board. Some old, lonely, cyber-stalking, crazed imbecile who can't control his impulses. Jim also creates new screen names here. Quite often. Like that time I told him I didn't wish to engage him on this board. So he used another name to do so. This is odd to me, as I've only ever posted here as Joe Scales; maddening as that is to the mentally deranged that can't cope with having their biases challenged by yours truly. But not Jim. He'll post as Jim. Then he'll post as someone else. Again. And again.

That is pathological. That is sick. That is Jim.

Jim

11/22/2019 03:55:37 pm

Ad hominem (Latin for "to the person"),[1] short for argumentum ad hominem, typically refers to a fallacious argumentative strategy whereby genuine discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

Kent

11/22/2019 04:14:44 pm

On the other hand, you've got form. Remember that time Ted Bundy just gave a girl a ride home without murdering her? (hint: such a case does exist)

When people take you as they find you, of course it's their fault.

KentBBrilliant

11/22/2019 04:34:04 pm

That boy is so smart that he is the only one who can understand the point he is making. That's why he talks to himself most of the time.

Jim

11/22/2019 04:53:34 pm

Kent:,,"When people take you as they find you, of course it's their fault."

Remember when Kent spent months posing as Americanegro ?

Caleb:,,"His Americanegro persona was his version of wearing blackface

Kent:,, " Obama, our 44th white President,"

Kent:,,"Your Prime Minister clearly hates black people so I'm in good company."

Kent:,,“Looking forward to your future actually black, not blackface Prime Minister.”

Kent:
"Jason,
I don't appreciate being called a Negro here. I have no problem with black people but I think it's inappropriate. I sense a bunch of white people getting their racism on and I don't want to be involved. Could you please do something about this?
Thanks."

And with that I bid adieu to Joe Kent Scales Americanegro.

Kent

11/22/2019 05:21:43 pm

So what's the over/under on Jim's next deluded ankle-biting post to/about me? At least Bundy let that one girl out without killing her.

The racial stuff is getting old isn't it Jim? Jim. Maybe Canadians see racism differently with their Prime Minister Blackface but I dunno, Jim. Jim.

Joe Scales

11/22/2019 06:27:05 pm

And I must say, it is beautiful that I... I mean you... I mean... not me... says ankle-biters and not nippers. I have long been a fan of your work. And now the lunatics must decide if they're in on the joke... or off the bus.

Yellow
Matter
Custard.

Rupert Pupkin

11/22/2019 08:21:40 pm

Colavito posts something with the word race or racist in it.

Joe Scales says something dumb.

Someone says that Scales something dumb and points out why.

Scales goes Ad Hom

Someone points out that Scales has gone Ad Hom and why.

Scales continues to go Ad Hom

Kent shows up and goes Ad Hom and says something stupid to back up Kent

Someone points out that Kent is a dumbass and why

Etc., etc., etc. The End

Kent

11/22/2019 08:53:04 pm

Adapted from Wikipedia:

"Rupert Pupkin is a delusional aspiring stand-up comedian trying to launch his career. ... Along the way, Rupert indulges in elaborate and obsessive fantasies in which he and Jim are colleagues and friends."

Joe Scales

11/23/2019 10:17:11 am

Rupert Pupkin

11/23/2019 12:22:19 pm

Things turned out well for Rupert at the end. As usual Kent/Joe/AmericanNegro is at best half right in his understanding of things.

Kent

11/23/2019 02:25:27 pm

How it turned out was left ambiguous. Was it real or just more of your delusion? Of course getting released from prison could be considered "turning out well" I suppose. Not going to prison seems even better but I won't attempt to decide for you.

Rupert Pupkin

11/23/2019 02:36:06 pm

Achieving his goal of performing on national TV. Then getting out of prison after a brief sentence to be met with multiple lucrative for gigs, and then the movie ends with him being announced for a performance to wild applause. Thus greatly exceeding his original goal of simply making a single appearance on TV.

Your understanding of the King of Comedy sucks worse than your perspective on the movie Highlander.

Maybe the next time you watch a movie your caregiver should be there the entire time to fill in the blanks for you.

Henry Kissinger

11/23/2019 02:45:47 pm

But Rupert, Kent knows a guy who was a Hollywood producer in the 60s so he knows more about the plot of the King of Comedy than you.

Joe Scales

11/23/2019 02:46:50 pm

I just liked the scene when Jerry Lewis is running down the street away from Sandra Bernhard. All that was missing was the "hey lady!".

Ed herlihy

11/23/2019 03:01:55 pm

There are some disturbing parallels between Pupkin's interaction with the Jerry Lewis character and his show and Kent's interaction with Colavito and his blog. Don't be surprised if one day Colavito drops out of sight for a while and only returns after Kent has been allowed to be the featured guest blogger.

Jonno

11/23/2019 03:14:39 pm

Kent: I'm gonna work 50 times harder and be 50 times more famous than you.

Jason: Then you're gonna have idiots like you plaguing your life!

Kent

11/23/2019 03:19:38 pm

Never gonna happen. It all comes from a place of tough love. Your scenario sounds too much like work.

"Stalin could look at the eyes of a comrade sitting at the same table with him and say: 'Your eyes look shifty today.' It could be taken for granted that the comrade, whose eyes were supposedly shifty, would be under suspicion."

-- N. Krushchev in The Road to Communism - Report on the 22nd Party Congress CPSU, p. 111

I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to all who were offended or made to feel "less than" due to my mentioning people I have met tangentially, people much more accomplished than I, but Jesus Christ, the fetal position is NOT the solution to all life's problems. Anthony Warren can hook you up with infinite imaginary college professors if that's what it takes to make you whole, you holes.

With apologies to Rickles, I kid because I hate.

Oh the line forms to the right, babe

B.A. Baracus

11/23/2019 03:27:27 pm

Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one
And down he run
You smell like a pair of my old socks

----John "Hannibal" Smith, The A-Team.

Doc Rock

11/22/2019 12:14:21 pm

Congrats. You are a credit to anthropology. I know you have the family and job thing but ever thought of pursuing grad work?

Jason Colavito link

11/22/2019 10:32:41 pm

When I was in college I considered it, but college burned me out and I had no interest in further studies or taking on more debt. Now, it just seems like a massive expense that wouldn't actually benefit me directly.

Doc Rock

11/22/2019 10:43:01 pm

That's cool. You are making a good contribution right where you are. Good luck with it.

SA Archaeological Record

11/22/2019 01:34:05 pm

These scholars sidestep including classic religions as being examples of pseudo-history and fantasy - Gnostics were included in their assessment, however.
.

SA Archaeological Record

11/22/2019 01:51:17 pm

Scholars that probably throw brickbats at Graham Hancock but give bouquets to The Bible.

Pastor Babbitt

11/22/2019 05:13:34 pm

Yes, nearly every scholar that thinks Hancock is an idiot keeps a bible on their nightstand and believe it to be the historically accurate word of god.

Kent

11/22/2019 02:42:19 pm

It seems to this reader that the prime mover in all of this is the acceptance of fables, specifically the Bible and the story of Atlantis as fact or fact-adjacent.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=zodiac+mindwarp+and+the+love+reaction+prime+mover

Inadvertently perhaps Jason points out a huge problem with the "You MUST listen to the Native American oral tradition" nonsense.

TONY S.

11/22/2019 05:30:11 pm

Congratulations, Jason. I’m glad you and your work are appearing in print again. I hope it drives Graham Hancock straight up the wall. I’m looking forward to reading what you and your fellow writers have to say.

But

11/22/2019 05:46:00 pm

There are possibly believers in the paranormal and the supernatural within the pages of SA Archaeological Record itself because they may not all be rational sceptics...being of a religious ilk

TONY S.

11/22/2019 06:09:09 pm

As odd as it sounds, I know a few people who are both religious and believers in the paranormal and yet are apply to apply skepticism to other subjects, like bunk historical conspiracy theories for example.

Apparently the natural skepticism that formed a part of their intellectual make up was diluted at some point by dogma and rhetoric. It’s an interesting contradiction, being both.

I’d certainly be willing to consider the substance of an article written by someone who is personally religious but at the same time a skeptic concerning certain topics.

Need to be consistent

11/22/2019 06:18:44 pm

That's like believing in The Hollow Earth but not in Ancient Astronauts. Biblical scholars themselves are actually sceptical - basing their positions on a mixture of archaeological research and the similarities found within Judaism and other religions that surrounded Judaea. As they have readily demonstrated on documentaries when they are invited to participate. At least when it comes to the Old Testament.

TONY S.

11/22/2019 07:46:32 pm

I know, it’s a weird dynamic, believing in one thing and not another; consistency is definitely lacking.

You made a great point about biblical scholars. When I was younger I used to view them in the same vein as creationist scientists, but I changed my viewpoint a long time ago. They’re not the same.

An Anonymous Nerd

11/22/2019 09:36:55 pm

The Fringe invasion continues. From those who want to pretend that ideas don't have consequences and defend the oppressed Right against Mr. Colavito's exploration of their foundational ideas; to those who want to talk about their religious criticisms more-or-less out of nowhere; to those who just want to fight with each other on Mr. Colavito's platform.

-An Anonymous Nerd

TONY S.

11/22/2019 10:06:45 pm

If this is partly directed at me, read on. If not, disregard.

I’m not sure what you mean by “religious criticisms more or less out of nowhere” .The topic of religion was brought up by someone who answered my post, and I replied accordingly within the context of the discussion.

As far as criticizing religion: when I actually do so, you’ll know it.

I agree with the rest of your post.

To An Anonymous Nerd

11/23/2019 04:42:02 am

Religions originate from the same place as Flying Saucers, Cryptozoology, Witchcraft, Ancient Astronauts, Alchemy, Atlantis, ESP, Ghosts, etc, etc, etc. In essence, there is no real difference between The Bible and Chariots of the Gods. There are those in Skeptical Enquirer as well as skeptics of the past who know about this.

Jim

11/23/2019 08:25:27 am

As a way for those ignorant of the facts to explain the unexplainable,,e.g. 'Thor the God of Thunder".

Witness History

11/23/2019 10:09:28 am

LOL - witness the founders of American Independence and how they hammered the religious fundamentalists. But each new generation of American people come along to swallow that rubbish.

Jack Van Impe

11/23/2019 01:04:02 pm

Someone can be a believer yet be well-trained in a relevant scientific discipline and produce objective scholarship that passes muster in peer review. Fringe scholars tend to have little or no training in the relevant field and tend to produce crap research that would not pass muster in peer review. Legitimate scientists are generally able to maintain a boundary between personal faith and scientific inquiry and practice. Fringe practitioners generally don't maintain a boundary and so faith and scholarly practice are one and the same. I'm speaking of general trends. Pointing out the occasional exception to either scenario doesn't negate the validity of the trend.

Hey

11/23/2019 02:58:41 pm

The Paranormal and the Supernatural in the Bible is different to ESP, Ghosts, Vampires, Witchcraft, Flying Saucers - Evangelical Channels are normal while Ancient Aliens is not.

You gotta be kidding.

Hey What

11/24/2019 11:02:43 am

Who said that?

This sounds good

11/24/2019 01:18:51 pm

Personal faith makes belief in the supernatural & paranormal acceptable - IF it's in the Bible - LOL

"Legitimate scientists are generally able to maintain a boundary between personal faith and scientific inquiry"

Jack Van Impe

11/24/2019 03:03:18 pm

Its not an issue of whether personal faith is acceptable or not. Belief in Jesus feeding thousands of people with a loaf of bread is just as silly to me as the belief that some super civilization existed in North America 15,000 years ago and was wiped out without a trace by a comet. The issue is the extent to which people can conduct objective research without this faith bleeding into it. Its like judges who are staunchly opposed to abortion because of religious beliefs but follow legal procedure and precendent in deciding abortion legislation. Or a judge who may hold to an Old Testament eye for an eye perspective on Capital punishment but rule against it based on legal issues.This type of boundary seems less likely to be kept in place among fringe researchers than legitimate scientists, as a general trend.

Deep, very deep and fossilised

11/25/2019 01:20:59 am

You have just explained how religious bias continues to persist into the 21st century and how allegedly objective sceptics cling to superstitious beliefs - for all their "rational behaviour".

Ham Grancock

11/29/2019 12:27:20 pm

Yet objective skeptics consistently prove themselves capable of conducting objective research and publishing it in peer reviewed setting even though many peers are probably atheist or agnostic. Fringe writers consistently prove that they can do none of this. There is a clear distinction here, at least in terms of general trends.

HEY THERE

11/24/2019 01:16:28 pm

Whatever we do on this Blog - let's never be critical about the supernatural and paranormal found in The Bible. LOL

Chronology

11/24/2019 01:59:41 pm

The Bible predates Mme Blavatsky, Theosophy, Ignatius Donnelly et al by thousands of years. The paranormal and the supernatural did not begin during the 19th century.

TONY S.

11/24/2019 05:29:09 pm

The belief in the supernatural and the reporting of alleged paranormal events didn’t begin with the Bible, either. Sumerian, Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian and Greco-Roman accounts predate the Bible by thousands of years.

Kent

11/26/2019 12:27:33 am

I think you have some misconceptions about chronology.

Homo Sapiens

11/26/2019 01:22:47 am

Yeah, no other species on Planet Earth except Homo Sapiens.
The Bible, Roswell, Billy Graham, Graham Hancock, Jesus Christ, Scott Wolter, Dalai Lama, Blah Blah Blah Blah - Full of worthless crap. All of it.

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